Selling homemade food in Ontario
Learn how to sell homemade food in Ontario: kitchen requirements, permits, food safety training, official forms and permitted sales channels.
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Home food rules in Ontario
Low-risk home food, after you notify public health. Home food businesses fall under provincial food-premises rules and public health inspection. Low-risk-only kitchens get specific exemptions — but you still notify, and you can still be inspected.
Sales channels for qualifying home foods
Ontario doesn’t list channels for the low-risk route. Confirm each one with your health unit and city — the exemptions aren’t municipal approval.
- Markets and events
Confirm with the authority
- Home pickup
Confirm with the authority
- Delivery
Confirm with the authority
- Online orders
Confirm with the authority
- Retail and wholesale
Confirm with the authority
Permits and kitchen approval
Anything needing refrigeration goes to the health unit for assessment. Other food-service operations need certified-person coverage — confirm with the inspector.
Your steps in this location
- Pick shelf-stable foods Required
Start with suitable baking, confectionery or preserves. Have the health unit assess any recipe that needs refrigeration.
- Notify your public health unit Required
Do this before operating. Ask for their notification process and a menu review.
- Check zoning and city licensing Confirm locally
Do it before you spend money on kitchen changes.
- Some equipment and training rules don’t apply Exempt for qualifying operations
Low-risk-only kitchens are exempt from specified handwashing-station, commercial dishwashing and food-handler certification rules. Other sanitation rules and inspection still apply.
Forms and official resources
Local requirements
Confirm before selling
There’s no single notification form for every health unit. Use your own unit’s process.
More business guides for Ontario
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Four different things people mix up
A certificate does not let you open. Each of these is its own step, and you may need more than one.
- Food safety certificate
Proves you passed training. It does not approve your kitchen or business.
- Food premises permit
Authorizes a specific operation, where one is required.
- Notification or registration
Telling the health authority you are operating. A separate process.
- Business licence
Your city’s home-occupation or business approval. Also separate.
Federal rules to check in Canada
The details depend on your product and selling method. Check the applicable requirements and exemptions.
- Labels
Check common name, ingredients and allergens, net quantity, business identity, dates, storage and language. A Nutrition Facts exemption is not a blanket labelling exemption.
- Selling across borders
Shipping to another province or country? Check CFIA's tools first. Not every online home seller needs a federal licence.
- GST/HST
The general small-supplier test counts worldwide taxable supplies, including zero-rated sales and applicable associates, over one quarter or four consecutive quarters. It is not $30,000 of profit.
Your startup checklist
Completing this list does not establish government approval.
Write down your menu: ingredients, fillings, packaging, storage and shelf life.
Find your home-food exemption or approved-kitchen route.
List every way you will sell: markets, online, pickup, delivery, shops and shipping.
Check city zoning, home occupation and business licensing.
Contact your inspector and complete required notifications, applications and inspections.
Book accepted training where it is required.
Register your business name where needed and check your tax obligations.
Check insurance and landlord or condo permission.
Set up cleaning, storage, water, supplier, allergen and transport procedures.
Keep records of approvals, training, recipes and suppliers.