Topic
Starting a business
The decisions you make in your first month: business structure, registration, sales tax accounts, and the software to run it all.
3 articles
Where to start
Most owners start by choosing a structure. A Canadian-controlled private corporation pays the 9% federal small business rate on the first $500,000 of active business income, but incorporating costs $200 federally or $300 in Ontario and adds a corporate tax return. A sole proprietor pays both the employee and employer halves of CPP.
If you incorporate, the next decision is how to pay yourself. Salary builds RRSP room and CPP; dividends do neither. Registration comes next: in Ontario, a business name costs $60 online and lasts 5 years. Then check whether you need a GST/HST account.
Start here
- Sole proprietorship vs corporation
Tax rates, CPP, and incorporation costs by province.
- How to register a business in Ontario
Name registration, incorporation, EHT, and WSIB.
- How to pay yourself from a corporation
Salary, dividends, and shareholder loans.
- How to register for GST/HST
When you must register and how.
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