Step by Step Guide to Starting a Business

Registering your business

As a prospective entrepreneur or new business owner, you are certainly aware of the importance of spreading the word about your new company. In addition to informing potential customers about your business, you must let the government know about your plans.

You may need to register with several different levels of government for many different reasons. This document provides an overview of the key registration requirements that may apply to your business.

Before registering

Before registering your business, you must think about what form of business you want to start and what you want to call your business.

• Business structures
  Find out which type of business structure is right for your business.
• Naming your business
  Choose the right name for your business. Your business name should be unique and easy to remember, and should describe the products and services you provide.

Business Number

• Business Number (BN)
  
  http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/summary/1208/
  Applies to: All of Canada
  Your Business Number is your single account number for dealing with the federal government regarding taxes, payroll, import/export and other activities.

Provincial and territorial business registration

Most provincial and territorial governments require that you register your business with them.

• Corporate Registry (Alberta)
  
  http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/summary/2920/
  Applies to: Alberta
  Access the corporate registry computer system and associated forms to register a cooperative, corporation, extra-provincial company, non-profit company, society and trade names and partnerships.

Incorporation

If you decide to incorporate your business, you can incorporate federally or provincially.

Federal incorporation is generally a bit more expensive than provincial incorporation, but it allows you to do business under the same name in all provinces and territories (you may still need to register your business in individual provinces though). If you do plan to do business in more than one province now or in the future, you should strongly consider incorporating federally. Before doing so, you need to complete a NUANS name search.

• NUANS Name Search
  
  http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/summary/1275/
  Applies to: All of Canada
  Compare your proposed business name with the names of existing businesses to see if it is unique.

Federal incorporation

• Federal Business Incorporation
  
  http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/summary/1276/
  Applies to: All of Canada
  Access convenient online or paper methods of incorporating your business federally.
• Guide to Federal Incorporation
  
  http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cd-dgc.nsf/eng/h_cs01914.html
  Step by step guidelines to help you incorporate your business and set up an appropriate structure.
• Cooperative Incorporation Kit
  
  http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cd-dgc.nsf/eng/h_cs01402.html
  Find out what a cooperative is and how to incorporate a cooperative.

Provincial or territorial incorporation

Permits and licences

You may also require specific permits and licences from the federal, provincial or municipal government, depending on your location, industry sector and specific activities that you plan to conduct. Use our permits and licences search to find out which permits and licences might apply to your business.

• Permits and licences
  Find out what permits and licences your business may need from the federal, provincial and municipal governments using our search tool.