Official Government Setup Links
Use this page when you are ready to register, incorporate, open CRA accounts, or check permit requirements.
Built to Thrive helps you understand what to set up. These links take you to the official places where setup steps are confirmed or completed.
How to Use This Page
Business setup usually involves more than one government source. The right link depends on what you are trying to do.
- Use the federal links when you need to deal with CRA accounts, a Business Number, GST/HST, payroll, import/export accounts, or federal incorporation.
- Use the provincial or territorial links when you need to register a business name, register a sole proprietorship or partnership, incorporate provincially, update business information, or maintain a provincial or territorial business record.
- Use BizPaL when you need to check municipal permits and licences. This is especially important if your business has a physical location, regulated activity, municipal licensing requirement, food/health/safety issue, construction/trade activity, event, vehicle, home-based business, or environmental requirement.
A simple order of use:
- Confirm your structure.
- Check the province or territory where the business will operate.
- Register or incorporate through the correct registry.
- Register CRA accounts if needed.
- Check BizPaL for permits and licences.
- Set up banking, records, insurance, contracts, and authority after filing.
Registration or incorporation creates the official record. It does not complete the full business setup.
Before You File
Before using any registry, confirm:
- your business structure
- your business name
- where the business will operate
- whether you are registering provincially, federally, or both
- whether CRA program accounts are needed
- whether permits or licences apply
After You File
Registration is only one part of setup. After filing, make sure you also have:
- a separate business bank account
- a business records folder
- clear ownership and role information
- signing and decision authority
- insurance review
- contract or agreement review
- CRA account awareness
- corporate records, if incorporated
Federal Registries
| What you need to do | Use this |
|---|---|
| Register for a CRA Business Number, GST/HST, payroll, or import/export account | CRA Business Registration |
| Learn how Business Numbers and CRA program accounts work | Business Number and CRA Program Accounts |
| Incorporate federally or manage a federal corporation | Corporations Canada |
| Incorporate a business federally | Federal Incorporation |
| File a federal corporation annual return | Corporations Canada Annual Return |
Provincial and Territorial Business Registries
Most businesses need to register with the province or territory where they plan to operate, though requirements differ by structure and jurisdiction. Canada.ca also notes that trade name registration is handled provincially or territorially, and Newfoundland and Labrador does not have provincial registration for sole proprietorships or partnerships.
Some jurisdictions have a direct online registry. Others require forms, email submission, or use of an authorized service provider. Always confirm the current process on the official provincial or territorial site before filing.
Permits and Licences – BizPal
BizPaL is one of the most useful setup tools for Canadian business owners. It helps you identify permits and licences that may apply to your business based on where you operate and what kind of business activity you carry on.
| What you need to do | Use this |
|---|---|
| Check permits and licences by location, industry, and business activity | BizPaL Permit and Licence Search |
Use BizPaL when you need to check possible requirements from different levels of government, including federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal requirements. Instead of searching each government site separately, you answer questions about your location and business activity, and BizPaL generates a customized list of permits and licences that may apply. It also links to government sites where you can learn more and, in some cases, apply online.
BizPaL is especially useful if your business involves a physical location, regulated activity, food, health, construction, trades, retail, transportation, home-based work, events, environmental requirements, or municipal licensing. It is also useful when expanding into a new municipality or province because local requirements can change by location.
Use BizPaL before you open, lease space, buy major equipment, or assume you are ready to operate. Registration or incorporation does not automatically mean you have all permits and licences needed to legally run the business. BizPaL helps you catch those requirements earlier. The service is free and is provided through federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal government partners.
Record Keeping Requirements – Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses
| What you need to do | Use this |
| Check record keeping requirements by location and type of record (financial, health ans safety, tax, payroll, personal information, employment standards, etc.) | Record keeping requirements across Canada |
Keeping reliable, accurate and complete records about your business is essential – but they can take up a lot of space! Knowing when it is okay to destroy documents helps reduce storage clutter, while helping you meet the various record retention requirements set by governments.
Tips for record retention
- You must store records at your principal place of business.
- Paper documents can be converted to electronic images or stored on microfilm.
- Backup copies of electronic files must always be maintained. Store back up copies at another location free from hazards that may affect the storage device, such as magnetic fields, direct light and excessive moisture.
- Be sure your chosen storage format is usable by the government agencies.
- Learn more about cloud computing at Cloud services – Canada.ca and Frequently asked questions about cloud computing – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
Optional Guided Setup Support
Some owners use government registries directly. Others prefer guided registration or incorporation support.
Built to Thrive may add setup partner links here in the future.
Important Note
Requirements can change and may differ by province, territory, municipality, business activity, and structure. Confirm details through the official registry, CRA, Corporations Canada, your province or territory, your municipality, or a qualified professional before filing.