Ontario to Make It Easier for Home Based Food Businesses

By: Laura Steiner

Ontario is making it easier to start a home-based food business.  The province unveiled a new how-to-guide that would allow home-based entrepreneurs to sell home-made ‘low risk food.

“For many local entrepreneurs, they start with a love of food and cherished family recipe, whether it’s grandma’s apple pie or that new take on homegrown pickles, jams, and preserves, and try and turn their passion into a successful business,” Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Prabmeet Sarkaria said. The changes were made as part of efforts to support small businesses.

Low-risk food includes baked goods, pickles, jams and preserves, chocolates, hard candies and brittles, fudge and toffees, granola, trail mix, nuts and seeds, coffee beans and tea leaves.  The guide includes an overview of public health requirements that need to be followed.  “Our government is committed to encouraging this growing part of the economy and to support all the good things that are grown, and produced right here in Ontario,” Agricultural, Food and Rural Affairs Ernie Hardeman said.