Starting A Business

Getting Started

Determine your business structure

Your business structure may be a Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, or Incorporate your company. Always seek professional advice.

Obtain Relevant Permits and Licenses

These could include bonded permits, development permits, or home occupation licenses.

  1. Obtain a City Business Licence - Come and see us at City Hall, 201-1st Avenue West, or call 403-362-3333.
  2. If your business will operate from home, contact the Development Officer to inquire about a home occupation license 403-362-3333.

Register your business with Alberta Registries (Licence Centre/Bureau, or AMA)

Prior to registering, do a name search to see if the name is available. For a free search go to http://www.arvic.com/.

Obtain Commercial Insurance 

Research and purchase the appropriate commercial insurance for your business.

Obtain a Business Number and GST Number

Contact the Canada Revenue Agency (1-800-959-5525), for a Business Number and GST Number, if you will have more than $30,000 in sales in a 12-month consecutive period, and/or if you intend to hire employees.

If applicable, obtain WCB coverage

Research and acquire WCB coverage if necessary for your business (Phone: 800-661-1993)

 

Resources

Alberta Economic Dashboard - quick snapshot of current economic state and detailed important indicators for business.

Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education - aligns economic development activities in the province with post-secondary education, entrepreneurship, industry training, research, and innovation.

BizPal - obtain specific business permitting and licensing information from a single source.

Business Link - business information and services for new and expanding Alberta businesses.

Community Futures Entre-Corp Business Development - is your first stop for all your business start-up needs. Community Futures offer small business counseling, training, and business plan development assistance. In addition, they offer small business loans up to $150,000 to aid in your business start-up.

For those requiring additional assistance, they also offer an 8-week Self-Employment Training Course. For more information on Community Futures Entre-Corp visit http://entre-corp.albertacf.com/ or call 403-528-2824.

For a complete online resource on the specifics of starting a business, consider Government of Canada's Business Start-Up Assistant.

Futurpreneur - financing options for young entrepreneurs (18 - 34 years old).

GRANTS - funding opportunities that support thriving communities and economic prosperity in Alberta.

Brooks & District Chamber of Commerce - provides networking and business development opportunities for the City of Brooks and County of Newell.

Invest in Alberta - all you need to know to invest in Alberta

Small Business Alberta - Alberta Small Business Resources is a directory of business resources for new and established entrepreneurs.