Start a business in British Columbia.
Registration with the BC Registries and Online Services, 12% sales tax, WorkSafeBC, licences, bank account and BC Provincial Nominee Program business plans. Here is how it works and what we do for you.
- Capital · cities
- Victoria (capital) · Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, Kelowna
- Statute
- Business Corporations Act (British Columbia)
- Name search
- Name Request through BC Registries (no NUANS)
- Sales tax
- 12% combined: 5% GST + 7% PST
- Workers’ compensation
- WorkSafeBC
- Business immigration
- BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration: Base category, Regional category, Strategic Projects category
- Business support
- Small Business BC · Innovate BC
What makes British Columbia different.
British Columbia runs everything through one online portal, BC Registries, and uses its own name-request system instead of NUANS. The province has the largest gateway for trade with Asia, a deep technology sector and strong Entrepreneur Immigration streams, including a regional category for smaller communities.
We handle the name request, incorporation or sole proprietorship filing, the BC PST registration that catches many new owners by surprise, your CRA accounts and WorkSafeBC registration, and we prepare the business plan if you are applying under the BC PNP.
- Names are approved through a BC Name Request before incorporation; you can also incorporate as a numbered company.
- PST (7%) is separate from GST and has its own registration, returns and rules; it applies to many goods and some services.
- BC has no residency requirement for directors of a BC company.
- Employers with BC payroll above the exemption threshold pay the Employer Health Tax; most employers also register with WorkSafeBC.
- Annual reports are filed through BC Registries every year within two months of the anniversary date.
Popular with newcomers here: Technology and film, Real estate services, Import, export and trade, Tourism and hospitality, Construction, Health and wellness.
How to start a business in British Columbia.
The sequence matters: a bank will not open the account before the registration exists, and CRA cannot issue accounts before the Business Number. We run the steps in order.
Plan the business
Confirm the idea, the market and the money. If you are applying through the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration, this is where the business plan is written.
Business plansChoose the structure and the name
Sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation, British Columbia or federal. Name search: Name Request through BC Registries (no NUANS).
Registration & incorporationRegister with the BC Registries and Online Services
File the registration or articles of incorporation under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). Federal corporations register extra-provincially here as well.
Get your CRA Business Number and tax accounts
Business Number with GST/HST (5% GST), payroll and corporate tax accounts, plus British Columbia PST (7%) registration. Businesses selling taxable goods, software or certain services in BC register for PST with the Ministry of Finance in addition to GST.
Register as an employer
Register with WorkSafeBC when you hire, set up payroll deductions and remittances, and issue T4s each February.
Payroll & taxLicences, permits and bank account
Municipal business licence and industry permits (BizPaL lists them), then the business bank account with the registration documents in hand.
Bank accountsBrand, website and launch
Logo, signage, Google Business Profile, business email and website, so the business looks established from day one.
Branding & signsKeep it running and in good standing
Monthly bookkeeping, sales tax returns, payroll, the T2 or T1 at year-end, and the annual return with the BC Registries and Online Services.
ComplianceEvery business solution, delivered remotely in British Columbia.
From Vancouver to Victoria, the same eight service lines, with the British Columbia rules handled for you.
Business Registration & Incorporation
Sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation, federal or provincial, in all 13 provinces and territories.
Make it official. Anywhere in Canada. 02 · PlanBusiness Plans for Immigration, Banks & Investors
Canada and USA immigration business plans, bank and BDC loan plans, investor pitch decks and financial projections.
A plan that opens doors. 03 · BankBusiness Bank Accounts
Open your business account at any Canadian bank or credit union, with the paperwork prepared and the appointment booked.
Open for business. Literally. 04 · CountAccounting, Bookkeeping & Tax
Monthly bookkeeping, payroll, GST/HST, T1 personal and T2 corporate returns, financial statements and CRA support.
Books that balance. Filings on time. 05 · BrandBranding, Marketing, Social Media & Signs
Logo and identity, business cards and print, storefront and vehicle signs, social media, Google Business Profile and ads.
Look established from day one. 06 · BuildIT & Digital Solutions
Domain and business email, website and online store, booking and POS, accounting and CRM software, cloud and security basics.
Your business, online by launch day. 07 · RunVirtual Assistance & Office Support
Inbox and calendar, appointments, customer follow-ups, data entry, document preparation and the back office, monthly.
A back office without the overhead. 08 · KeepCompliance, Corporate Changes & Closing
Annual returns, director and address changes, name changes, extra-provincial registrations, licences, dissolutions and wind-downs.
Stay in good standing. Change with confidence.Business plans for the BC Provincial Nominee Program.
We write the plan to the stream’s criteria (investment, job creation, location, your experience) in the format the program expects, working directly with your licensed immigration consultant or lawyer, who manages the application. We do not provide immigration advice.
BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration
- Base category
- Regional category
- Strategic Projects category
Federal pathways that also apply
- Start-up Visa (SUV)
- Intra-Company Transfer (ICT)
- C11 entrepreneur and self-employed work permits
- Owner-operator and LMIA-supported plans
Program names, streams and intake status change; your consultant confirms what is open before we start the plan.
Starting a business in British Columbia: questions we hear most
Short answers. For anything specific to your situation, book a consultation and we will walk through it.
Do I need a NUANS report in BC?
No. BC uses its own Name Request process through BC Registries. We submit up to three name choices in order of preference and incorporate once one is approved.
When do I need to register for BC PST?
If you sell or lease taxable goods, sell software or provide certain services in BC, you generally must register, collect and remit PST. We assess whether it applies to you and set up the account alongside GST.
Can I use a BC business plan for the BC PNP Entrepreneur stream?
Yes. We write business plans built around the program criteria your immigration consultant identifies, including investment, job creation and regional requirements. We do not give immigration advice.
What ongoing filings does a BC company have?
An annual report with BC Registries, a T2 corporate tax return with CRA, GST and PST returns on your reporting cycle, and payroll remittances if you have staff. We can run the whole calendar for you.
Start a business in another province or territory.
Expanding from British Columbia to a second province? That is an extra-provincial registration; we file it and keep both in good standing.
Starting in British Columbia? Tell us what you are opening.
One short call, then a written scope with our fee and the government fees listed separately. Registration, bank account, books and brand can all be one scope.