How to Start a Home-Based Food Business in Ontario: A Guide
Learn how to start a home-based food business in Ontario: licensing, food safety, regulations, pricing & using DISHED as your digital menu platform.
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Published 2025-09-19
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Introduction If you love cooking, baking, or making specialty foods, Ontario offers many opportunities to turn that passion into a business. Cities like Toronto, Peel, York, Simcoe-Muskoka, and others are seeing strong demand for local, homemade foods — things like baked goods, dumplings, meals, preserves, etc. DISHED provides tools for food creators: digitized menus, order management, exposure to local customers, and credibility. This guide walks you through the legal, safety, and regulatory requirements so you can start smart and stay compliant. What is a Home-Based Food Business in Ontario A home-based food business is any food operation run out of a private residence where the owner prepares, handles, stores, cooks, or sells food to the public. What you can do depends on: Whether the food is low-risk (for example, baked goods without cream or meat fillings, dry goods, jams, etc.) or moderate/high risk (meat, dairy, cooked foods that need temperature control). How you sell (delivery, online, farmers’ markets, through a platform like DISHED). Where you are located (which city, county, public health unit) because rules differ by region. Key Legal & Regulatory Steps Notify your local public health unitBefore starting, you usually need to inform the public health unit in your region of your intention to run a home-based food business. They’ll tell you what applies locally.Example: Peel Region requires notification to Peel Public Health. Peel Region+1 Check municipal zoning, permits, fire code, insuranceContact your municipality to see if they allow a food business from a home. You may need permits, approvals, inspections, compliance with fire code, etc. Peel Region+2EOHU | Public Health+2 Decide if you're doing low-risk or moderate/high risk foodsLow-risk foods have fewer rules. If you plan to work with foods that spoil easily or need time/temperature control (dairy, meat, cooked rice, etc.), you’ll face stricter standards. Peterborough Public Health+2Peel Region+2 Food safety / food handler certificationYou’ll need at least one person trained as a food handler. Some regions require specific certification. You’ll need to store, handle, cook and serve food safely. Peel Region+1 Meet kitchen & equipment requirements Cleanable, non-absorbent surfaces Proper sinks for handwashing, dishwashing, etc. Thermometers in fridges/freezers Potable water supply Proper waste, pest control, etc.For moderate/high-risk food, these requirements are more demanding. Peterborough Public Health+2Peel Region+2 Inspection and approvalAfter notifying health unit, there will usually be an inspection. You’ll need to meet standards before being allowed to operate. EOHU | Public Health+2Peterborough Public Health+2 Labeling, sourcing, record-keepingUse food from inspected or approved sources. Keep records of where ingredients come from, how food is stored, cleaned etc. Labels should be clear. Peel Region+1 Examples of Regional Differences Peel RegionYou must notify Peel Public Health. Municipal approvals are also required. If doing only low-risk food, you’re exempt from some requirements (like some sinks, some dishwashing rules). But if you do higher risk foods, stricter rules apply. Peel Region+1 Eastern Ontario Health UnitHome-based food premises (HBFP) have to submit a Notice of Intent to Operate. The home kitchen must comply with Ontario’s O. Reg. 493/17. Must check with municipality for zoning etc. EOHU | Public Health Peterborough Public HealthTheir guide says that low-risk operations need fewer upgrades; moderate/high risk require more sinks, more equipment, and higher sanitation. Peterborough Public Health Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Can I use my home kitchen as is?You may need to upgrade it depending on what food you plan to make. For low-risk items it's simpler; for high risk, stricter equipment, more sinks, etc. Do I always need a food handler certificate?Yes–at least one person handling/preparing must be trained. But requirements (which certificate, from whom, how often) vary by region. How much will it cost / what time does this take?Costs vary: training, equipment upgrades, inspection fees, permits. Time: contacting health units, getting inspections, possibly renovating the kitchen. Could take weeks or months depending on region. How big of a delivery radius can I have?It depends: what the food is, how well you can keep it safe during transport (temperature, packaging), how far customers are. Also, whether local rules impose limits. Can I show on DISHED that I'm certified / inspected?Yes – that builds trust. Mention your food handler training, inspection results, letters of approval, etc.Sources “Starting a Home-Based Food Business” — Peel Region Public Healthhttps://peelregion.ca/health/protecting-your-health/starting-home-based-food-business Peel Region “Operators Guide for Home-Based Food Businesses” — Peel Public Health PDF Peel Region “Operating a Home Food Business (2023)” — Peterborough Public Health Peterborough Public Health “Home-Based Food Premises” — Eastern Ontario Health Unit EOHU | Public Health “A Guide to Starting a Home-based Food Business (Ontario)” — Ministry of Health (Ontario) PDF Ontario