Why should I incorporate my business in Canada? - Part I

You're a Sole Proprietor

You're a small business owner, or thinking of starting a small business. As a sole proprietor, you make all the decisions and earn all the profits, but you also bear all the risks and obligations. Start-up is easy and inexpensive, and dissolving the business would be too, should the need arise. But the big disadvantage of continuing this way is unlimited liability. As the owner, you are liable to the full extent of your personal assets for any liabilities, debts and losses that your business incurs.

Register your sole proprietorship in Canada

You're a Partnership

Maybe you have a partner in your small business; so there are at least two people to share in all the profits and/or losses. Just like a sole proprietorship, a partnership is easy to form and dissolve and not so formal in general to operate. Again, though the great drawback to a partnership is unlimited personal liability for all the partners for any debt or loss incurred by any other partner in the business; regardless of each individual's capital contribution.

Register your partnership in Canada

You're Thinking About Incorporating in Canada?

As a corporation, however, your company would be a separate legal entity from its owners, or shareholders. The shareholders control the corporation because they have voting rights. The extent of those rights depends on how many shares each one holds. The shareholders elect and remove directors and approve major corporate decisions. But the company is run by directors and officers, who may or may not also be shareholders. To incorporate, a company must file the Articles of Incorporation (also called a Charter or Certificate of Incorporation) with the government.

Incorporate your business in Canada

Stay tuned for future posts about selecting a corporation name, trademarking, and more info on incorporating your company.


Incorporate in Canada with CorporationCentre.ca
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