Best Businesses to Start in BC, Canada in 2023 [Top 50 ideas]

British Columbia (BC) is the westernmost province of Canada. The province is situated between the Pacific Ocean and the continental divide of the Rocky Mountains. The province has a diverse geography, replete with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, forests, lakes, mountains, inland deserts, and grassy plains.

It borders the Canadian province of Alberta to the east and the Canadian territories of Yukon and the Northwest Territories to the north. With an estimated population of 5.2 million as of 2021, it is Canada’s third-most populous province.

The capital of British Columbia is Victoria and its largest city is British Columbia (BC). British Columbia (BC) is the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada; the 2021 census recorded 2.6 million people in Metro British Columbia (BC). British Columbia maintains a global reputation as a great place to do business through strong fiscal management, a stable economy, and streamlined pro-business regulations.

British Columbia (BC) is consistently named as one of the top five worldwide cities for livability and quality of life, and the Economist Intelligence Unit acknowledged it as the first city ranked among the top ten of the world’s most well-living cities for ten consecutive years.

If you are looking towards starting a business in British Columbia (BC) and you have not made up your mind on the choice of business to start, here are the 50 best business opportunities that you can choose from.

50 Best Businesses to Start in BC, Canada in 2023

  1. Table of Contents

    Tomatoes Processing Plant

If you live in British Columbia (BC) and in a city or town where tomatoes are produced in large quantities, then establishing a tomato processing plant might just be the best business venture you can invest in. No doubt, you would require huge startup capital to build your tomato processing plant, but the good news is that the market for processed tomato products is enormous and profitable.

  1. Start Essential Oil Extraction Business

British Columbia (BC) is an ideal place to start an essential oil extraction business because of the abundance of raw materials used in the production of essential oil. This is a money-spinning business if it is well located and if you are able to create a robust distribution network. Essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing explosive compounds from plants.

  1. Start Jet Ski Rental Services

Another thriving business you can start in British Columbia (BC) is Jet Ski rental services. The truth is that a rental business is one of the easiest ways to start out as an entrepreneur especially if you don’t want to go through the challenges involved in the production of goods.

So, if you live around any beach where people either ski for fun or for sports, then you should consider starting your own Jet Ski rental business. You can indeed make cool cash from this line of business with little effort if you are well positioned.

  1. Start Fruits Processing Business

As an aspiring entrepreneur, if you have the required start-up capital and perhaps the required experience, then you should consider starting a fruit processing plant business in British Columbia (BC). It is important to note that the fruit processing plant business is one business that can’t go out of fashion because people eat or drink processed fruits in different forms on a daily basis.

  1. Open a Feed Mill

There are loads of business opportunities in the poultry industry in British Columbia (BC) and a poultry feed mill is one of them. Poultry mills are production facilities where different poultry mashes are produced. This business is open to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those that live around farming communities.

All you need to get started is a well-positioned and government-approved facility, a steady supply of grains, and of course, the in and out of running the business.

  1. Start a Dairy Farm Business

In British Columbia (BC), you can successfully start a dairy farm and grow the business to an international level by exporting milk and cheese throughout Europe and other parts of the world. Dairy farms basically engage in the sale of raw milk and exclude the production of drinkable fluid milk and processed dairy products like butter, cheese, and powdered milk.

The dairy farm is of course a thriving and profitable business because of the usefulness of beef and milk. People eat beef, drink their milk, and use their fur and skin. With cattle milk, cheese can be made, along with other dairy products.

  1. Start a Biotechnology Company

Following the turn of the 21st century, major biotechnology and information technology industries have been founded, and are concentrated in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Coimbra, and Aveiro. This goes to show that British Columbia (BC) is an ideal country to start a biotechnology company.

Biotech companies primarily make use of living organisms or molecular and cellular techniques to provide chemicals, food, and services that meet human needs. Fields like medicine and pharmacy, agriculture, and non-food industries (used in the production of biodegradable plastics and biofuels et al) make use of products from biotech companies.

  1. Start a Car Rental Business

A car rental business is yet another thriving business that can be started in British Columbia (BC). The car rental business is very competitive and any entrepreneur who intends to go into the business should ensure that they carry out thorough feasibility studies and market research so that the risks in the business can be greatly minimized.

  1. Open a Hotel

Opening a hotel is yet another thriving business that can be started in British Columbia (BC). In British Columbia (BC), the hospitality business is seen as a very serious trade because of its relationship with the tourism industry. Either locally or internationally, one of the ways to make people who arrive at unknown places at ease is by having a very relaxed hotel in place for them to lodge in. This is one of the reasons why the hotel business continues to witness a boom.

  1. Start Airport Shuttle Services

British Columbia (BC) is served by Vancouver International Airport (YVR), located on Sea Island in the city of Richmond, immediately south of Vancouver British. Vancouver’s airport is Canada’s second-busiest airport and the second-largest gateway on the west coast of North America for international passengers.

All you need to do to get started in this business is to make inquiries from the airport authority to know if private companies are allowed to run a shuttle service in the airport and the rules and regulations governing shuttle operators.

  1. Start a Cargo Van Delivery Business

The Cargo van delivery business is no doubt a business that is bound to succeed in British Columbia (BC). A cargo van delivery company transports and delivers freight for clients. Cargo van delivery businesses accept delivery assignments from clients or a courier agency. They plan their route, load and unload cargo, document each pick-up and delivery, and ensure timely delivery.

  1. Start a Bakery Business

Another simple but profitable business idea that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is a bakery business. Bread and all flour-based food are consumed by most people, and as such anyone who chooses to establish a bakery in British Columbia (BC) is sure going to get good returns on his or her investment as long as they are doing the right thing when it comes to running a business.

  1. Start a Courier Delivery Service

Another thriving business opportunity that an investor who is considering starting a business in British Columbia (BC) should consider is a courier delivery service. Courier and delivery services provide air, land, sea, or combined delivery services of parcels, documents, and packages.

Courier and delivery companies generally provide services between metropolitan areas or urban centers and form a network that includes local, national, and international pickup and delivery to serve customers’ needs.

  1. Start Medical Supplies Wholesaling Business

Another money-spinning business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the medical supplies wholesaling business. Medical supplies wholesaling companies purchase medical and surgical equipment, instruments, and supplies, and deliver these products to medical and dental practitioners, clinics, and hospitals.

The truth is that if your business is located in an area with loads of hospitals and medical facilities and vehicular traffic, you may not struggle to make headway with the business.

  1. Open a Dental Clinic

If you are a dentist and you are interested in starting a business in British Columbia (BC), one of the most preferred options is to open a dental clinic. With minimal startup capital you can successfully launch a dental clinic in British Columbia (BC).

Before choosing a location for your dental clinic, ensure that you carry out a thorough market survey and feasibility studies. The truth is that this type of business is profitable if you choose an ideal location for it.

  1. Open a Fast-Food Restaurant

A fast-food restaurant is yet another profitable business opportunity that can be started in British Columbia (BC). A Fast-Food Restaurant is a niche restaurant where clients pay for quick-service food products before eating.

The food purchased may be consumed in the restaurant, taken out, or delivered as requested. Gross revenue generated in the industry is derived from both franchised and company-owned fast food outlets. Although this type of business is profitable, you can run at a loss if your fast-food restaurant is not well positioned and managed.

  1. Start a Distillery Business

A distillery business is one of the business opportunities that an aspiring entrepreneur can choose to start in British Columbia (BC). A distillery produces a variety of distilled drinks (spirits and whiskeys).

In recent times, flavored distilled alcoholic drinks (Spirit and Whiskey et al) have become increasingly popular among upwardly mobile and trendy young people in British Columbia (BC). This is the major reason why many distillers have each launched their own innovative twists on their classic brands.

  1. Start an Electrical Contractor Business

Another worthwhile and profitable business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the electrical contractor business.

Electric contractors are an integral part of not just the construction cum real estate industry but play very important roles in ensuring that households, offices and public facility enjoys electric power supply and that electric appliances are repaired when they become faulty. Players in this industry install wiring, services electrical equipment, sell and install electrical equipment et al.

  1. Start a Dump Truck Business

A dump truck or dumper/tipper truck as it is called in some countries is a truck that is used for transporting loose material such as sand, gravel, or dirt for construction. In recent times, nearly all dump trucks operate by hydraulics and they come in a variety of configurations, each designed to accomplish a specific task in the construction material supply chain. As matter of fact, dump trucks are indispensable in the construction industry.

  1. Start Power Washing Business

Another sensible and moneymaking business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the power washing business. Power washing businesses make use of high-pressure washing machines to carry out their washing services.

A pressure washer is basically a high-pressure mechanical sprayer that is used to remove things like clogged oil, greasy stains, unwanted graffiti, loose paint, mold, grime, dust, mud, and dirt from surfaces and objects like building facilities, vehicles, and concrete surfaces.

  1. Start Travel and Tours Agency

Travel and tours agency is one business that is gaining support in British Columbia (BC) and you should consider starting yours. For example, over 10.3 million people visited Vancouver in British Columbia (BC) in 2017.

Annually, tourism contributes approximately $4.8 billion to the Metro Vancouver economy and supports over 70,000 jobs. A lot of people visit the city’s gardens, Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, VanDusen Botanical Garden, and the mountains, ocean, forest, and parklands that surround the city.

  1. Start Equipment Leasing Business

One of the businesses you can successfully start in British Columbia (BC) is an equipment leasing business. There are several types of equipment that people can rent to accomplish the task they have at hand such as:

Mowers, hand drillers, heavy duty drillers, welding machines, forklifts, light construction equipment, medical equipment, audiovisual equipment, industrial energy equipment, pumps and theatrical and motion picture equipment, power saw, filling machines, scaffolding, and virtually any equipment that is needed to get any task done.

  1. Start a Sales Consulting cum Lead Generation Business

If you are a sales expert and you are looking for a sales-related business to start in British Columbia (BC), then one of your options is to start a lead generation business. The fact that everyone in business has a product or service to sell makes this line of business a viable and profitable business venture.

Lead generation is a marketing term that talks about deploying strategies that will help you identify potential customers that may likely be interested in your goods or services. Leads can be created for purposes like list building, e-newsletter list acquisition, or for sales leads.

  1. Start a Logging Company

The fact that British Columbia (BC) has a thriving forestry industry means that a logging business is bound to succeed in the city. Logging companies are involved in cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars.

The trees are then transported as saw logs to cottage companies such as sawmills and pulp mills et al. Please note that starting a logging company requires a reasonable amount of startup capital but it’s indeed highly profitable.

  1. Start an Advertising Agency Business

Another highly thriving business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is an advertising agency business. A standard Advertising agency creates advertising campaigns for periodicals, newspapers, radio, TV, and other media platforms such as social media.

Through internal capabilities or delegating, ad agencies provide advice, creative services, account management, production of advertising campaign material, and of course media planning and buying like ad placement et al.

  1. Open a Green Cemetery

A green cemetery in British Columbia (BC) is another business that is sure going to attract the support of the provincial government of British Columbia (BC). The world is going green, most people alive want an eco-friendly world and it is becoming trendy that people are also adopting the green burial option.

Green burials are done in the green cemetery and a green cemetery is a burial site that does not allow the use of vaults, non-biodegradable caskets, or even embalming chemicals. So also, operators of green cemeteries do not make use of herbicides, pesticides, or irrigation for the maintenance of the cemetery grounds.

  1. Start Green House Farming

In British Columbia (BC), you can successfully start a greenhouse farm and grow the business to an international business exporting your farm produce throughout British Columbia (BC) and other parts of the world.

A greenhouse (also known as a glasshouse, or a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made essentially of transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic conditions are grown. Greenhouses are often used for cultivating crops such as flowers, vegetables, fruits, transplants et al.

  1.  Start Hardwood Flooring Installation Business

If you studied building engineering or any related course and you are keen to own a business in British Columbia (BC), then you should consider starting a hardwood flooring installation business. This business can be started on a small scale and if you are good with what you do, it won’t be too long before you become a household name in British Columbia (BC). This goes to show that there is indeed a large market for the hardwood flooring installation business.

  1. Open Hospice and Palliative Care Center

If you are naturally drawn to taking care of people with life-terminating illnesses, then you should consider starting a hospice and palliative care center in British Columbia (BC).

However, this is a very sensitive business to start as a single mistake could have dire consequences for your patient and their families. Hospice and palliative care center business is a delicate business, you need to network with hospitals, and other businesses in the health sector so that they can refer patients to you.

  1. Start Car Dealership Business

Another viable and profitable business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the car dealership business. Players in the car dealership industry basically sell both brand new and used cars and they may fall in any of the following niche areas; brick and mortar car dealership shops, online used car dealerships, luxury car dealerships, etc.

  1. Start a Mortgage Brokerage Firm

Mortgage Brokerage firms are established with the sole aim of providing a convenient platform for those who want to buy property. With the loan you get from the bank via a mortgage brokerage firm, you can finance any property of your choice as long as you pass the screening and evaluation process. Screening and evaluation are put in place so as to ensure that due process is followed before issuing a loan.

  1. Start Property Maintenance and Renovation Company

Another profitable business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the property maintenance and renovation business. As a property manager, your core business responsibility is to maintain and renovate building facilities and to liaise with landlords, tenants, and in some cases various contractors for you to effectively conduct your business, you are expected to have a full grasp of the law when it comes to landlord and tenant relationships et al.

  1. Start a Solar Water Heater Installation Business

If you studied electrical engineering or any related course and you are keen to own a business in British Columbia (BC), then you should consider starting a solar water heater installation services business. This is one business you can successfully start on a small scale and if you are good with what you do, it won’t be too long before you become a household name in your city.

  1. Open Tanning Salon

Tanning is becoming the new normal because people with darker skin are considered healthy and perhaps beautiful hence the rise of spray tanning salons in different locations in British Columbia (BC).

Spray tanning is a temporary bronzing service offered at salons and spas to people who don’t want to go through the natural process of tanning. Spray tanning is done in a booth in a beauty spa and these specially-designed booths have multi-functional nozzles or jets that spray your entire body with the spray tanning solution.

  1. Trade Show Booth and Equipment Rental Business

If you are considering starting a business in British Columbia (BC), then one of your options is to start a trade show booth and equipment rental business. Trade show booth and equipment rental businesses are all about renting out trade show booths and other relevant public-address equipment that are used by corporate organizations, government, groups, and individuals who want to organize a trade show.

A trade show display is a graphic display device designed to be used at a trade fair or trade show. These may include tabletop displays, banner stands, pop-up displays, flat panel displays, and other paraphernalia used to fill a temporary stall or booth at a trade fair or convention.

  1. Start Wedding Gown Production Business

The wedding gown production business is yet another thriving business that can be started in British Columbia (BC). Please note that the wedding gown production business thrives on creativity, branding (media hype et al), and good business skills.

Any aspiring entrepreneur can start a wedding gown production business as long as they are creative, can get people to promote their brand, and have good business skills. The starting size of this type of business doesn’t really matter as long as the business is built on the right foundation and with the right combination of skills and talents.

  1. Open a Flower and Gift Shop

If you have eyes for colors and designs, as well as a penchant for beauty and decoration, then you may want to tinker with opening your own flower and gift shop in British Columbia (BC).

The market for both fresh flowers and artificial flowers in British Columbia (BC) has continued to soar from generation to generation because we still have weddings, burials, and other special events taking place all around us. As insignificant as most people think the flower is, it is still a major requirement for weddings, funerals, and decoration of event centers and even worship centers.

  1. Start Auto Insurance Firm

If you are considering starting an auto insurance company in British Columbia (BC), then you would be required to get an insurance license from the organization regulating the insurance industry in the country. Auto insurance firms underwrite, or assume the risk and assign premiums for, auto insurance policies. Automobile insurance basically provides financial protection against physical damage to automobiles and bodily injuries resulting from traffic collisions.

  1. Open an Indoor Soccer Facility

Indoor soccer facility is one business that is bound to succeed in British Columbia (BC) because of the love of soccer in the city. As a matter of fact, in 2015, British Columbia (BC) was one of the six venues for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and it hosted the Final game between the United States and Japan. Building an indoor soccer facility can be expensive but you can make your money within a few years of launching your indoor soccer facility.

If your indoor soccer facility is of high quality and is located close to hotels and tourist sites, you will attract people including local and international soccer clubs that are in your city to play matches.

  1. Start Liquid Air Freshener Production Company

What most liquid air freshener production companies rely on to increase sales cum revenue generation is a robust distribution network.

So, if you are considering going into the liquid air freshener production business, all you need is some capital to purchase or lease/rent a suitable production facility and then equip the facility with the needed machines and equipment. You would also need some additional capital to purchase chemicals and other packaging supplies, pay your employees at least for the first 3 months, and also pay your utility bills.

  1. Film and Video Production Company

The film and video production business are one of the best businesses you can start in British Columbia (BC). Vancouver, British Columbia (BC) is a center for film and television production.

Nicknamed Hollywood North, a distinction it shares with Toronto, the city has been used as a filmmaking location for nearly a century, beginning with the Edison Manufacturing Company. Despite the fact that the film and video production business can be expensive to run, the business is indeed a thriving business that has loads of players making huge profits from the industry.

  1. Bar and Night Club Business

One viable and of course profitable business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) is the bar and nightclub business. British Columbia (BC) has a vibrant nightlife scene, whether it be food and dining, or bars and nightclubs.

The Granville Entertainment District has the city’s highest concentration of bars and nightclubs with closing times of 3 am, in addition to various after-hour clubs open until late morning on weekends. The street can attract large crowds on weekends and is closed to traffic on such nights. Gastown is also a popular area for nightlife with many upscale restaurants and nightclubs.

  1. Start a Fishing Business

If you are considering starting a thriving business in British Columbia (BC), then one of your options is to start a fishing business. By fishing business, we mean fishing on the high sea. Located on the Burrard Peninsula, Vancouver, British Columbia (BC) lies between Burrard Inlet to the north and the Fraser River to the south.

The Strait of Georgia, to the west, is shielded from the Pacific Ocean by Vancouver Island making the city a fishing hub. There is indeed a global market for fish and you can leverage on that to generate foreign exchange for your business.

  1. Open a Fish Processing Plant

Another ideal business that can be started in British Columbia (BC) especially if you want to leverage the fishing industry value chain is to open a fishing processing plant. Fish processing is all about canning, drying, or using preservatives on fish so as to make them stay longer when transported over a long distance.

  1. Start Commercial Farming Business

There are several business opportunities available in the agricultural industry in British Columbia (BC) and one good thing about the industry is that there is a market for all the products from the industry. Commercial farming is all about the cultivation of crops and rearing animals, fish, birds et al for the sole aim of making profits.

Good enough British Columbia (BC) is known to produce a wide variety of crops and livestock products, including tomatoes, citrus, green vegetables, rice, corn, wheat, barley, olives, oilseeds, nuts, cherries, bilberry, table grapes, edible mushrooms, dairy products, poultry, and beef. You can engage in the cultivation of some or all of the above and you can rest assured that there will be a market for your product.

  1. Start Commercial Drone Delivery Company

A commercial drone delivery company is yet another business idea that an investor should consider starting in British Columbia (BC). The commercial drone delivery business is one of the many businesses that emerged with the advent of new technology.

A commercial drone delivery business helps clients deliver their packages or goods via drones to any destination of their choice. With this type of business, you can choose to own a store (online or offline) or you can operate without a store.

  1. Maple Syrup Production Business

Amongst the many businesses that can be started legally in British Columbia (BC) is a maple syrup manufacturing business. This is so because the vegetation in the British Columbia (BC) area was originally temperate rainforest, consisting of conifers with scattered pockets of maple and alder and large areas of swampland (even in upland areas, due to poor drainage).

Maple syrup is a syrup that is prepared from the sugary sap of a maple tree. A maple syrup manufacturing business is indeed a profitable business because maple syrup contains higher levels of beneficial nutrients, antioxidants, and phytochemicals amongst others.

  1. Start Sports Nutrition Consulting Business

A sports nutrition consulting business is yet another thriving business that an aspiring entrepreneur can start in British Columbia (BC).

The fact that sportsmen and women want to continue to stay in shape, and become peak performers means that they will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal including eating right and that is where a sports nutrition consultant comes in. Sports Nutrition consultants are knowledgeable when it comes to the type, as well as the number of fluids and food taken by an athlete.

  1. Start Bed and Breakfast Business

If you are interested in the hospitality industry in British Columbia (BC) but you lack the start-up capital to start a hotel or motel, then you should consider starting a bed and breakfast business. The bed and Breakfast business is perhaps one of the easiest means of owning a business portfolio in the hospitality industry.

A typical bed and breakfast is a small lodging accommodation that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast to guests that lodge there. The average bed and breakfast has 6 rooms, but generally, bed and breakfasts operate 4 to 11 rooms within a facility.

  1. Start a Fishing Boat Charter Business

Lastly, if you are in British Columbia (BC) and you are tinkering with launching a business as an aspiring entrepreneur, one of your best bets is to launch a fishing boat charter business. The right time to start such a business in British Columbia (BC) is now because this business concept is presently at its growing stage.

The Fishing Boat Charter industry consists of businesses that engage in services such as Inshore/coastal fishing, offshore fishing, tournament fishing, and commercial fishing. Operators may vary greatly in size, ranging from large operators with a fleet of vessels to single boat owner-operators and part-time charter companies.

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