Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Laws in Ottawa: What You Can Sell From Home
A plain map of the Ontario and Ottawa rules to check before you sell your first bake.
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What to remember
- Ontario has no standalone cottage food law, and the Food Premises Regulation 493/17 applies to home kitchens too.
- You must notify the Medical Officer of Health before you prepare food to sell.
- Ontario allows some lower-risk homemade items to be sold at farmers’ markets only, with a government permit.
- Ottawa Public Health offers guidance and education to low-risk home-based food businesses.
- Owning or leasing a food establishment in Ottawa calls for a Food Premises Business Licence and a series of inspections.
If you bake in your own kitchen in Ottawa and want to sell what you make, the rules are set at the provincial level and explained locally. This guide walks through what Ontario allows, who you have to tell before you start, and which rules stay with your kitchen no matter how small your operation is. Confirm the details with Ottawa Public Health before you take your first order, and once you are clear on that, look at what goes on your label and how a nearby province handles home baking.
What Ontario allows from a home kitchen
Ontario’s rule change took effect on January 1, 2020, and it made it easier for individuals and businesses to sell low-risk, home-prepared foods. The province publishes a step-by-step guide to starting a home-based food business that also gives a short overview of public health requirements, so it is worth reading end to end before you settle on a menu. Separately, Ontario allows producers to sell some lower-risk homemade items at farmers’ markets only, with permits issued by the government, which means a market stall is a different path from selling directly to people you know.
Before you sell, notify public health
Under provincial legislation, operators of all food premises and personal service settings, including home-based businesses, must notify the Medical Officer of Health of their intention to prepare food. Ottawa Public Health supports low-risk home-based food businesses by providing guidance and education to help operators understand and meet public health requirements, so that first conversation is practical rather than a test you have to pass on your own. Bring your list of bakes, how you plan to sell them, and where you plan to sell them, and ask what applies to you.
The rules that still apply to your kitchen
All food premises, including low-risk home-based food businesses, are subject to the Health Protection and Promotion Act and the Ontario Food Premises Regulation 493/17. That is the part home bakers miss: easier rules for low-risk foods did not take home kitchens outside the regulation. Ottawa Public Health’s page on operating a low-risk home-based food business is the place to check what that means for your sink, your fridge, and your storage.
If your plans grow past your own kitchen and you start looking at owning or leasing a food establishment in Ottawa, leave room in your timeline for that licence process and the inspections that come with it. Until then, keep a simple record of what you baked, what you sold, and when, so you can answer questions clearly if anyone asks.
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Common questions
Do I need a licence to sell baked goods from my Ottawa home?
A Food Premises Business Licence is needed to own or lease a food establishment in Ottawa, and applying involves a series of inspections including Public Health and Fire Service inspections. For a low-risk home-based food business, the provincial step is notifying the Medical Officer of Health of your intention to prepare food. Ask Ottawa Public Health which applies to your situation before you start.
Is there a cottage food law in Ontario?
There are no specific cottage food laws in Ontario. The Health Protection and Promotion Act and the Ontario Food Premises Regulation 493/17 apply to all food premises, including low-risk home-based food businesses.
Who do I have to notify before I start?
Under provincial legislation, operators of all food premises and personal service settings, including home-based businesses, must notify the Medical Officer of Health of their intention to prepare food.
Can I sell at a farmers market in Ontario?
Ontario allows producers to sell some lower-risk homemade items at farmers' markets only, with permits issued by the government. That is separate from selling directly to people you know.
Where can I get help in Ottawa?
Ottawa Public Health supports low-risk home-based food businesses by providing guidance and education to help operators understand and meet public health requirements. Ontario's guide to starting a home-based food business is a step-by-step resource that also gives a brief overview of public health requirements.
Sources
- Ontario guide to starting a home-based food business (Food Premises Regulation changes)
- Ontario guide to starting a home-based food business
- Cottage food laws in Canada: Ontario
- Ottawa Public Health: Starting a low-risk home-based food business
- Ottawa Public Health: Operating a low-risk home-based food business
- City of Ottawa: Businesses that do not require a municipal licence must notify Ottawa Public Health
- City of Ottawa: Food establishment requirements, permits and licences
General information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so confirm the current requirements with Ottawa Public Health before you sell.