Newcomers
You have settled in Canada and want to start your first business, but the official steps are scattered and written in heavy language. BGOC puts them in order, in plain words.
Start with Guide 1: Registering in AlbertaFrom registering your business in Alberta to your Business Number, permits and first taxes — clear guides written from real experience, not theory.
New to Canada and starting your first business? Running a one-person service business? Planning to import products? Start with the guide written for your situation.
You have settled in Canada and want to start your first business, but the official steps are scattered and written in heavy language. BGOC puts them in order, in plain words.
Start with Guide 1: Registering in AlbertaTradespeople, cleaners, consultants and freelancers working as sole proprietors — with practical questions about registration, licences, pricing and getting paid.
See the guide roadmapYou plan to bring products into Canada to sell. Before your first order, you need a Business Number, an RM import account and a CARM registration — in that order.
See the importing guide (coming soon)Seven guides, in the order you actually need them. Follow them in sequence and each one picks up where the last ended.
The first step for most one-person businesses — and the most commonly misunderstood. Own name or trade name, the filing, the fee, and what to do in the first 30 days.
Read the guideYour BN is the key to everything from a business bank account to importing. Which CRA program accounts you need — and when — explained plainly.
On the roadmapPricing, booking, work orders and getting paid — the operating model behind two real Edmonton service businesses, a handyman company and a cleaning company.
On the roadmapOne page, every step in order. Print it, tick the boxes, and always know your next step — from choosing your business structure to your first customer.
These guides come from businesses actually built in Edmonton — a handyman company and a cleaning company, started from scratch.
BGOC's founder, Munir Polat, started his first Alberta business as a sole proprietor: he registered, obtained his Business Number, and built from there. Today he runs MunirBuilds, an Edmonton handyman business, and he founded Prairie Polish, a cleaning company. The guides on this site follow the same order he had to work out for himself — what worked, what didn't, and what it takes to get each step done.
An Edmonton handyman business, started by one person from home. Its registration, licensing and day-to-day paperwork are the backbone of Guides 1, 5 and 6.
The registration steps it followedA cleaning company founded in Edmonton. Building a service business with bookings, work orders and repeat customers — the model Guide 6 will walk through.
Guide 6 is on the roadmapAccountants, lawyers and advisors who work with new businesses in Alberta — a vetted directory is in the works. It will open once the guides have built an audience, so that a listing here actually means something.
For most one-person service businesses, a sole proprietorship is enough to start legally and cheaply — many people incorporate later as the business grows. The trade-off is liability: a sole proprietor is personally responsible for business debts. Guide 1 compares the two side by side.
You need a Business Number (BN) when you open a CRA program account — for example when you must register for GST/HST, hire an employee, or import goods. A solo operator under the GST/HST threshold with no employees can often start without one. Guide 1 explains the cases in detail.
Yes — Edmonton requires a business licence for home-based businesses too, and provincial registration does not replace it. Home-based work can also involve a development permit. Guide 5 will cover Edmonton licences and permits in full.
No. BGOC is an independent project run by an Edmonton entrepreneur. It is not affiliated with the Government of Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency, Service Alberta or the Canada Border Services Agency.
No. The guides are experience-based explainers written in plain language. Fees, thresholds and rules change — always confirm official requirements with the CRA, Service Alberta and the CBSA before you act. Every guide links to its official sources.