How to use this page
Every link below goes to a government office, a Crown corporation or a government-funded program, and each one is free to use. Start with the national sources for your country, then check your province or territory for registration rules and local help. If you haven’t started your plan yet, read how to write a business plan, step by step first, then come back here for the data, templates and advisors.
Canada: federal resources
Plan and find programs
- Starting a business (Canada.ca): The federal starting point, with sections on planning, choosing a name, registering, permits and licenses, and support and financing.
- Planning a business (Canada.ca): Guidance on assessing your idea, choosing an ownership structure, doing market research and writing a business plan, with links to a federal business plan guide and BDC’s template.
- Business Benefits Finder (Innovation Canada): Answer a few questions and get a tailored list of federal, provincial and territorial programs, and save your profile to get alerts about new ones.
- Canada Business App: The federal mobile app for iOS and Android that points you to government programs and services and sends funding alerts.
- Getting business support and financing (Canada.ca): Lists national supports (including programs for Indigenous, veteran and social enterprise owners) and the federal economic development agency for each region.
Register and handle taxes
- Registering your business with the government (Canada.ca): Helps you work out whether to incorporate federally or provincially, or register as a sole proprietorship, partnership or cooperative.
- When you need a business number (CRA): Explains when you need a business number (BN), such as when you open a GST/HST or payroll account or incorporate, and notes that each business gets only one BN.
- Register for a business number and program accounts (CRA): How to use Business Registration Online, which requires you to sign in to your CRA account, or mail Form RC1 instead. Businesses in Quebec register for GST/HST with Revenu Québec.
- GST/HST for businesses (CRA): Who must register, how to charge and collect the tax, input tax credits, filing returns and rebates.
Financing and advice
- Canada Small Business Financing Program (ISED): How the government shares risk with lenders so small businesses can borrow for equipment, renovations, intellectual property and working capital. You apply through your own bank or credit union. Our guide covers what lenders want to see in a CSBFP business plan.
- BDC templates and business guides: Free templates and checklists from the Business Development Bank of Canada, including a marketing plan, cash flow statement, balance sheet, financial projections and a loan application checklist.
- BDC business plan template: A free business plan template with examples. You fill in a short form with your contact details to download it. See how it compares in our roundup of free Canadian business plan templates.
- Futurpreneur: Startup financing and mentoring for entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39, funded in part by the Government of Canada. Read our guide to writing a Futurpreneur business plan.
- Futurpreneur Business Plan Writer: An interactive tool that walks you through your plan section by section. Futurpreneur also offers a cash flow template.
- Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Knowledge: For farms and food businesses, with articles on strategy and planning, a business plan event series, online finance courses, and farmland value and food and beverage reports.
- Export Development Canada (EDC): If you plan to sell abroad, EDC offers trade credit insurance, working capital guarantees, export financing and market research.
- Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs): A network of 41 CBDCs in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island that offer small business loans, counseling and advisory programs, with support from ACOA.
- Community Futures Network of Canada: Non-profit Community Futures offices that offer business advice and loans in rural and remote Canada.
Research your market
- Statistics Canada: Census population data, the Census of Agriculture, industry classifications (NAICS), price and labor data, and searchable data tables for sizing your market. Our market analysis guide shows how to use this kind of data in your plan.
- Canadian Industry Statistics (ISED): Search by industry for trends and financial data, such as GDP, labor productivity, manufacturing and trade figures.
Protect your name and ideas
- Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO): Information and applications for trademarks, patents, copyright and industrial designs, plus searchable IP databases so you can check whether a name or invention is already taken.
Regional development agencies
Each region of Canada has a federal agency that funds and supports businesses. Find yours below.
| Agency | Region | What you’ll find |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) | NB, NL, NS, PE | Funding for starting and growing a business, market expansion support and a contact network of regional staff |
| Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) | Quebec | Funding and support for small and medium-sized businesses and economic non-profits, with regional offices |
| FedDev Ontario | Southern Ontario | Funding programs, small business services and a dedicated Indigenous business team |
| FedNor | Northern Ontario | Business financing, information and connections for startups and growing businesses |
| PrairiesCan | AB, SK, MB | Funding programs and business support for businesses, non-profits and communities |
| PacifiCan | British Columbia | Funding programs, partner organizations and export advisors |
| CanNor | YT, NT, NU | Business development, community growth and skills programs for the territories |
Canada: by province and territory
Your province or territory handles business name registration, most licenses and provincial sales tax. These are the official starting pages.
| Province or territory | Official page | What you’ll find |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Small business resources (gov.bc.ca) | Government contacts for registration and taxes, financing options, support organizations and business guides in several languages |
| Alberta | Small business resources (alberta.ca) | Free one-on-one advice through Business Link Alberta, registration steps, funding options and supports for specific groups |
| Saskatchewan | Start a business (saskatchewan.ca) | Licensing, permits and online registration, plus the online PST registry every business must use |
| Manitoba | Starting Smart (gov.mb.ca) | The Companies Office for registration, taxes, employment standards, provincial programs and the BizPaL permit finder |
| Ontario | Start a business in Ontario (ontario.ca) | A 10-step guide covering market research, your business plan, ownership structure, registration, licenses, HST and funding |
| Quebec | Entreprises Québec: start an enterprise (quebec.ca) | Legal forms, naming rules and how to register or constitute an enterprise and get a Quebec enterprise number (NEQ) |
| New Brunswick | Starting and managing a business (gnb.ca) | Planning help, BizPaL permits, the Corporate Registry and links to Opportunities NB |
| Nova Scotia | Business Navigators (novascotia.ca) | Free help working out which licenses, permits and registrations you need, a startup guide and guides for specific industries |
| Prince Edward Island | See canada.ca | Federal and regional supports for PEI, including ACOA |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Business Navigation Services (gov.nl.ca) | One-on-one help with permits, licenses, taxes, funding and staffing by phone, email or online form |
| Yukon | Start a business (yukon.ca) | Choosing a business name and structure, registering, licensing, and funding and supports for business |
| Northwest Territories | Guide to Start a Business (Prosper NWT) | The territory’s step-by-step guide to starting a business in the NWT, including developing a business plan and financing |
| Nunavut | Seven Steps to Starting a Business (gov.nu.ca) | The Government of Nunavut’s how-to guide to starting a business, plus business name registration and licensing |
United States
Plan with the SBA
- Write your business plan (SBA): The U.S. Small Business Administration’s guide to traditional and lean startup plans, with downloadable example plans for made-up businesses.
- Calculate your startup costs (SBA): Common startup expenses by type of business and a break-even calculator. Our startup costs guide walks through an example.
- Market research and competitive analysis (SBA): How to check demand, market size and competition, with links to federal data sources such as the Census Bureau, BLS and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Get free advice
- SBA local assistance: Enter your ZIP code to find free or low-cost counseling and training near you, and look up your SBA district office.
- SCORE and the other SBA resource partners: The SBA’s overview of SCORE, a nonprofit network of volunteer business mentors who give free advice by email, phone and video, along with its other resource partners.
- America’s SBDC: The national association of Small Business Development Centers, the SBA’s resource partner program for advising and training. Use its Find your SBDC locator to search by state or ZIP code.
- Women’s Business Centers (SBA): Free to low-cost counseling and training for women starting or growing a business.
Taxes and registration
- Small business and self-employed (IRS): Federal tax basics for starting, running and closing a business: business structures, deductions, recordkeeping, employment taxes and webinars.
- Get an employer identification number (IRS): Apply for an EIN online at no cost. The IRS warns that you never have to pay a fee for one.
- SAM.gov: The official federal system to register your entity, get a Unique Entity ID and find federal contracting opportunities if you plan to sell to the government.
Research your market
- County Business Patterns (Census Bureau): Annual counts of establishments, employment and payroll by industry and county, useful for sizing local competition.
- data.census.gov: The Census Bureau’s main tool for searching population, income and business data tables.
- Consumer Expenditure Surveys (BLS): What U.S. households spend on housing, food, transportation and more, with tables, databases and reports.
Protect your name and ideas
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): How to apply for patents and trademarks, with search tools to check for existing patents and similar trademarks before you file.
Programs change, so check the source
Government programs, eligibility rules and fees change often, and some of the pages above may move. Before you rely on a program in your plan or apply for funding, confirm the current details on the official page or with the office that runs it. For legal, tax or lending decisions, talk to a professional or your lender.