A Canadian Independent Contractor Agreement for Babysitter Services is a legally binding contract between a family and an independent babysitter that establishes the terms of a child care engagement. This agreement defines the relationship as one of independent contracting rather than employment, which carries significant consequences for tax obligations, benefits eligibility, and liability under Canadian federal and provincial law.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses the four-fold test derived from the Supreme Court of Canada's landmark decision in 671122 Ontario Ltd. v. Sagaz Industries to determine whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor. The CRA examines the degree of control the family exercises over the babysitter's work, ownership of tools and supplies, the babysitter's chance of profit and risk of loss, and the degree of integration into the family's household. If the CRA reclassifies a babysitter as an employee, the family faces retroactive liability for unpaid Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions, Employment Insurance (EI) premiums, and income tax source deductions, plus substantial penalties and interest.

This template is specifically designed for babysitters who operate their own independent child care business, serve multiple families concurrently, provide their own supplies and equipment, and retain control over their methods and daily routines. Families who hire a babysitter exclusively, set detailed schedules and instructions, and provide all supplies should strongly consider using an employment agreement instead, as the CRA is likely to classify that arrangement as employment.

Beyond tax classification, the agreement addresses child safety provisions, emergency medical authorization, confidentiality obligations under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and the GST/HST exemption for child care services provided to children under 14 under Schedule V, Part IV of the Excise Tax Act. The agreement also covers compensation terms in Canadian dollars, expense reimbursement, termination provisions, and liability allocation between the parties.

A well-drafted babysitter independent contractor agreement protects both parties: the family avoids CRA misclassification liability, and the babysitter retains the autonomy and tax flexibility that accompanies genuine self-employment status. Both parties are encouraged to request a CRA ruling using Form CPT1 before entering into the arrangement.

This agreement is needed when a family engages a babysitter who genuinely operates as an independent contractor rather than an employee. The babysitter should operate their own registered child care business or freelance babysitting service, serve multiple families, control their own methods and daily routines, provide their own supplies and equipment where applicable, and have the ability to decline specific engagements or hire substitutes.

The agreement is appropriate for part-time, occasional, or regular babysitting arrangements where the babysitter maintains their own client base, sets their own general availability, and invoices the family for services rendered. It may be suitable for experienced babysitters who provide care to multiple families on different days, or for babysitters who offer specialized services such as overnight care, weekend care, or care for children with special needs.

Families should exercise caution before using an independent contractor agreement for a full-time, exclusive babysitter who works only in the family's home and follows the family's detailed instructions about schedule, meals, activities, and discipline. These arrangements are far more likely to be classified as employment by the CRA. In such cases, the family should consider using an employment agreement and registering as an employer for payroll deduction purposes.

The agreement is also needed when the babysitter will transport children in a vehicle, requiring provisions about valid driver's licence, insurance coverage, and compliance with provincial child car seat regulations under the applicable Highway Traffic Act or Motor Vehicle Act. When children have allergies, medical conditions, or special dietary needs, the agreement provides a framework for disclosing these conditions and authorizing the babysitter to administer medication or seek emergency medical care.

Families who wish to claim child care expense deductions under section 63 of the Income Tax Act need documentation of the arrangement, including the babysitter's name, Social Insurance Number or Business Number, and the amounts paid. This agreement serves as the foundational document for supporting those deductions and establishing the nature of the working relationship.

The agreement must identify both parties with their full legal names and Canadian mailing addresses. The babysitter's information should include their business name if they operate under a registered business name, which reinforces their independent business status for CRA classification purposes.

The CRA classification notice is a distinctive and important feature of this template. It explicitly warns both parties that the CRA typically classifies in-home babysitters as employees and recommends requesting a ruling using Form CPT1 (Request for a CPP/EI Ruling) before finalizing the arrangement. This notice protects both parties by ensuring they understand the reclassification risk before entering into the agreement.

The independent contractor status clause must address each element of the CRA's four-fold test as it applies to babysitting: the babysitter controls the daily activities, routines, and care methods used with the children; the babysitter supplies their own materials, toys, and equipment where applicable; the babysitter bears financial risk and has the opportunity for profit through serving multiple families; and the babysitter operates independently of the family's household. The clause should state that the babysitter may provide services to other families concurrently.

The scope of services section must identify the children by name and age or date of birth, describe the specific care duties, and specify the location where care will be provided. The schedule section should describe general availability while preserving the babysitter's discretion over specific routines and activities, as a highly prescriptive schedule supports employee classification under the CRA's control test.

Compensation provisions must specify the hourly rate and overtime rate in Canadian dollars (CAD), the payment frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly), and the payment method (EFT, cheque, Interac e-Transfer, or cash). Since child care services for children under 14 are generally GST/HST-exempt under the Excise Tax Act, this exemption should be noted. The tax obligations clause must state that the babysitter is responsible for reporting their own income, remitting CPP contributions through the self-employed rate, and filing their own tax returns.

Termination provisions should specify the notice period required for termination without cause and list specific grounds for immediate termination by each party. The confidentiality clause should protect the family's personal information, the children's medical records, the home address, daily routines, and financial information, with specific prohibitions on sharing photographs or information about the children on social media, all in compliance with PIPEDA.