Buying a Tim Hortons franchise in Canada

Buying an existing Tim Hortons restaurant

Tim Hortons says that to become a restaurant owner “you must first be approved as an owner. Approved owners are generally considered for opportunities to acquire existing restaurants.” It adds that “eligibility does not guarantee the opportunity to purchase a restaurant” (as published, read Oct 22, 2026). In other words, finding a restaurant for sale is only half of the path: the franchisor’s approval of the person is a separate step. See who has to approve a franchise resale and what a transfer fee is.

The owner checklist and approval process

The franchising page lists a financial threshold, an experience expectation and a commitment. It sets “Minimum CA $150,000 in Liquid Assets” and “Minimum CA $500,000 in Net Worth”, asks for “proven experience running a business or managing a team”, and says owners must be “willing to commit full-time to running a Tim Hortons restaurant and divest from other business ventures” (as published, read Oct 22, 2026). The steps it names are an online application, a discovery call, screening with “a background check and financial verification”, interviews and Restaurant Experience Days, and final approval. Whether a particular buyer meets these is for Tim Hortons to decide, not for a listing to promise.

Training and opening

Tim Hortons lists “comprehensive training and access to resources” among the support it gives owners. The page we read gives no duration or location for that training, so none is stated here. Ask Tim Hortons whether a buyer of an existing restaurant repeats it — does buying a resale require retraining?

Financing

Tim Hortons lists “preferred financing rates available with the largest banks nationally” as part of its support, and names no bank or programme. For the financing questions to ask, see can a franchise purchase be financed?

Where Tim Hortons is expanding

Tim Hortons does not publish a list of available areas on the page we read. It invites anyone with “a property or real estate opportunity in mind” to submit a proposal. Deavo’s Tim Hortons listings on Oct 20, 2026 were in Ontario (11); the page also points to separate Tim Hortons franchising pages for the United States and for international markets.

Disclosure law where Tim Hortons is listed

Ontario, the one province with Tim Hortons listings on Deavo, has a franchise disclosure statute. In Ontario, where disclosure applies, the Arthur Wishart Act (Franchise Disclosure), 2000 requires the franchisor to provide a disclosure document that the buyer receives “not less than 14 days” before the earlier of signing an agreement relating to the franchise or paying any consideration for it, and the document must contain “all material facts” (s.5(1) and 5(4)). Ask it for the fees Tim Hortons does not publish on its franchising page, and keep the date you receive it.