Guides & Articles for Canadian Entrepreneurs
Plain-language guides on incorporation, compliance, and corporate maintenance to help you make informed decisions about your business.
Incorporation Guides
Step-by-step guides to incorporating your business federally or provincially in Canada.
Compliance & Maintenance
How to keep your corporation in good standing: annual returns, record-keeping, and more.
Jurisdiction Comparisons
Federal vs. provincial, and starting a business in Ontario: understand the differences before you choose.
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Incorporation Guides
Professional Corporations in Canada: How They Work
Regulated professionals can incorporate, but a professional corporation comes with extra rules and one big misconception. Here is how they work in Canada.
Compliance & Maintenance
Shareholder Agreements in Canada: What They Are and Why They Matter
If a corporation has more than one owner, a shareholder agreement is the document that prevents the disputes nobody plans for. Here is what it covers and why it matters.
Incorporation Guides
How to Incorporate Yourself: A Guide for Freelancers and Contractors
Incorporating yourself can offer liability protection and tax deferral, but there is one CRA rule that can undo the benefits. Here is what to know first.
Compliance & Maintenance
Salary vs Dividends: How to Pay Yourself From Your Corporation
Once you incorporate, you decide how to take money out: salary, dividends, or a mix. Here is how each one works in Canada and what trade-offs to weigh.
Incorporation Guides
Holding Company in Canada: What It Is and How It Works
A holding company owns assets and shares of other companies rather than operating itself. Here is what that means in Canada, why people use one, and when it is worth it.
Compliance & Maintenance
How to Open a Business Bank Account in Canada
Once you incorporate, your corporation needs its own bank account. Here is why it matters, what documents you need, and how to choose an account.
Incorporation Guides
Named vs Numbered Corporation: Which Should You Choose?
Named and numbered corporations are legally identical. The difference is branding, speed, and cost. Here is how to decide which one fits your business.
Incorporation Guides
LLC in Canada: Why You Cannot Form One (and What to Do Instead)
There is no such thing as an LLC in Canada. Here is what that US structure actually is, why Canada does not have it, and the Canadian options that do the same job.
Incorporation Guides
How to Incorporate a Business in Canada (Federal)
A plain-language walkthrough of incorporating a business federally in Canada under the CBCA: what you need, the steps, the fees, and what to do afterward.
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Incorporation Guides
- NUANS Reports for Law Firms and Law Clerks: A Procurement Guide
- Your Corporate Name Was Refused. What Now?
- NUANS Report Alberta: When You Need One and How to Get It
- NUANS Report Ontario: How to Order One and File It
- How to Read a NUANS Report, Line by Line
- Professional Corporations in Canada: How They Work
- How to Incorporate Yourself: A Guide for Freelancers and Contractors
- Holding Company in Canada: What It Is and How It Works
- Named vs Numbered Corporation: Which Should You Choose?
- LLC in Canada: Why You Cannot Form One (and What to Do Instead)
- How to Incorporate a Business in Canada (Federal)
- What Are Articles of Incorporation?
- How to Register a Sole Proprietorship in Ontario
- How Much Does It Cost to Incorporate in Ontario?
- How to Register a Business in Ontario
- Sole Proprietorship vs Corporation in Canada: Which Is Right for You?
- What Is a NUANS Name Search, and Do You Need One?
Compliance & Maintenance
- Articles of Amendment in Ontario: When You Need Them and How to File
- Ontario Initial Return: What It Is and How to File It
- Corporate Tax Rates in Canada and the Small Business Deduction
- Shareholder Agreements in Canada: What They Are and Why They Matter
- Salary vs Dividends: How to Pay Yourself From Your Corporation
- How to Open a Business Bank Account in Canada
- How to Confirm a GST/HST Number
- How to Get a CRA Business Number
- How to Dissolve a Corporation in Ontario
- What Is a Minute Book, and Why Does Your Corporation Need One?
- How to Get a GST/HST Number in Ontario
- Business Number vs Corporation Number: What's the Difference?
- Corporate Annual Returns in Canada: A Complete Guide
More Articles Coming Soon
We're regularly publishing new guides on incorporation, compliance, and running a Canadian corporation.
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