- Register as a sole proprietor or incorporate with BC Registries (~$40–$380)
- File your Burnaby business licence (~$100+/yr)
- Get general liability insurance
- Set your rates ($150–$650+ per load by volume)
- Build a brand, website, and online booking
- Set up card payments and simple bookkeeping
- Launch a Google Business Profile focused on Burnaby
Every city rewards a different kind of junk removal business — here's what Burnaby specifically pays for. Burnaby's demolition-and-densification cycle throws off constant clear-out work — old homes emptied before teardown, tower move-ins displacing furniture, and townhome turnovers. Position between the movers and the dump.
Why Burnaby specifically
Where the work is: Get on Burnaby property managers' turnover lists for between-tenant clear-outs. Neighbourhoods like Brentwood, Metrotown, Burnaby Heights each have their own client base — your Google Business Profile and local pages should name them.
Startup costs in Burnaby
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| BC business registration (sole prop) | ~$40 |
| Name request fee | ~$30 |
| Burnaby business licence | ~$100+/yr |
| General liability insurance | $500–$1,200/yr |
| Equipment & supplies | $5,000–$15,000 (truck or trailer setup, dollies, straps, dump account) |
| Branding, website & booking setup | $0 DIY – $3,000+ agency |
Government fees change — confirm current amounts with BC Registries and the City of Burnaby. Burnaby issues home-occupation licences for service businesses; if you also work regularly in Vancouver or Surrey, the Metro West inter-municipal licence ($300/yr) can replace buying separate city licences.
Realistic earnings
Around Metro Vancouver, $150–$650+ per load by volume is the going range. Keep the calendar full and $7,000–$14,000+ per month solo with a truck and tight routing is achievable solo — though your niche, service area, and how professional you look all move the number. No certification required; transfer-station accounts and disposal fees are the real operating cost.
Let's name it
Before the tactics, the mindset blocker worth naming out loud. “What if I quote a load wrong, or get stuck with hazardous items?” Volume-based pricing photos, an exclusions list, a waiver, and insurance keep surprises off your margin — every Prontco launch includes them.
Talk it through on a free callTrue Cost of Launching Calculator
Before you quote your first job in Burnaby, work out what launching actually costs you — then price so the work covers it. Real 2026 Canadian rates, every source listed.
Run the numbers →Your first clients in Burnaby — the junk removal playbook
- Contact demolition and excavation companies about pre-teardown house clear-outs.
- Flyer new towers with 'old furniture, gone today' offers timed to move-in waves.
- Get on Burnaby property managers' turnover lists for between-tenant clear-outs.
The shortcut
Every step above is DIY-able if you have the evenings to spare. The alternative: Prontco builds it all in roughly 10 business days — Burnaby licence filed, brand and website live, booking and payments connected, books set up — then stays with you for 30 days of launch support. From $997, and you own everything.
Related guides
How to start a junk removal business in BC · How to start a business in Burnaby · The complete BC startup guide · Free calculators & checklists