AI'm sure this is a commonly asked question, but how can I open up a home bakery in ontario Canada without a license? It's not my main form of income it's just a side hobby and one day I will do it full time. But for now I just want to sell to local people full cakes which I will deliver to the customer. I want to make up business cards and advertise on facebook, kijiji, and through word of mouth. Do I still need a license? Can I claim my income on my taxes? Like I said it's not my main form of income it's just something I want to do on the side for extra cash until I one day can open up an actual shop.

Where in Ontario Canada are you?  I'm near Kingston.  As far as I know, you should really have a business licence or at the very least, you need to have a commercial kitchen available to you.  You aren't supposed to bake and sell food from the same kitchen that you make food for your family.  I am looking into renting the kitchen in our local Lion's Hall.  

I have been told you may also have a kitchen in your basement, or garage.  Has to have a floor that you can clean with bleach, same with counters.  Two sinks as well. Oh and a separate entrance from the outside.

Now, that's what I've been told in my area, might be different where you are.

AI don't know the laws in Canada but at the very least you will need a food safety certification, contact your local Health Department or try Googling home based bakeries in Ontario.

You will have to claim your income, regardless if it's part/full time work. In the US, you have to fulfill all the requirements because it's a business, period.

Hopefully, someone in your area will respond with more specific information.

In my state you cannot have a homebased bakery, well you can but you are only allowed to sell at certain venues (farmers market) which doesn't really allow for me to make wedding/custom cakes.

I had to build a seperate kitchen from the one I use for my family, with a seperate entrance, a specific floor layout, specific equipment (like a seperate hand washing station), I can't have pets, extra insurance for my home...I could go on and on but I'm not sure how helpful that would be but I also live in a stricter area. Some of the laws for homebased baking is alarmingly lax but that's another story. Obviously, I could have rented a commercial kitchen but I look at this as an investment, slowly acquiring equipment (buying tons of used items from restaurants), making additions to my home and putting money into savings allowed me to start up without a ton a debt from the bank.

I'm babbling now, just a bit of my personal experience. Good luck!

i would think that you do NOT want to open a business "under the radar".  find out what is required for a license, do it and get insurance.  what would happen if someone "blew" you in and what would happen if someone sued you for some reason?  is a part time, side hobby "business" worth the possible consequences? 

cheryl