Incorporate in Canada

Are you looking to set up your business at a low cost while also benefiting from the markets of a developed country? Canada is an ideal location for you to incorporate your business. In this blog, we will help you understand the benefits this North American country offers to entrepreneurs like you. We will also provide a step-by-step guide to assist you, if you decide to incorporate in Canada.

Why Incorporate in Canada?

Canada offers many benefits to business owners, making it a top choice for business incorporation:

Benefits of Incorporating in Canada

1. Improved Market Access

Canada practices a policy of free and open trade. Canadian businesses enjoy preferential access to 1.5 billion consumers in 51 countries through 15 free trade agreements. This policy, complemented by a well-developed multi-modal transport infrastructure, offers businesses improved market access. 

2. Tax Benefits

Canada’s federal corporate tax rate (15%) is one of the lowest among the G7, the economic forum of seven countries: Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the USA, and the UK.

Other tax benefits Canadian businesses enjoy include:

• Lower tariff rates on zero-emission technology
• No tariffs on manufacturing imports and inputs
• Tax credits for foreign-owned businesses conducting R&D in Canada

3. Enhanced Stability

Canada offers a stable environment built on three foundational pillars: economical soundness, political stability, and financial strength for business growth. It has demonstrated exceptional performance in these areas. Demonstrating this are the following facts about the country:

• It ranks first among G20 nations in terms of fiscal soundness.
• It stands second among G7 countries when it comes to political stability and low corruption.
• It ranks in first place among G7 for banking stability.

4. Competitive Advantage

Canada focuses on developing a business-friendly environment, with a highly educated workforce and great ease of doing business. It has developed a competitive edge over other countries as an ideal location for business expansion through:

• Solid support for R&D
• Competitive inflation rate 
• Steady population growth

Legal Requirements for Incorporation in Canada

There are various legal requirements that a business needs to fulfill in order to be incorporated in Canada. In this section we discuss some of the main ones. 

Types of Business Entities Available

The four major types of business entities you can incorporate in Canada are:

1. Sole Proprietorship

As a sole owner of your business, you take full ownership for the benefits and risk arising from business operations. It offers 100% profits, full control in decision making, and low setup costs, but with unlimited liability. 

2. Partnership

In a partnership setup, there are often two or more owners. It offers the potential for a skill-diverse team and a P&L sharing arrangement with partners. Liability is still unlimited here as it is not legally different from sole proprietorship.

3. Corporation

A business corporation has a separate legal existence from its owners, enabling perpetual existence of the business. The liability of owners/shareholders are limited to the extent of capital contribution. This structure facilitates easy access to capital. 

4. Co-operative

A cooperative is a limited liability structure that is owned and controlled by an association of members in a democratic manner.

Eligibility and Documentation Needed

Any mentally sound individual above 18 years of age, without bankruptcy issues can start a business in Canada.

Foreign nationals can set  up businesses in Canada after applying for permanent residence under the Business Immigration Program offered by the Canadian government.

Federal vs. Provincial/Municipal Incorporation

The choice between federal and provincial/municipal incorporation defines the jurisdiction of your business operations. The choice is largely influenced by a company’s growth and expansion plans in the long term. The benefits a company enjoys under these two alternatives are discussed in detail in the next section.

Step-by-Step Process to Incorporate in Canada

Business incorporation in Canada involves five major steps.

1. Choose Your Business Structure

Your business structure determines your tax and legal obligations. It is vital to choose a business structure that suits your needs from the above mentioned structures. 

You also have to make a choice between federal and municipal/provincial incorporation as it defines the jurisdiction of your business operations.

2. Federal Incorporation

If you incorporate in Canada federally, you have:

• The right to operate your business across Canada
• Exclusive rights to use your business name across Canada

3. Provincial/Territorial Incorporation

If you opt for provincial/territorial incorporation, you can operate your business in that jurisdiction. If you want to expand to other provinces or territories, you must register as an extra-provincial/territorial corporation in those jurisdictions. You can find more details here.

4. Register Your Business Name

First, choose a business name (word name or numbered name). Numbered names as assigned by the Canadian authorities. You can check the availability of your word name on the Canadian corporate names database and the Canadian business registry. If the name is available, you need to register it as a legal name or a trade name. 

Note: If you have incorporated your business at the provincial/territorial level and registered your business name at the level, you do not enjoy exclusive rights to use the name all over Canada.

5. File Incorporation Documents

There are two major documents required for business incorporation, besides the standard identity verification:

6. Articles of Incorporation

During incorporation, you can choose either the basic or custom incorporation option.

• The basic incorporation option provides pre-determined articles of incorporation (that can be amended), suitable for small private businesses. 
• The custom incorporation option allows for customization in articles of incorporation, and choice of business structure and number of directors.

This document can be in the official language of choice (English or French).

7. Information about Individuals with Significant Control

As of January 2024, corporations under the Canada Business Corporation Act need to file information about individuals with significant control (ISC) with Corporations Canada. This should be filed upon incorporation.

You can now register your business by filing these documents and paying the incorporation fees online.

8. Obtain Necessary Licenses and Permits

The permits and licenses that you need for conducting business operations in Canada vary with your business location, industry, and nature of your business activities. Likewise, the licenses and permits required can vary across the three levels of government (federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal).

You can look up permits and licenses applicable to your business on the official BizPaL platform.

9. Establish Tax and Legal Compliance

Now, you need to register with the Canada Revenue Agency to get a business number. After that, you can obtain these accounts on the Business Registration Online platform with the business number:

• Payroll deductions program account 
• Information returns
• Corporation income tax program account 
• GST/HST program account

Costs of Incorporating in Canada

The cost of business incorporation in Canada is around $146.21 (federally). You can register and pay the fees online here. This process is expected to be completed within a day.

The Government of Canada also offers an express service (decision within 4 business hours) upon payment of an additional fee of $73.11.

‍Note: 1 CAD = 0.73 USD as of October 9, 2024

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Whenever you try something new, there are going to be challenges. So also with incorporating a business in Canada. In this section we delve into a few of the common challenges and solutions.

Problem of Tax Compliance

One of the major challenges businesses face during setting up operations in a foreign country is tax compliance. The tax system can be complicated with different tax obligations. To ensure timely compliance, there is a need to rely on external help, which can be expensive, especially for small businesses.

Solutions

1. The Canadian Revenue Agency recognizes this problem and offers free and personalized support to small-business owners and self-employed individuals to understand the tax obligations. You can avail this service online, by phone or in person.
2. Once you understand your tax obligations, you can choose compliance experts like Commenda to look after the tax obligations while you can focus on your business. Commenda can offer end-to-end services from incorporation to tax compliance. 

Conclusion

Before deciding to incorporate in Canada, you need to critically evaluate the benefits offered with your business objectives, needs, client/customer base, capital, and operational requirements. You can seek expert advice to make an informed decision. Commenda offers a free consultation and helps you enter new markets with fast entity incorporation. Book yours today!