What is a side hustle?
In short, a side hustle is an extra job that you use to supplement your main source of income. Side hustles typically take up your free time in the evenings or on weekends. Flexibility is usually the name of the game.
Side hustles vary wildly from part time gigs through platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer all the way to online hubs such as Etsy, Facebook Marketplace or the old, but reliable, Craigslist. The latter set of marketplaces are ideal for those looking to sell homemade goods, recoup costs on things you don’t want or find free items that can be fixed up and re-sold. Side hustles can also be split into easier short-term options and long-term prospects that can grow into fully fledged businesses.
Some people even make side hustles — as in a lot of them all at once — their main income earner.
Just keep in mind that come tax time, you’ll have to have all of your ducks in a row in terms of income and expenses — meaning that you should hold on to all invoices and receipts and an exhaustive list of all related expenses.
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Start Trading TodayWhat are the benefits of taking on a side hustle?
Taking on a side hustle can lead to a variety of benefits, from increased spending power to developing better financial prospects.
In the short term, a side hustle, if approached right, will lead to a bump in income. This can be ideal for paying off credit card debt. At their baseline, side hustles help achieve short-term financial goals like picking up a gift for someone special.
But money from a successful side hustle can also be re-invested in the business itself by paying for certificates or further education.
This is the first step to turning a side hustle into a long-term prospect.
For example, starting a business as an event photographer could be the beginning of working your way up to photographing weddings during the summer. As with most jobs, your pay will be relative to a combination of your experience and perceived market value. Be aware that if you go down this road, you’ll undoubtedly incur extra expenses to get started as you build your inventory of supplies, technology and tools.
What are the risks of taking on a side hustle?
Side hustles are time consuming. After all, you’re basically working an extra job in your off hours.
As such, risk of burnout is also a very real problem.
This is especially true for short-term side hustles. Working evenings and weekends to meet short-term financial goals or obligations can be grueling. Whenever possible, try to have a financial plan or business plan that you assess regularly. Try once every three months or quarter, to start.
After all, the last thing you want is to spend so much time on a low return on investment side hustle that it impacts your primary source of income.
Side hustles also add a level of complexity at tax time and throughout the year. Regardless of whether you managing your own invoicing, expense management and tax filings with your main gig, your secondary gig inherently adds more money management that adds time and energy to your busy life.
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Get A QuoteWhat are the best side hustles in Canada?
The first thing to do when selecting a side hustle is consider how your skill set fits into market demands. In Canada, this translates to targeting key industries such as education or real estate.
Our top pick is looking into tutoring, translation or transcription services. Canada is well known both for its generous approach to immigration and its multicultural values. This means that there’s a market for English language tutoring, translation services for new immigrants and transcription opportunities for the multilingual. If you speak more than two languages, this is definitely something to take a look at.
Plus, anyone looking for Canadian citizenship needs to have an “adequate knowledge” of French.
Real estate is a slightly different matter. Canada has a terminally low vacancy rate and a limited supply of new housing coming onto the market. This presents an opportunity to rent out a spare room if you have a house or condo. Other options include becoming a real estate agent yourself, which is a job that can often be shifted onto evenings and weekends.
In fairness, both of these suggestions have a higher barrier of entry than running deliveries or starting a home baking business.
Still, almost all side hustles will require at least a little bit of investment before coming online, although there are exceptions like doing medical studies or filling out surveys online.
The issue with these sorts of quick fix side hustles in Canada is that they often offer low pay compared to time spent, or are irregular in terms of hours offered.
25 top side hustles in Canada
So, with all that said, let’s take a look at some of the best side hustles for Canadians.
1. Tutoring
Canada’s education sector is a crown jewel and there are opportunities to match— from teaching English to new immigrants to math or French language prep. Platforms like TutorOcean and SuperProf are some places to start, but the most lucrative opportunities are definitely in private tutoring. For an extra boost, consider looking at a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) course. It also helps to have degrees in English or journalism if you’re doing language work, or math and science if those are your priority. Teaching music is another great option if you happen to have the skill set.
2. Translation services
If you’re bilingual, translation services can be a top side hustle in Canada, thanks to its diverse multiculturalism. This can include everything from document translation to interpreting at events. For those who have English as a second language this can be a lucrative way to leverage language skills.
3. Transcription
If you’re a fast typist with excellent attention to detail, transcription can be a great side hustle. Transcriptionists listen to audio recordings and convert them into text. Many industries require transcription services, from legal to medical to media, and websites like Rev and Scribie connect freelancers with clients. This can be paired with translation services to increase your profitability even further.
4. Photography
If you have a keen eye for capturing moments, photography can be a lucrative side hustle. Canadians are always in need of skilled photographers — whether for weddings, family portraits or event photography. This gig also comes with some solid long-term prospects that can turn it into a thriving business of its own. Just make sure to keep your portfolio and equipment current.
5. Stock photography
If you're into photography but prefer to work on your own terms, stock photography could be the perfect fit. By uploading your images to platforms such as Shutterstock, Adobe Stock or Getty Images, you can earn passive income whenever someone purchases your photos. This is best coupled with a photography business to tide you over during low periods.
6. Freelance writing
Companies, blogs and news outlets are always seeking quality content on everything from marketing to technology and lifestyle. Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer can connect you with clients in need of writing services. While competitive, the earning potential is significant as you develop a portfolio and client base.
AI also makes this type of work much easier than in the past. Although definitely a threat to long-term prospects, at this point, most AI written articles need significant fact checking and fine tuning to meet good quality copy standards.
7. Social media management
Most businesses need social media to reach clients and stakeholders. This is where you come in as the balm to their social media woes. If you have a talent for growing an audience and enjoy spending time online, this could be a small monthly income bump. Note that most companies will want to see month-to-month social media growth in all the metrics that matter — from impressions to new followers.
8. Web design
Businesses big and small are always looking to establish a professional online presence, making web design a highly sought-after skill. Most web development uses what-you-see-is-what-you-get software at this point, although knowing a bit of HTML and CSS allows for more customization. Make sure you’re familiar with big names such as WordPress, Squarespace and Wix.
9. Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing earns you commissions by promoting other companies' products. Although there are affiliate gunslingers out there, most successful affiliate relationships are built on advertising through an existing blog, YouTube channel or social media account. Amazon Associates, Rakuten and CJ Affiliate are popular programs in Canada.
10. Virtual assistant (VA)
A VA handles administrative tasks, customer service, scheduling and more, all remotely. Websites such as Belay specialize in matching businesses with VAs, making it easy to get started. Just keep in mind that with the advent of AI tools, this may be a shrinking market.
11. Life coaching
Selling your expertise in a specific field can scale rapidly depending on your skillset. Although life coaching can be a bit of a meme, career counseling and vocational specific training can be a great side hustle. This is especially true if your coaching is tied to your full-time job. Coaching can also lead to professional benefits as well if your mentees succeed in the field. Think of it as pre-emptive networking with a price tag attached.
12. Etsy shop
If you're crafty, consider opening an Etsy shop to sell handmade goods, vintage items or custom products. Keep in mind that Esty accesses a global market, so be ready to ship out items yourself and be responsible for rock solid packaging. Etsy also allows for dropshipping integration — meaning a third-party manages stock holding and shipping — provided the items qualify as craft or party supplies.
13. Refurbishing and flipping marketplace finds
Whether it’s thrift store finds, garage sale treasures or even clearance items from big box stores, buying items at a low price and reselling them for a profit is a tried-and-true tactic for making a bit of extra income. Another great strategy is to find free items through curb alerts on sites such as Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace then refurb and flip those items yourself.
14. Graphic design
Good graphic design is timeless and with the dearth of influencers, startups and small businesses, there’s a broad market available. However, graphic design is prone to offering exposure instead of payment. If graphic design is your passion, give it a go, but be wary of predatory clients. If you’re looking to start assembling designs right away, Noun Project offers a starting point for both inspiration and passive income generation.
15. Pet sitting or dog walking
Animal lovers can turn passion to profit by offering pet sitting or dog walking services. Platforms such as Rover and Pawshake connect you with pet owners in need of care. With flexible hours and little overhead, this side hustle is perfect for people who love animals and want to work outdoors.
16. Delivery driving
For those with a reliable vehicle, delivery services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats and Instacart offer flexible opportunities to earn extra cash by delivering food and groceries. This hustle works especially well for those in densely populated areas or near busy restaurant districts. The biggest risk here is late hours and damage to your vehicle or traffic snarls, reducing your return on investment (ROI).
17. Ride sharing
Services such as Uber and Lyft have made it easy for Canadians to earn extra money by driving passengers to their destinations. The big selling point for this one is the flexibility to work when you want, as much as you want.
18. Home repairs
If you’re skilled with tools and enjoy fixing things, offering handyman (or woman) services can be a profitable side hustle. Small repairs and odd jobs are typically the name of the game — save plumbing for plumbers. Condos in particular are a good market to get into given their density and market share. Word of mouth and a solid reputation are absolutely essential.
19. Renting your space
If you’ve got an extra bedroom that’s up to code or unique features at your home, renting out the space can be a quick way of earning extra income. Given Canada’s low vacancy rates, many Canadians are keen for low-cost living opportunities. There’s also the opportunity to cater to short-term stays for tourists.
20. Podcasting
Monetizing a podcast is definitely a long-term commitment. The main way of getting paid is through building an audience, then taking sponsorships or listener donations through platforms such as Patreon.
21. Childcare
Another option is offering out-of-home or at-home childcare. This is something that requires a deft touch, rock-solid character and plenty of experience. There are also plenty of regulations to ensure a high quality of care. Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before starting up a nannying business. A less engaged option would be babysitting, but this also requires strong word of mouth connections.
22. House cleaning
Offering house cleaning services can be a steady side hustle if you’re reliable. A few areas to consider are AirBnB hosts, busy families, or (ironically) other people who are running side hustles.
23. Home baking
Turning your kitchen into a small-scale bakery can be both fun and profitable. Start small by taking orders for custom cakes, cupcakes or cookies. Try to network with local businesses and see if there’s a market in your area. Cakes and desserts for birthdays or events are another idea.
24. Personal fitness training
Becoming a personal trainer can be a rewarding way to make money while helping others achieve their health goals. With that said, we strongly recommend looking for the right certificates to increase your credibility. A successful pipeline might start with one-on-one sessions or online coaching and end with group classes at a licensed gym (or maybe even starting your own small-scale operation).
25. Dropshipping
With platforms like Shopify, you can set up an online store and sell products without worrying about inventory or shipping. Focus on marketing, and the supplier handles the rest. Our only warning here is that dropshipping can have wildly varying quality standards depending on who ends up producing the product.
How to choose a side hustle
With the options laid out let’s take a look at implementation. This starts with three basic questions:
- How many hours do you have available per week?
- Are your goals short or long term?
- Are you looking for passive or active income?
It’s important to have both clear financial goals and an honest assessment of your free time. After all, if committing to a side hustle damages your primary earning power you could end up worse off than when you started. Building a side hustle takes time, especially when it comes to curating a portfolio.
Try to keep your expectations in check and build a business plan for the first four quarters of your new side hustle.
Finally, it’s important to consider a few risks as you’re assessing what side hustle is right for you.
- What’s your ROI considering the hours, gas money or supplies?
- Is the side hustle leading to unexpected expenses like more take-out due to reduced free time?
- Are you looking for short-term income or trying to build a long-term business?
Knowing the answers to these questions will help you not only decide which side hustle is right for you, but how to scale it over time without burning out.
Conclusion
There’s never been a better time to start a side hustle in Canada due to an advent of new AI-powered productivity tools and the rise of remote work.
Even so, some hustles are better than others. The best Canadian side hustles fit into broader marketplace shifts, like a need for multilingual services and tutoring. We also suggest looking to the long term so you don’t get stuck Doordashing to make ends meet.
For more from Money.ca, check out the top ten most affordable provinces in Canada so you can save even more by reducing your cost of living.
Side hustle FAQs:
Before you go, we’ve covered some of the most common questions about side hustles below.
This section also includes a little bit of information about when to register your business, how to make the most money right out of the gate and managing your ROI.
How do you start a side hustle?
Starting a side hustle begins with taking stock of your skills and resources. Anything that requires a significant start-up cost, like buying expensive camera equipment, may take time to scale up. However, if you already have a car, something like delivery driving or rideshare apps can come online quickly.
Another thing to consider is registering your business. This comes with both benefits and drawbacks. By getting a business number you get the ability to charge tax on services, which is ideal for translation, transcription, tutoring or freelancing writing. It also opens the door to billing expenses. If you work out of your home then you can claim some of your rent or housing expenses as a tax deductible expense.
Note that in Canada you only need to register your business if it makes over $30,000 per year.
What are the most profitable side hustles to make money?
The short answer is anything that scales. Think about it like this: If you’re a DoorDash driver, your fee will always be limited by a combination of time and number of deliveries. Even once you become established, you’ll only be able to accomplish so much during a shift.
However, if you’re building a long-term business, like photography, things start to look a little different. Initially, you might only be able to charge $100 to $250 for an event. Over time, as your skills improve, this fee will increase. Developing a speciality, like weddings or corporate events, will also allow you to charge more.
This is another big difference between looking for a short-term side hustle and a long-term side hustle. Long-term prospects typically have a higher ROI over time, but require more effort and money to start.
What are the easiest side hustles to start?
The easiest side hustles to start tend to be those that are well established. Signing up for Doordash, Instacart, Lyft or Uber is easy because those services are hungry for more staff. With that said, these services rely on either a bike or a car — plus other costs like insulated bags.
The truth is that all side hustles will require a bit of extra power to get started. The trick to it is accurately assessing what you have available to you. This can be a vehicle or a camera, but it can also be something like fluency in French and English.
For example, those with language proficiency and no vehicle will have an easier time making flyers, posters, or digital ads to get started rather than buying an e-bike to make DoorDash deliveries.
How much time should I dedicate to my side hustle to make it successful?
This depends almost entirely on your plans for ROI and your definition of success. A short term win might be being able to buy better groceries, a plane ticket for a wedding or paying off more of a credit card.
With that being said, take note of the hours you invest day after day. Doing one hour of work to get things set up might not seem like a lot at first. However, over a single quarter, or three-month window, one hour a day turns into 90 or so hours of work. That’s two and a quarter full-time work weeks.
This is also another point for looking at a long term side hustle. You might not earn a lot right off the bat, but all that time adds up. Having a business plan, even if it’s just a record of hours invested and a few key deliverables, can help you stay on track.
Sources
1. Upwork: Home page
2. Fiverr: Home page
3. Freelancer: Home page
4. Etsy: Home page
5. Facebook Marketplace: Home page
6. Craigslist: Home page
7. Government of Canada: Citizenship
8. CAMH: Research Connect
9. TutorOcean: Home page
10. SuperProf: Home page
11. TESOL: Home page
12. Rev: Home page
13. Shutterstock: Home page
14. Adobe: Home page
15. Getty Images: Home page
16. WordPress: Home page
17. SquareSpace: Home page
18. Wix: Home page
19. Amazon Associates: Home page
20. Rakuten: Home page
21. CJ Affiliate: Home page
22. Belay: Home page
23. Kijiji: Free stuff
24. Noun Project: Home page
25. Rover: Home page
26. Pawshake: Home page
27. DoorDash: Home page
28. Uber Eats: Home page
29. Instacart: Home page
30. Uber: Home page
31. Lyft: Home page
32. CMHC: Canada’s vacancy rate reaches new low as demand outpaces supply (Jan 31, 2024)
33. Patreon: Home page
34. Ontario: Child care rules in Ontario
35. Shopify: Home page
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