Countries/Canada
Canada

Starting a business in Canada

Two layers of incorporation and two layers of tax. Whether you register federally or provincially changes the filing, the cost and the rate.

Federal or Provincial?All guides
At a glanceVerified Sep 2026
15%
Federal general
9%
Small business rate
5%
Federal GST
CAD 0
Minimum capital
Verified against official sourcesSee citations →

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Company formationRegistration steps, costs, timelines and documents.Corporate taxRates, VAT and the reliefs that actually apply.Business lawsCompliance, UBO rules, labour law and penalties.Free zonesChoosing a zone, setup process, mainland comparison.Banking & financeBusiness accounts, payment gateways, crypto rules.Visas & residencyGolden, investor and freelance visa pathways.

The decision that shapes everything: federal or provincial incorporation

Federal
Corporations Canada
  • Name protection across the whole country
  • Still requires extra-provincial registration where you operate
  • Annual return to Corporations Canada
  • Director residency rules apply in most cases
vs
Provincial
Ontario, BC and others
  • Cheaper and simpler if you operate in one province
  • Name protected only within that province
  • British Columbia imposes no director residency requirement
  • Rules and fees differ province by province

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