Understanding Private Home Care in Ontario

The first step to achieving business success is understanding the challenges and opportunities facing private home care providers across Ontario.

The Demand for Private Home Care Services in Ontario

With almost 40% of Canadians living in Ontario, the province faces significant demand for private home care services.

Ontario’s population is unique. Nationwide, Canadians are growing older. But Ontario bucks the trend, with an increasingly young median age. This is projected to be a short-term trend, however: the Government of Ontario believes that by 2027, the population’s median age will have started to rise. 

And although Ontario may have a relatively young population, there are several factors heaping stress on its home care system. 

The province has the second-highest life expectancy in Canada: the average baby born today can expect to live until they’re almost 82 years old. Compared to previous generations, Ontarians will need in-home care services for significantly longer.

28% of Ontario's population also lives with disability, adding up to over 4 million people across the province. In-home care services are a vital tool for many people with disabilities, supporting them in living independently and being active in the community.

For many Ontarians, public home care services don't meet their needs. Long waiting lists, limited availability in rural areas, and insufficient support lead them to private home care agencies.

Home Care Ontario, an association representing the province’s home care agencies, calculates that 900,000 Ontarians receive home care. 170,000 of those receive all their care from private home care businesses.

The Language Challenge for Ontario’s Private Home Care Agencies

Ontario is one of Canada’s most multilingual provinces, especially in urban areas like Toronto and Ottawa. 30% of Ontarians are immigrants, with that number expected to continue rising. 

Nearly a third of the province speaks a non-official language as their mother tongue, with a significant amount speaking Tamil, Vietnamese, Spanish, Punjabi and Mandarin. 

Home care agencies should use all the resources available to them to ensure good communication with clients. This includes recruiting a multilingual caregiver staff and using platforms like ShiftCare Connect to involve clients’ family members in their care.

Setting Up Your Private Home Care Business’ Legal and Financial Structure in 5 Steps

1. Choose Your Private Home Care Business Structure 

Businesses in Ontario can operate as sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations or co-operatives. The Government of Ontario has published a guide to these structures, but it’s also worth seeking legal and financial advice. 

Your decision will affect your personal liability, tax obligations, start-up costs, ability to sell your private home care agency and more.

2. Register with the Ontario Business Registry

Create an account with ServiceOntario to register your private home care business with the Ontario Business Registry. Make sure to save your ServiceOntario log-in details; you’ll also use the platform to file your annual tax returns.

3. Apply for Permits and Licences 

You can use the BizPaL database to see if your municipality requires any additional permits or licences.

4. Check if You Need to Pay Employer Health Tax (EHT)

Not all Ontarian businesses need to pay EHT, so your first step should be to confirm if you’re eligible for an exemption. If your private home care agency is required to pay EHT, you’ll need to register with the Ontario Ministry of Finance. 

5. Sign up to the WSIB Ontario

You must register your private home care agency with the WSIB Ontario within 10 calendar days of hiring your first employee. Make sure you register in time; these 10 days include weekends and national holidays. 

You should also carefully check the Employee Standards Act and Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Building Your Home Caregiving Team

Your team of caregivers is key to your business’ success. But recruiting isn't easy, especially when you're just starting out as a home care service provider.

The good news is that across Ontario, the healthcare and social assistance industry is seeing rising employment levels. A growing population, in part driven by high levels of immigration, makes hiring caregivers easier.

To help you recruit and retain the right caregiving staff, start by identifying exactly what your private home care business needs, from shift availability to certifications and language skills. Make sure you can quickly onboard new team members. 

And use tools like ShiftCare’s scheduler to help you cut down your admin time, manage caregivers’ availability and build efficient schedules.

Professional Help and Resources for Private Home Care Businesses

Professional help can be a valuable resource. We’ll focus on Ontario-based options in this article. But for nationwide initiatives, read our detailed guide to launching a home care business in Canada.

Home Care Ontario

Ontario’s membership-based association of home care providers advocates for more funding, specialist training, improved compensation and above all, more investment from the government of Ontario. It campaigns under the brand More Home Care.

Small Business Centre Ontario Network

With 54 locations across Ontario, the Small Business Centre Ontario Network provides in-person business advice and free online business courses.

Ontario Chamber of Commerce

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce provides training, runs events and shares information about funds and grants, in addition to advocating for the province’s businesses.

Transfer Payment Ontario

Via Transfer Payment Ontario, you can apply for grants from the Government of Ontario. These include funding opportunities for First Nations and Indigenous Peoples, Francophone communities and more.

How can I start a private home care business in Ontario?

Begin by creating a business plan that details your service provision, funding sources, prices and marketing strategy. Then, follow the steps outlined above to register your private home care business and begin signing on clients.

How much does it cost to start a private home care business in Ontario?

The start-up costs for a private home care business in Ontario vary depending on your business structure, marketing strategy and how many caregivers you decide to employ.

How can I market my private home care business in Ontario?

Market your private home care business with a website, social media presence and Google Business Profile. A home care marketing plan will help you refine your strategy.

Final Thoughts on Starting Your Private Home Care Business in Ontario

Launching a private home care business involves plenty of red tape, bureaucracy and hard work. But it can also bring you deep satisfaction as you see your business grow to support Ontarians in achieving a higher quality of life.

ShiftCare’s home care software helps you handle the paperwork so you can focus on delivering exceptional home care services. It comes with a scheduler, invoice generator, care notes templates, caregiver app, portal for family members and more. Try ShiftCare for free.