- Register your business with BC Registries
- File a municipal business licence; add an IMBL if your route crosses cities
- Get liability insurance and, if hiring, WorkSafeBC coverage
- Start with core gear: mower, trimmer, blower, and a way to haul it
- Price for recurring contracts, not one-off cuts
- Build a brand and website with online quote requests
- Win a neighbourhood: Google Business Profile + door-to-door density
Landscaping rewards route density like no other trade. Ten weekly lawn contracts on the same few blocks means low drive time, predictable revenue, and easy upsells — hedge trimming, aeration, cleanups, snow response in winter. The Lower Mainland's long growing season stretches the paying months further than most of Canada.
It's also a trade where the gap between “guy with a mower” and “landscaping company” is worth real money. Property managers and strata councils — the best recurring contracts in the business — simply won't hire an unregistered operator with no insurance and no web presence. The business wrapper isn't cosmetic here; it's the ticket to the good contracts.
What it costs to start
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| BC business registration | ~$40–$380 |
| Municipal business licence | $100–$250/yr |
| Liability insurance | $700–$1,500/yr |
| Mower, trimmer, blower (commercial-grade) | $2,000–$6,000 |
| Trailer or truck setup | $1,500–$8,000+ |
| Branding, website & booking | $0 DIY – $3,500+ agency |
| Realistic lean total | $4,000–$12,000 |
You can start smaller with residential-grade gear and upgrade from cash flow. Many operators begin with a hatchback and a fold-up trailer.
What you can earn
Weekly lawn maintenance in Metro Vancouver commonly runs $40–$80+ per visit for residential, with strata and commercial contracts much higher. Thirty weekly residential contracts is roughly $5,000–$9,000+ per month in season, before add-on services — cleanups, hedges, and aeration can add thousands more. Winter pivots (gutter clearing, snow response) smooth the off-season.
Landscaping Pricing Calculator
Work out what to charge before you quote your first job. Set the job size, condition and the hourly rate you need to earn, and get a number you can defend.
Open the calculator →Licensing & requirements in BC
No trade certification is required for general landscaping and lawn care in BC. You need business registration and a municipal licence — and because landscaping routes almost always cross city lines, the Metro West Inter-municipal Business Licence is often the smart move (one licence covering multiple participating municipalities). Pesticide application is the exception: applying most pesticides commercially requires provincial certification, so most new operators simply don't offer it. Hiring anyone triggers mandatory WorkSafeBC registration.
Let's name it
“Everyone with a truck and a mower is doing this — how do I compete?” By being the one who looks contract-worthy. Most competitors have no website, no reviews, no insurance certificate to show a property manager. That's not a crowded market; that's an unprofessional one. It's beatable.
Talk it through on a free callThe 7 steps, properly
01Register and structure
Sole proprietorship to start (~$40). Consider incorporating once you pursue strata or commercial contracts — many property managers prefer contracting with incorporated companies.
02Licence for your real route
Your home city's licence first. If your route spans Burnaby, Richmond, and Vancouver — as most do — ask about the Inter-municipal Business Licence rather than paying each city separately.
03Insure before you bid
Liability insurance ($700–$1,500/yr typical) is a prerequisite for every property manager conversation and most strata RFPs. Get it before you need it.
04Buy the route-ready minimum
A commercial 21” mower, straight-shaft trimmer, and backpack blower cover 90% of residential maintenance. Haul with what you have; upgrade the trailer from revenue.
05Price for recurrence
Quote monthly or seasonal contracts, not per-cut. “$160/month, weekly service, April–October” beats “$40 a cut” — it locks the route and smooths your cash flow.
06Brand for the neighbourhood
Your truck and trailer are moving billboards on the exact streets you want more work from. Brand them. Pair with a website that takes quote requests while you're on the mower.
07Build local proof
Google Business Profile, photos of real properties, reviews from your first contracts. When a homeowner sees your trailer next door and Googles you, the profile closes the deal.
The shortcut: launched in about 10 business days
Everything above is doable yourself over a couple of months of evenings. Or you hand us the details on one 30-minute call and we build all of it — registration, licence filing, brand, website, online booking, payments, accounting setup, Google Business Profile, socials, and your service agreement — in about 10 business days, with 30 days of support after handoff. Landscapers with multi-city routes fit Launch ($1,997) — local SEO pages for every city on your route plus the branded merch that turns your trailer into an ad. Solo, one-city lawn care starts fine on Starter ($997).
Landscaping business FAQ
Do I need a licence for a landscaping business in BC?
You need a business registration and municipal business licence — but no trade certification for general landscaping and lawn care. Commercial pesticide application does require provincial certification, which is why most new operators exclude it. We prepare and file your registration and licence applications; the authorities grant approval.
What does it cost to start a lawn care business?
A realistic lean start is $4,000–$12,000 depending on equipment. Starting with residential-grade gear and a borrowed trailer can cut that dramatically — many successful operators upgraded from cash flow rather than debt.
How do I get lawn care contracts instead of one-off jobs?
Quote monthly seasonal contracts by default, cluster your marketing on specific neighbourhoods for route density, and pursue property managers once you have insurance and a professional web presence — they control dozens of properties each.
Is landscaping seasonal in Vancouver?
The maintenance season is long here — roughly March through November — and winter offers pivots like gutter clearing, pruning, and snow response. Contract pricing spread over the season smooths income.
Do I need WorkSafeBC coverage?
If you hire workers, WorkSafeBC registration is mandatory. As a solo owner-operator it's generally optional personal coverage — worth a conversation as you grow. We flag this at setup so nothing bites you later.
Related guides
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