Set Up Your Structure
Turn the structure decision into a setup the business can actually use.
Use this page when you have chosen—or are close to choosing—how the business will operate and now need to put the basic registrations, accounts, records, responsibilities, and boundaries in place.
The goal is not to formalize everything at once. Start with the setup work that reduces confusion and supports how the business operates today.
Guides
Once you understand the structure choice, the next step is not to rush through forms.
- First, confirm the setup path.
- Then clarify who owns, decides, and carries responsibility.
- Then make sure the operating boundaries match the structure so the business does not start with blurred roles, commitments, or money movement.
The goal is not to make the business more complicated. The goal is to put enough structure in place that money, records, responsibilities, and decisions are easier to understand.
Set Up the Basics So the Business Can Hold Shape
Identify the registrations, accounts, permits, licences, and core records needed to put the chosen structure into operation.
Matching tools: Structure Setup Checklist
Clarify Ownership, Decisions, and Responsibility Early
Make ownership, decision authority, and responsibility visible so important decisions do not depend on assumptions or informal arrangements.
Matching tools: Ownership & Decision Responsibility Map
Set the Boundaries That Match Your Structure
Create clear boundaries around authority, commitments, records, owner activity, and business money so the structure is respected in day-to-day operations.
Matching tools: Structure Boundary Checklist
Confirm Current Setup Requirements
Use official federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and industry sources to confirm current requirements for:
- CRA Business Numbers and program accounts;
- federal, provincial, or territorial incorporation;
- business-name registration;
- permits and licences;
- industry-specific registrations or approvals;
- filing forms, fees, and deadlines.
Built to Thrive helps you understand what may need to be set up. Official registries and agencies confirm the current filing process and legal requirements.
Registration creates an official record, but it does not complete the operating setup. The business may still need separate banking, clear records, insurance, contracts, ownership documentation, and defined decision authority.
Review the Structure as the Business Changes
A structure that works at the beginning may need attention as income, contracts, risk, ownership, staffing, or complexity increase.
Continue to Review Your Structure when you need to determine whether the current setup still fits how the business operates.
Still deciding between sole proprietorship and incorporation? Return to Choose Your Structure.
Helpful Explainers
Use these short explainers if you want more context before putting your structure into practice.
| Explainer | Use it when… |
|---|---|
| Business Name, Business Number, and Corporation Number: What’s the Difference? | You need to distinguish name registration, CRA accounts, and incorporation numbers. |
| Registering a Business Name vs Incorporating | You need to understand why registering a name does not create a corporation. |
| Federal vs Provincial Incorporation | You are comparing the two main incorporation paths. |
| Shareholders, Directors, and Officers Explained Simply | You need a clearer understanding of the main corporate roles. |
| Permits, Licences, and Registrations Are Not the Same Thing | You need to determine which approvals may apply beyond basic business registration. |