{"id":15814,"date":"2026-10-08T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T12:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ownr.co\/blog\/?p=15814"},"modified":"2026-10-06T14:53:48","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T18:53:48","slug":"ownr-releases-the-canadian-side-hustle-report-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ownr.co\/blog\/ownr-releases-the-canadian-side-hustle-report-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Ownr Releases The Canadian Side Hustle Report 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ownr\u2019s Deep Dive into Canadian Entrepreneurship in 2026<\/b><\/h1>\n

Sometimes the hardest part of making a change isn\u2019t the challenge of starting something new \u2014 it\u2019s leaving what\u2019s familiar behind and plunging forward into the unknown.<\/span><\/p>\n

But when it comes to entrepreneurship, more and more people are taking that leap. From those just starting their careers to others further along and looking for a pivot, increasing numbers of Canadians are seizing the moment and making their dreams a reality.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Everyone\u2019s heard that old saying, \u201cDon\u2019t quit your day job.\u201d But pursuing your passion doesn\u2019t mean giving up on it altogether. It\u2019s about starting fresh to pursue something you truly believe in \u2014 and possibly making a living doing it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mapping the shifting small business landscape\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

To better understand today\u2019s entrepreneurs, Ownr recently teamed up with Ipsos Canada to survey more than 1,500 Canadians about what\u2019s driving them to launch their small businesses \u2014 or preventing them from doing so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The result is our <\/span>Canadian Side Hustle Report 2026<\/b><\/a>, offering revealing insights into how side hustles are becoming increasingly mainstream and how, for some Canadians, what starts as merely supplemental income is the beginning of something much greater and more fulfilling.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The side hustle is coming out from the sidelines<\/b><\/h2>\n

What was once merely a way to boost one’s income is increasingly becoming a legitimate career choice. Almost half of Canadians (47%) we surveyed currently have a side hustle or are looking to start one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of entrepreneurial ambition in Canada, and this data proves that even more of it may be hiding in plain sight,” observes <\/span>Jordan Casey<\/b><\/a>, chief executive officer at Ownr.<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Starting a small business is always a leap of faith. But for many current side hustlers, that leap seems to be paying off: 22% say they\u2019re generating enough income that they don’t need a regular job, while 19% say they\u2019re likely to leave their current job to pursue their hustle full-time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This positive outlook is more pronounced among younger respondents. Almost one-third of Gen Zers (31%) say theirs is generating enough income without a regular job, and 29% say they expect to soon go full-time \u2014 confidence that bodes well for entrepreneurship in Canada.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The motives: Money and more<\/b><\/h2>\n

Beyond the numbers, we wanted to know exactly what\u2019s motivating Canadians to pick up a side hustle, as well as what might be holding them back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The top drivers participants cited were supplementing their current income (39%), keeping up with the rising costs of living (33%), and paying down existing debt (26%).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, generational distinctions emerge. Perhaps due to fewer financial obligations, Gen Zers are more likely to cite their motives as turning a hobby or talent into income (26%) or building experience or developing practical skills (13%). Millennials, meanwhile, are more focused on paying down debt (30%), building a financial safety net (22%), and saving for a specific goal (15%).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These responses reveal a clear shift in how the side hustle incentive changes over time, reflecting evolving personal and professional goals across life\u2019s stages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Time and energy are challenges<\/b><\/h2>\n

Turning from your day job to a more personal pursuit can be an invigorating change, but it doesn\u2019t mean the work stops. Picking up a side hustle requires extra energy and time \u2014 both of which are often in short supply.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The side hustlers we surveyed are devoting an average of 13 hours weekly to their ventures, a significant addition to any workload.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This demand presents an obvious challenge for many aspiring small business founders. When asked what prevented them from starting a side hustle, 28% said it was finding the time for it among their job and other obligations, and 25% said it was concerns about potential burnout and a loss of work-life balance. An equal number (25%) said the greatest barrier they faced was simply not knowing where to start.<\/span><\/p>\n

Confidence is high \u2014 but knowledge needs work<\/b><\/h2>\n

Despite the potential obstacles, current side hustlers are feeling positive about their entrepreneurial abilities. Most feel confident in managing the day-to-day business of their ventures, like tracking income and expenses (83%), and keeping their business and personal finances separate (80%).<\/span><\/p>\n

But when it comes to the administrative tasks of formalizing a business, that confidence wanes slightly. In our survey, 37% of respondents said they don\u2019t know when to register their business, and 38% said they don\u2019t understand the applicable legal requirements. Only 58% could answer with certainty whether incorporation is right for their business.<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked what factors would need to be met before they took their hustle full-time, the top two answers were earning more than their current day job (37%) and seeing the side business become profitable (36%).<\/span><\/p>\n

While the entrepreneurial spirit is strong, it seems tomorrow\u2019s founders aren\u2019t quite ready to take the plunge without first ensuring a level of financial safety.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The future is bright \u2014 but the hustle doesn\u2019t stop<\/b><\/h2>\n

With more Canadians pursuing side hustles, entrepreneurship looks to be one of the engines driving our economic future. But to turn those ventures into viable career paths, small business owners will need to be equipped with the right knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat often starts as a means to an end turns into \u2018Hey, I might be good at this.\u2019 But it\u2019s the leap to \u2018I can do this full-time\u2019 that is hard,\u201d says Casey. \u201cIt gets to a point where Canadians are making trade-offs with their time, and it\u2019s while trying to manage it all that making sure a business is legal and compliant can slip through the cracks.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Casey notes three key \u201cmust-knows\u201d for aspiring side hustlers:<\/span><\/p>\n