Mow, trim and tidy yards from spring through fall.
Time: Weekdays and weekends, May–Oct
Lawn care is the classic Canadian route business: 30 lawns in one neighbourhood, cut weekly, is a paycheque that shows up every Thursday. Startup is a mower, trimmer and blower — and clients pay for the whole season up front or in monthly blocks. The short season is the feature: stack it with snow removal and you've built a year-round business on one truck.
Gas or battery mower, string trimmer, leaf blower — $600–$900 new, less used. Battery gear is quieter (city-friendly) and cheaper to maintain.
Knock doors and flyer one neighbourhood until you have 10 lawns within walking distance. Route density is the difference between $30/hour and $60/hour of actual earning.
Offer weekly cuts from May to October as a monthly price (e.g. $160/month). Prepaid seasons fund equipment; monthly billing keeps it smooth.
Spring cleanup ($200–$400), fall leaf removal ($150–$300), hedge trims and mulching. Cleanups are where most of the profit hides — always quote them.
Same day every week, send a text if you're running late, and cut high. Reliability is the entire competitive landscape — most ' competitors' are flaky teenagers.
Offer your lawn clients the winter contract in September. Converting a $160/month lawn client to a $150/month snow client doubles your year without marketing.
Canada's home-service review site — a strong listing here brings steady calls.
Industry association with training, standards and networking (Ontario).
Secondhand mowers and trimmers at half retail every spring.
Canadian-built quoting, scheduling and invoicing for route businesses.
Design route flyers and door hangers in an afternoon.