Canada business startup resources

Your local province can help your home business 

Before you rush off and form a company, with your new business idea, you must take time to gather your thoughts and channel your energies most effectively. A home business startup is a process, and you must take your province and region into account in Canada. Formulate your business plan and take full advantage of  your Canada business startup tax breaks or grants if available.

http://www.canadabusiness.ca/ This excellent resource gives both English and French translations to keep you informed. There is a business startup assistant here.

Your information is broken down by individual province for a more accurate level of local help, I really like this set up. Although there are different needs for setting up your business depending on which province you live in, there are still the same business types that you can use as a business platform in Canada.

Canadian Government Grants and Loans

The best starting point for information is the government grants and loans section of the official website, grants and loans.  

Free Classifieds from USfreeads!

You can startup as a sole trader, take up a partner and form a partnership, join in a mutual ownership venture and form a cooperative, or incorporate and form a company.

• Sole trader, home business

The structure here is almost identical to the UK, as a sole trader, ideal for the home business, setting up is very easy, you can start a business from home, your taxes are personally payable through your existing tax form and you can operate as a business straight away. Because the business is an extension of yourself, you are legally liable for any debts arising from trading. If you run up big debts that cannot be met, you could loose everything you own, so use caution.

• Form a partnership

The rules regarding partnerships vary from by province, please consult your individual province for in depth details. Broadly speaking, a partnership is based upon two or more people setting up in business together. There are general partnerships and limited partnerships, both have their own legal identity.

With a general partnership, each partner must carry the risk of the partnership. Therefore if you set up with a partner that makes bad business decisions or empties the bank account and absconds, you must pick up the liabilities for the entire partnership. If you decide to form a partnership, choose your partners very carefully and always question whether this is the best structure for your business. You can invest money and become a limited partner, but you are merely an investor and cannot have involvement in the running of the business.

On a personal note, I have formed a partnership in the past, with a very close friend, the arrangement only lasted two months and within that time it became unworkable, it took years for the friendship to reform and neither of us benefited from the whole experience. As I said earlier, choose your partners wisely.

• Form a company, incorporation

This is the main platform for business, when you incorporate, you form a Company. The differing rules from province to province comes into play again but they all fall under the umbrella of the Canada Business Corporations Act 

By incorporating, you limit your personal liability to the incorporated body, the business operates under federal corporate law and must abide by the rules and regulations set out. You are urged to seek professional advice when you choose this option, as always a recommend from a friend is the best place to start.

Expand your horizons

 Not many places on earth have as many natural resources as Canada

The beautiful Jasper National Park

To make life easier for you, the province assistants are listed below.

Canada business startup province resources

Alberta Telephone: (780) 422-7722   Fax: (780) 422-0055   Toll-free (information): 1-800-272-9675   TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466  The business link, serving Alberta's entrepreneurs.

British Columbia Telephone: (604) 775-5525   Fax: (604) 775-5520   Toll-free (information): 1-800-667-2272 ( B.C. Region only)   Pages of information with all your license and zoning requirements.

Manitoba  Telephone: (204) 984-2272   Fax: (204) 983-3852   Toll-free (information): 1-800-665-2019   TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466  Information and services about the Manitoba Advantage for business - our communities, energy potential, resources, investment climate and much more.

New Brunswick Telephone: (506) 444-6140   Fax: (506) 444-6172   Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (Atlantic region only)    TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-887-6550 (Atlantic region only)   TTY (hearing impaired): (506) 444-6166  Canada / New Brunswick Business Service Centre.

Newfoundland  Telephone: 709-772-6022   Fax: 709-772-6090   Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (in the Atlantic region only)   TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466  The Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Network.

Northwest territories Telephone: 867-873-7960   Fax: 867-873-0573   Toll-free (information): 1-800-661-0599   TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466  Your Gateway to Business Information for the Northwest Territories through a Network of Seven Information Centres Across the Territory.

Nova Scotia Telephone: (902) 426-8604   Fax: (902) 426-6530   Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (in Atlantic region only)   TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-797-4188 (in Atlantic region only)   TTY (hearing impaired): (902) 426-4188  Canada / Nova Scotia Business Service Centre.

Nunavut Telephone: (867) 979-6813   Fax: (867) 979-6823   Toll-free (information): 1-877-499-5199   TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466  Canada-Nunavut Business Service Centre.

Ontario Telephone: (416) 775-3456   Fax: (416) 954-8597   Toll-free (information): 1-800-567-2345 (in Ontario)   TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466   TTY (hearing impaired): (416) 973-0306  Canada-Ontario Business Service Centre (COBSC)

Prince Edward Island Telephone: (902) 368-0771    Fax: (902) 566-7377    Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (Atlantic region only)    TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466 Canada / Prince Edward Island Business Service Centre

Quebec  Telephone: (514) 496-INFO (4636)    Fax: (514) 496-5934    Toll Free / Sans frais 1 888 417-0442    Toll-free (information): 1-800-322-INFO (4636)    TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466 The strangely named infoentrepreneurs site serves your region.

Yukon  Telephone: (867) 633-6257    Fax: (867) 667-2001    Toll-free (information): 1-800-661-0543   TTY (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466 The Canada-Yukon Business Service Centre.

Saskatchewan Phone: (306) 956-2323    Toll Free: 1-800-667-4374   Fax: (306) 956-2328 Your first port of call for local business advice.

More Canada business startup resources can be found using the Google search engine.