How much does a microgreens and small indoor growing earn in Ontario?

Roughly $15,000 in the first years and $40,000 by year five (Ontario median, before tax). Estimate from the sources on the data page; partly verified.

How long does it take?

No formal credential, with a first real paycheque in about 6 months.

What does it cost and how much debt is typical?

About $0 in startup cost plus roughly $10,000 of startup capital, and usually no debt.

Start something

Microgreens and small indoor growing

Registered business

Numbers for 33 of 52 pathways verified, the rest partly · How we verify

Years to credential0

First real paycheque~6 months

Time in a classroom0%

Total cost$0

Typical debt after$0

Demand in OntarioSteady

The first ten years

schoolearnearnearnearnearnearnearnearnearn

Mostly in schoolEarning

Earnings by year, roughly

Ontario median before tax. Overtime, location and specialisation change this a lot. Net by year 10 after program cost: $328k, low to high $80k to $379k.

What's in "net by year 10"

Earnings, years 1 to 10	$338k	$15,000 rising to $40,000 by year five, flat after
Program cost	−$0k	tuition and fees; startup capital −$10k
Typical (medians)	$328k	the number on the card
Low to high	$80k to $379k	pay 15% under or over the median, cost 15% more or 10% less; low assumes the business closes at the 30% survival point

Not counted: income tax, rent, food, loan interest, inflation, and unemployment gaps. They apply to every route, so they change the size of each number more than the order. Pay is the Ontario median before tax from the sources on this page.

Startup capital$10,000

Months to break even9

Still operating at 5 yrs~30%

The picture

What you need firstBasement or garage space, racks, lights, and a food-handling certificate.

What the day-to-day isSeeding and harvesting on a rhythm, deliveries to restaurants and markets twice a week, constant customer chasing.

What actually stops peopleSelling. Growing is easy; getting ten restaurants to pay weekly is not, and the GTA market already has many growers.

The downsideThin margins, perishable product, and a lot of dishwashing. Most stay a side income.

If you're the parentReal but small. A good way to learn sales and food business with limited capital. Not a full income for most people.

Local opportunities in Ontario

Ready to explore this for real?

Eight quick questions about whether this route fits your life, not just your grades. You'll get a readiness check, and if you want, we'll introduce you to employers, unions or programs in your region.

Check my readiness

How to enter

What you need

No specific courses or average; Grade 12 (or equivalent) and a willingness to show up

Deadlines in Ontario

No deadline; register the business name online in a day, HST number when sales pass $30,000

Next steps

Save or share this pathway

Email it to yourself or someone who should see it.

◐ Partly verified Five-year survival: StatCan 11F0019M no. 407 (fewer than 30% of unincorporated self-employed entrants survive five years; about 50% for incorporated owners); ISED Key Small Business Statistics 2025 (63% for firms starting with 1–4 employees, 68% all employer firms). The figure shown assumes a solo start. Startup capital, break-even and owner income are estimates: no published Canadian source for microgreens; vendor claims only

← Back