Why is demand for home care growing, and how do you launch properly from day one? Canada’s rapidly aging population and preference for aging-in-place mean families are looking for trustworthy, non-medical support at home—from companionship and meal prep to help with bathing, mobility and dementia care. This guide walks you through the Canadian specifics: registration, taxes, screening, policies, and how a franchise platform can shorten your ramp-up while keeping quality high.
Quick note: Regulations are mostly provincial/municipal. We’ll flag where things vary so you can adapt to your province.
Franchise availability: 53 territories currently open across Canada (ON 32 • BC 10 • AB 5 • MB 2 • SK 2 • NB 1 • NS 1).
Ready to see options near you? Request franchise info.
Do you need a licence to run private home care in Canada?
In most provinces and territories, non-medical home care agencies do not require a specialized provincial “home care” licence to operate. You typically do need to register your business and may need a municipal business licence, depending on your city. Requirements can vary, so always check local bylaws.
That said, two compliance areas are consistent nationwide:
- Background screening for staff working with vulnerable people. Employers commonly require a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) in addition to a standard criminal record check, processed via local police/RCMP; some provinces add extra steps (e.g., BC’s Criminal Records Review Program for those working with vulnerable adults/children).
- Health & safety and quality practices. Even for non-medical services, agencies are expected to maintain infection-prevention standards and clear procedures (hand hygiene, PPE when appropriate, documentation). National guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada offers a baseline to build your internal policies.
Choose your business structure & name (federal vs. provincial, NUANS)
Most home care startups choose either a sole proprietorship (fast, inexpensive, you personally own liabilities) or a corporation (more setup, but limited liability and easier to scale or sell). If you incorporate, decide between federal or provincial incorporation. Federal gives you name protection across Canada and flexibility to operate nationally; provincial keeps setup local but protection is limited to that province/territory.
Before you lock a name, run a NUANS search to check for existing corporate names and trademarks and to generate the required report for many jurisdictions (federal, ON, AB, NB, PEI). You can order NUANS reports and see member search providers online. Québec has distinct processes via the Registraire des entreprises.
Action checklist
- Pick structure (sole prop vs. corporation) and jurisdiction (federal vs. your province).
- Run NUANS and reserve your name (or register a numbered company and add a business name later).
- Check municipal requirements for a basic business licence or home-based business rules (zoning, signage, parking/traffic). Tools like BizPaL and your city’s licensing page make this quick.
How ComForCare helps: If you choose the ComForCare franchise path, you get naming guidance, templates and registration checklists so you don’t overpay or miss steps—plus a brand that’s already recognized across North America (see Franchising on the ComForCare Canada site).
Taxes & compliance essentials (BN, GST/HST, payroll)
Once your entity exists, register with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for a Business Number (BN) and the program accounts you need:
Next, map your provincial workers’ compensation obligations (e.g., WSIB in Ontario, WorkSafeBC in BC, WCB in AB/NB/NS, etc.). Requirements and registration triggers vary by province; if you operate in multiple provinces, you typically register with each board.
Finally, plan your screening and safety stack: staff working with seniors typically require a Vulnerable Sector Check (through local police/RCMP). In BC, organizations serving vulnerable adults must use the Criminal Records Review Program (CRRP). Bake these into your hiring SOPs.
Action checklist
- Get your BN and open GST/HST + payroll accounts. Set a reminder for the $30,000 small-supplier threshold.
- Register with your province’s WCB/WSIB and add premiums to pricing.
- Standardize VSC/CRRP checks for all client-facing roles.
How ComForCare helps: Franchisees receive CRA/WCB registration guidance, hiring checklists, and policy templates so you can move from paperwork to operations faster—without reinventing the wheel. See Franchising → Request Info to preview the startup playbook.
Hiring & screening your care team (build trust from day one)
Your caregivers are your brand. Set a high bar with a standardized hiring funnel:
1) Define roles and minimums. For non-medical home care, outline baseline requirements (reliable transportation, availability, basic care skills; PSW/HCA certification where preferred) and soft skills (empathy, communication).
2) Run the right background checks—consistently. For anyone working with seniors, require a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) in addition to a criminal record check. The RCMP explains what a VSC covers and notes that BC uses the Criminal Records Review Program (CRRP) to process checks for those working with vulnerable adults and children. Keep proof-on-file and renew on the schedule your province requires.
Province-specific examples:
- British Columbia: Use the CRRP portal and, where eligible, leverage the program’s “share clearance” option (valid up to five years) to speed onboarding.
- Ontario: Align your onboarding with WSIB employer duties (health & safety training, incident reporting, return-to-work) once you have staff on payroll.
3) Interview + skills validation. Use scenario questions (falls, dementia behaviours, infection-control basics). Validate transfers, safe mobility, and documentation.
4) Reference checks. Require two professional references minimum.
Action checklist
- Publish a transparent job ad (duties, availability, region).
- Collect consent and IDs for the VSC/CRC step.
- Document completion in each personnel file (results, date, renewal date).
- Deliver a structured orientation (see next section) before the first shift.
How ComForCare helps: Franchisees plug into CaregiverFirst hiring, a 10-step process built to find and keep top talent—complete with interview guides, background-check workflows, and retention tactics tailored to senior care.
Policies, training & quality (turn procedures into your advantage)
Clients and referral partners judge you by your consistency. Build a simple but rigorous operating system:
Foundational policies (all provinces):
- Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC): Base your procedures on national guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada and provincial best practices (e.g., Public Health Ontario’s home & community care IPAC guide). Cover hand hygiene, routine practices, risk assessments before each visit, PPE use, and cleaning of reusable equipment.
- Client safety & documentation: Visit notes, care plans, incident reporting, emergency escalation.
- Medication support boundaries: Clear do/don’t for non-medical aides; when to escalate to family/nurse.
- Work alone / after-hours: Check-in protocols, GPS/timekeeping, hazard reporting.
- Privacy: Consent, secure record storage, and need-to-know access.
Training program (initial + annual refreshers):
- Orientation: values, communication with families, dementia sensitivity, safe mobility/transfers.
- IPAC: routine practices, point-of-care risk assessment, hand hygiene, PPE selection.
- Specialized modules by service line: dementia, fall-risk reduction, hospital-to-home transitions.
- Supervision & field coaching: first 30–60 days with documented skills sign-offs.
Quality loop:
- QA calls/visits in the first week of service and monthly thereafter.
- KPIs: on-time starts, missed-visit rate, care-plan compliance, client NPS, caregiver retention.
- Quarterly audits: files, IPAC practices, incident trends → corrective actions.
How ComForCare helps: You get ready-made training—including DementiaWise®, Gaitway fall-risk tools, and templates aligned to Canadian IPAC best practices—plus ongoing coaching from a corporate team with deep home-care experience.
Insurance & workplace safety (protect your people and your brand)
Even non-medical home care carries risk—slips and falls, lifting injuries, driving to clients, privacy incidents. Cover the bases early.
Workers’ compensation (province by province).
If you hire and pay workers, you generally must register with your provincial board (e.g., WSIB in Ontario, WorkSafeBC in BC, WCB in Alberta). Each board outlines when and how to register and how premiums work. Register as soon as you hire to avoid retroactive assessments.
Core business insurance you’ll likely need
- Commercial General Liability (CGL) – third-party bodily injury/property damage (e.g., client fall during a visit).
- Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions) – alleged negligence in care planning/instruction.
- Commercial Auto / Non-Owned Auto – if staff drive between clients.
- Property/Business Interruption – if you have an office.
- Cyber/Privacy – protects against data breaches involving client health information.
The IBC provides a good overview of business insurances available.
Action checklist
- Register with your provincial workers’ comp board (WSIB/WorkSafeBC/WCB). Add premiums to your pricing model.
- Work with a broker to set CGL + E&O + Auto + Cyber limits aligned to home-care risk.
- Create incident-reporting and return-to-work procedures (your provincial board provides templates).
How ComForCare helps: Franchisees receive vetted insurance requirements, sample declarations, broker introductions, and safety playbooks mapped to WSIB/WorkSafeBC/WCB expectations—so you start compliant and stay that way.
Services & pricing models (design a sustainable offering)
In Canada, publicly funded home and community care is administered by provinces/territories, while many families also purchase private-pay services from agencies like yours for added hours, flexibility, or specialized support. Your model should account for both.
Public programs: what to know for referrals & coordination
- Ontario – Home and Community Care Support Services (Ontario Health at Home): Clients are assessed for eligibility; services and volumes depend on need and availability. Private agencies often complement funded hours.
- British Columbia – Health Authority Home Support: Needs-based, with income-tested client rates and a $300/month cap for those with earned income; private hours can be layered on top.
- Alberta – Home & Community Care (AHS): Assessment determines services; financial screening and provincial supports may offset charges in some continuing-care settings.
Private-pay service lines that resonate
- Home support: meal prep, light housekeeping, errands, companionship.
- Personal care: bathing, grooming, toileting, safe transfers/mobility.
- Respite & 24/7/live-in: planned relief or continuous support.
- Specialized programs: dementia behaviours, fall-risk reduction, post-hospital recovery.
Build your pricing model (without undercharging)
- Base hourly rate by service type (personal care typically higher than homemaking).
- Minimum shift length (e.g., 2–3 hours) and time-of-day premiums (evenings/weekends/holidays).
- Travel & geography (mileage or zone fees for distant/rural visits).
- Packages (e.g., weekly hour bundles) and cancellation policy (clear cut-off times).
- Tax: determine GST/HST implications and when to charge based on your registration status. (See earlier section on CRA registration and thresholds.)
- Public-private mix: educate families on how private hours can extend funded care; link to local assessment agencies for eligibility.
Tip: Avoid copying competitors’ rates blindly; instead, calculate your fully loaded caregiver hour (wages + vacation/statutory pay + CPP/EI + WCB/WSIB + training time + scheduling/admin + insurance) and price for sustainable margins.
Action checklist
- List the services you’ll offer now vs. phase-in (e.g., dementia/day programs later).
- Document your rate card, add-ons, and minima; train staff to explain public vs. private options.
- Build referral pathways to your local assessment bodies (Ontario Health at Home, BC Health Authorities, AHS).
How ComForCare helps: You’ll start with proven service menus, Canadian care-plan templates, DementiaWise® and fall-prevention programs, plus pricing worksheets and referral scripts tuned to each province’s system—so you can win trust with hospital and community partners from week one.
Marketing & referrals (fill your schedule, predictably)
In home care, trust beats ads. Build a balanced engine across healthcare partnerships, community presence, and digital.
Healthcare partnerships (province-aware)
- Ontario (Ontario Health at Home / HCCSS): Learn local intake workflows and how coordinators triage. Anyone can make a referral to Ontario Health at Home (formerly LHIN/HCCSS) at 310-2222; private agencies often complement funded hours. Provide your capability sheet and a same-day-start process for hospital discharge planners and care coordinators.
- British Columbia (Health Authorities): Understand how public Home Support works and where private-pay fills gaps (extra hours, flexible scheduling). Align your scripts with the province’s explanation of public vs. private options.
- Alberta (AHS): Know how referrals flow via Continuing Care Access and the Alberta Referral Directory so you can speak the same language with discharge planners and clinics.
Community channels.
Present at seniors’ centres, faith groups, Parkinson/Alzheimer societies, and retirement residences. Offer free talks on fall-prevention or dementia communication and include a one-page “How to get assessed + private options” handout with province-specific contacts. (See links above.)
Digital must-haves
- Google Business Profile for each territory; weekly Posts + service keywords.
- Landing pages by city/province (match search intent: “home care in [City]”).
- Review program with PHIPA/HIPAA-safe ask scripts.
- Lead response SLA: call new web leads in under 10 minutes; book in-home assessments within 24–48 hours. Aim for 60–90% answer rate on first call; text + email backups.
- Content hub: publish explainers on public vs. private care, discharge checklists, and dementia tips; link to your services and programs (e.g., DementiaWise®).
Action checklist
- Map top 25 referral contacts per territory (hospital units, geriatric clinics, CCAC/HCCSS, rehab).
- Create a one-page capability sheet + rapid-start protocol.
- Stand up local SEO pages and a review cadence.
- Run two signature community talks per month (falls + dementia).
How ComForCare helps: You’ll leverage national programs like DementiaWise®, Gaitway and more—ready-made clinical education that opens doors with hospitals and community partners—and Canadian marketing assets you can localize fast.
Why consider a franchise model in Canada (speed + systems + credibility)
Starting solo means you’ll assemble compliance, training, marketing, EHR/scheduling, recruiting and QA yourself. A franchise gives you a proven playbook, a recognized brand, and ongoing coaching.
What ComForCare Canada brings
- Brand & programs families ask for: DementiaWise® and other evidence-informed programs that differentiate from “generic” care.
- Go-to-market infrastructure: hiring funnels, training curricula, policy templates, referral scripts, and local marketing assets mapped to Canadian systems.
- Territory availability: ComForCare Canada has open markets nationwide; use the Request Info path to see current maps and get matched to cities (AB, BC, MB, NB, NS, ON, SK).
- Next steps & startup clarity: The Request Info flow provides a franchise information report (advantages, FDD Item 7 startup costs overview, leadership).
Action checklist
- Shortlist your top three provinces/cities.
- Estimate staffing plan for first 6 months (caregiver hours needed to reach breakeven).
- Book a discovery call and review your Franchise Information Report.
Why Choose a Home Care Franchise in Canada
If you want to launch quickly—with Canadian-specific compliance, training, and referral strategies already dialed in—ComForCare is built for that.
Ready to explore open territories and see the playbook?
Request franchise info from ComForCare Canada and get your Franchise Information Report today.
**This guide is for general information and isn’t legal or tax advice. Always verify requirements with your province/territory and municipality.
