Side Hustle in Canada to Start and Boost Your Income

With today’s high inflation, traditional 9-to-5 jobs or eight-hour shifts might not be enough to sustain you; that’s why you need a side hustle. Side hustles can be an excellent way to make extra income, be more financially independent, provide more security in the future, and have more flexibility to work from home or anywhere in Canada and beyond. Side hustles in Canada have become the way to go.

In fact, many Canadians are starting side hustles, which have led to productive careers and full-time gigs for some.

Let’s check out the best side hustles in Canada to earn extra money.

What to Consider Before You Start A Side Hustle in Canada

1. Your Time

Evaluate how much time you can devote to your side hustle, main job, and other responsibilities. Finding the ideal balance is essential to preventing burnout and ensuring sustainable growth.

2. The Market

Is there a demand for the products or services you intend to offer? Conduct some research to check whether other people are already doing what you intend to do. If so, you’ll need to figure out how to set yourself apart from the competition.

3. The Legal and Financial Implications

If your side business is earning you extra cash, you will need to consider the business regulations, legal and financial implications. You may need to register your business, file taxes with the Canada Revenue Agency, and collect sales tax.

4. Your Employer’s Policy

Some employers in Canada have policies that prohibit employees from engaging in side hustles. We recommend checking with your employer before you start.

5. Your Skills and Interests

When choosing a side hustle, consider whether you are passionate about your work. Otherwise, sticking with it will be challenging in the long run.

6. The Canadian Labour Code

The Canada Labour Code usually applies to most employees, including those who work side hustles. For example, the code specifies minimum requirements for overtime pay, working hours, and vacation time.

7. Self-Employment Insurance

You will be eligible for self-employment insurance (EI) if you are self-employed. EI offers benefits such as maternity benefits, parental benefits, and sickness benefits.

Profitable Side Hustles in Canada

1. Food Delivery

Average Hourly Pay: $25/hour

Food delivery has become more popular in Canada nowadays. Food delivery apps like Uber Eats, Fantuan, Doordash, Grubhub, and Skip the Dishes have made it easy for Canadians to order food from hundreds of restaurants to virtually any location in the country. With the demand for food delivery comes the need for delivery drivers.

Food delivery allows you to choose your own hours and keep the tips besides the wages. Conversely, you can still do this side hustle even if you don’t have a car, but you will need a bike.

To get started, you can register in either of the apps and wait for a reply.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

Driving or riding is something you love doing.
You want limited interaction with other people.
Your schedule is limited.

2. Ride Sharing

Average Full-Time Pay: $19.14/hour

Ride-sharing is a gig economy, meaning it’s an app-based platform, and the gig worker is an independent contractor who works whenever they want and is paid by the platform.

Ride-sharing is a service that involves Uber and Lyft, available in Canada in major cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Halifax. It is a tax service with no mete, and the cars are the driver’s own vehicles. It is usually more fun than a traditional tax service.

To get started, you will need to go to their website or download the driver app and register. You will need to meet a few requirements for both Uber and Lyft before you can start driving for them.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

You are talkative.
You enjoy meeting new people.
You love driving.
You have a qualified car.

3. Taking Care of Pets

Average Hourly Pay: $35/hour

You can earn extra bucks by taking care of people’s pets and taking them for walks. To get started, sign up on Rover. This app is an excellent way for pet owners to connect with a caretaker in a home environment instead of leaving their lovely pets at an expensive kennel.

The platform allows you to make extra money while dog-sitting, cat-sitting, or hamster-sitting. You can sign up to pet-sit or walk the pet if you are not into hosting a pet.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

You love animals.
You have basic pet care knowledge.
You have problem-solving skills.

4. Virtual Assistant

Average Salary: $10–$40/hour

A good way to earn money online is by becoming a virtual assistant. With a virtual assistant, you are responsible for different tasks depending on the client. You may proofread blog content for one while working on a schedule for another. One day you may be booking travel arrangements; the next, you might reply to emails.

To get started, you can sign up on sites that allow you to market your skills, such as Upwork and Fiverr. However, with the virtual assistant side hustle, you need to know that there is a lot of competition, as people from other countries are willing to do the job for much lower wages than you would in Canada.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

You love being busy throughout the day.
Multitasking is one of your many talents.
You possess multiple skills that are in demand.

5. Flipping Stuff on the Facebook Marketplace

Average Hourly Pay: $75–300 Per Item

If you are good at bargaining, you can buy and resell things for profit. For instance, refurbishing electronics or old furniture can be quite profitable. You can even flip used cars. I know a few people who started this as a part-time job, and now they are doing it full-time.

To get started, you can join Facebook Marketplace groups, Kijiji, or eBay, buy stuff there, and resell refurbished.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

You love thrifting and deal-shopping.
You love DIY projects and crafting.
You prefer a side hustle without scheduled time blocks or much commitment.

6. Be a Social Media Manager

Average Hourly Pay: $41.64/hour

Businesses, brands, and even individuals are using social media platforms to promote themselves, and that can be a good side hustle for you, especially if you spend a lot of time on your phone or computer.

You will need your smartphone or computer and a reliable internet connection to start managing social media accounts. You can use LinkedIn, Facebook groups, or community forums to advertise your social media management services, so there is little to no cost involved.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

You have a passion for social media.
You are organized and detail-oriented.
You have good communication skills.

7. Do Odd Jobs

Average Hourly Pay: $45/hour

If you prefer working with hands and tools, TaskRabbit is a great platform for connecting you with customers who require more manual labour.

You can find hundreds of different types of manual labour on this platform. There’s everything from yard work to mounting TVs to assembling Ikea furniture. You don’t need to be skilled in a certain trade, such as electrical or plumbing. It’s easy to make a few extra bucks in just a few hours over the weekend by helping someone haul or move heavy furniture.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

You have adaptable skills.
You enjoy variety.
You are in good physical shape.

8. Start a High-Interest Savings Account

The Interest Rate of 2.5-5% Per Month

Start a high-interest savings account side hustle. When you think about a typical savings or checking account in Canada, the interest rate it provides is generally very low—usually less than 1%.

High-interest savings account allows you to earn substantially higher deposit returns. Almost every bank in Canada offers high-interest rates now, with interest rates as high as 5% with no monthly fees, which means more returns on deposits.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

You have saved discipline.
You have a desire for passive income.
You want to diversify your financial portfolio.

9. Create Courses Online

Average Hourly Pay: $25–$85 Per Course

Creating valuable courses and selling them online is a great side hustle idea in Canada and can even become a full-fledged business venture. With the rise of e-learning and the high demand for online education, there’s a vast market for those who want to share their skills and knowledge through digital courses.

If you have skills in a certain area, you can create online courses that people subscribe to for a fee and then sell them on popular platforms such as Udemy, Skillshare, Teachable, etc.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

You have teaching skills.
You have expertise and passion.
You are willing to stay updated about this online business

10. Personal Shopper

Average Hourly Pay: $20.80/Hour

Another side hustle in Canada is being a personal shopper through the Instacart platform. This app pays you to grocery shop for customers and delivers them to their homes. Although you can knock out multiple rides in an hour, Instacart shopping usually takes more time.

Go to the Instacart website and send your postal code to get started. You will be given instructions to follow. You can make just as much money having fun.

This Side Hustle is For You If:

You love helping people.
You love going to the store to shop.
You are a fast and reliable shopper.

Final Thoughts

Side hustle Canada has emerged as a crucial solution for Canadians trying to navigate the issues of high inflation and the limitations of normal 9-to-5 jobs. As they embark on side hustles, many have found lucrative careers, full-time opportunities, and their own business ventures, demonstrating the potential for growth and success in their efforts.

Before embarking on a side hustle, however, we recommend considering some factors to ensure long-term viability. Also, this will ensure you choose options that align with your passions and interests, allowing you fulfillment and financial stability while having fun pursuing your passions.

Featured Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay