Canadians are demonstrating a keen interest in making money on the side through their recent searches for side hustles (part-time businesses). In fact, Canadians have researched the top side hustles an average of 131,040 times yearly, according to recent research from BonusFinder Canada.
Plenty are following through too, according to The New Generation of Entrepreneurship in Canada. Their poll revealed 25 percent of Canadian small businesses identify as side hustles.
Top 25 Side Hustle Searches in Canada
Seven of the top 25 are online side hustles. Others can be all or partially online, such as selling handmade crafts, language translation and personal training.
Social media management has gained significant traction, positioning it as the most popular side hustle in Canada with 43,200 yearly Google searches. Ontario accounts for 22,800 of the searches, suggesting that most content creators are based in the province.
Virtual Assistance jobs have emerged as the second most popular side hustle in Canada, with 24,240 searches annually. This is due to the rise of remote working, as individuals opt for remote administrative, organizational, and support roles to earn extra income and achieve a better work-life balance.
The third most popular side hustle is selling handmade crafts as it has been searched for 14,640 in the last year, with most searches coming from Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec. With Etsy’s gross merchandise sales reported to achieve $13.32 billion in 2022, it seems handmade jewellery is the best way to make a profit.
Four of the top jobs are suited to the creative industry and 7 out of 10 jobs are suitable for remote working, whereas only two relate to the diet and fitness industry.
Some of these numbers seem off to me. Specifically, those that are exactly the same across multiple provinces, or provincial searches that should be higher showing as significantly lower (and vice versa). We included the methodology below if you’d like to look into it further. It still provides a good idea of the level of the interest in each side hustle in Canada, but I wouldn’t rely on this data for anything critical.
1. Social media management – 43,200 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 22,800 searches, followed by British Columbia (7080), Alberta (3840), and Quebec (3840).
2. Virtual assistance jobs – 24,240 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 12,000 searches, followed by British Columbia (3840), Alberta (2520), and Quebec (2040).
3. Selling handmade crafts – 14,640 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 6000 searches, followed by British Columbia (3120), Quebec (1800), and Alberta (1320).
4. Social media influencing – 10,800 searches in Canada per year, led by the Yukon with 5400 searches, followed by Nunavut (3120) and Ontario (600).
5. Event planning – 7680 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 3840 searches, followed by British Columbia (1080), Alberta (480), and Quebec (480).
6. Food delivery – 5880 searches in Canada per year, led by Saskatchewan with 3120 searches, followed by New Brunswick (1080), Nunavut (960), and PEI & Yukon tied (360).
7. Graphic design services – 5280 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 2520 searches, followed by British Columbia (600), Alberta (280), and Nunavut (480).
8. Fitness training – 4680 searches in Canada per year, led by the Yukon with 3480 searches, followed by multiple provinces at 120.
9. Online tutoring – 2040 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 600 searches, followed by Nunavut (240), and multiple provinces at 120.
10. Make money from gambling – 1800 searches in Canada per year, led by the Yukon with 480 searches, followed by 120 searches in multiple provinces.
11. Language translation – 1440 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 360 searches, followed by Alberta & Quebec at 240.
12. AirBnB hosting – 1320 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 240 searches, followed by multiple provinces at 120.
13. Selling on eBay – 1200 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 240 searches, followed by 120 searches in multiple provinces.
14. Matched betting – 1200 searches in Canada per year. 120 searches in multiple provinces.
15. Web development – 1080 searches in Canada per year. Tied with 120 searches in Alberta, BC, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland/Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan.
16. OnlyFans – 960 searches in Canada per year, led by the Yukon with 240 searches, followed by 120 searches in multiple provinces.
17. Paid online surveys – 720 searches in Canada per year, led by Ontario with 240 searches, followed by multiple provinces at 120.
18. Handyman services – 720 searches in Canada per year, led by the Yukon with 600 searches.
19. House cleaning – 600 searches in Canada per year. 120 searches in multiple provinces.
20. Photography – 480 searches in Canada per year. Tied with 120 searches in BC, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec.
21. Gardening services – 360 searches in Canada per year. 120 searches in multiple provinces.
22. Personal training – 360 searches in Canada per year. 120 searches in multiple provinces.
23. Event DJ – 240 searches in Canada per year, led by New Brunswick and the Northwest Territories with 120 searches.
24. Pet sitting – 120 searches in Canada per year. 120 searches in the Yukon only.
25. Rideshare driving – Zero searches across the board.
Judging by our own traffic, the most popular online side hustles in Canada are as follows. For your convenience, we’ve included links to more information on starting an online side hustle for each option.
1. Virtual Assistant (VA):
- Administrative assistant
- Social Media Management
- Online Business Management
Read How to Become a Virtual Assistant (VA) in Canada for more info.
2. Blogging, primarily generating revenue through sponsorship as an influencer or with affiliate marketing. Read How to Make Money Blogging in Canada: The Ultimate Guide for more info.
3. Freelance content creation in all of its forms continues to be in high demand. Read How to Start a Freelance Digital Content Business in Canada for more info.
Consider This Before Starting a Side Hustle
Time is the most important factor to consider before you commit to a business, followed by income potential and how well the side hustle compliments your primary source of revenue. Look at the big picture when estimating the time involved. Consider the time it takes to perform the task, as well as create support materials, do the marketing, and provide customer service if necessary.
Also factor other demands in your life. For example, if you’re caring for children or someone else it may be difficult for you to meet deadlines or show up for scheduled appointments. Don’t worry, there’s an online business that’s suitable for virtually any situation.
Have you considered starting a side hustle in Canada or have you already started one? Please share in the comments below or join us in the Online Business Canada Facebook group.
Methodology
1. BonusFinder Canada sought to determine which of the most common side hustles Canadians from different provinces are more interested in.
2. They used a range of reputable online sources to create a comprehensive list of the most common side hustles.
3. Subsequently, they utilized Google Ads Keyword Planner to collate the average search volume figures for each region in Canada, including related keywords.
4. The keyword search was filtered by the last 12 months, between April 2022 to April 2023.
5. The search volumes are based on the average number of searches for each keyword and its close variants within the selected time frame (e.g. 12 months – April 2022 to April 2023) and location selected.
6. To calculate the average yearly search volume for each region, the total monthly search volume for all side hustles was multiplied by 12.
7. The data collection was completed on June 12th, 2023, and is accurate as of that date.
7 Recession Proof Online Businesses To Start From Home
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Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business/marketing education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.
Melody has worked with many businesses in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.
