Does my startup need a patent to protect its product?
What a Canadian patent actually protects, when trade secret protection works better, and the novelty rule that catches startups who wait too long.
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What happens if my mortgage financing falls through before closing in Alberta?
What actually happens to your deposit and contract when Alberta mortgage financing collapses before closing, and why timing controls everything.
How can employers protect their business when employees leave to compete in Alberta?
The concrete steps Alberta employers take before and after an employee resigns to compete, from covenant drafting to emergency injunctions.
What counts as constructive dismissal in Canada?
The two-part legal test courts use, why layoffs are a common trigger, and the mistake that can quietly kill a valid claim.
How do long-term disability benefits affect severance pay in Alberta?
How Sylvester v British Columbia's deduction rule interacts with Alberta's job-protected leave rules when an employee on LTD is terminated.
How should an employer conduct a workplace investigation under federal jurisdiction?
The federal sequence for investigating workplace harassment complaints, who qualifies as investigator, and the deadline employers often miss.
How do I protect my IP when hiring developers or contractors?
The written clauses a contractor agreement needs to actually transfer ownership, and the two rights an assignment alone never covers.
Someone is using my business name. What can I do?
The legal difference between a registered trademark, a corporate name, and a trade name, and which one actually stops a copycat from using your name.
What are the tax advantages of incorporating as a CCPC?
How the CCPC small business deduction actually works, why the tax-rate benefit shrinks as a corporation grows, and where Ontario and Alberta diverge.
What happens if my employer fails to accommodate my disability at work?
How the duty to accommodate works in Ontario, Alberta, and federally, where the line on 'undue hardship' actually sits, and how to file a complaint.
Does registering my business name give me exclusive rights to it?
What business name registration actually protects in Ontario and Alberta, why lawsuits still happen anyway, and how trademarks differ.
How should an employer conduct a workplace investigation federally?
How federal workplace investigation rules differ from Ontario's and Alberta's, including when investigations aren't required and what records to keep.
Can employers require employees to be vaccinated?
What actually makes a workplace vaccine policy enforceable, where accommodation duties cut in, and how the rules differ for federally regulated staff.
How should employers handle sexual harassment in the workplace under federal jurisdiction?
The nine compliance steps federally regulated employers miss most, from the joint risk assessment to the 45-day response clock and 10-year record rule.
Can a signed release bar me from filing a human rights complaint?
What Ontario, Alberta, and federal human rights tribunals examine before enforcing a signed release, and the circumstances that can undo one.
How much notice am I entitled to if I'm terminated without cause in Canada?
How federal, Ontario, and Alberta notice rules differ, when common-law notice applies, and why your employment contract can change the number.
What closing costs will I pay when buying a house in Alberta?
A breakdown of Alberta's Land Titles fees, when GST applies, the condo-only charge many buyers miss, and what isn't covered here.
What is title insurance and how does it protect home buyers?
How title insurance fits alongside Ontario's and Alberta's government land title guarantees, and where each protection actually stops.
When is title insurance necessary when closing on a home in Alberta?
What actually triggers the need for title insurance in an Alberta closing: lender conditions, missing surveys, and post-closing fraud risk.
Does every home purchase or sale in Ontario require a lawyer?
What actually forces Ontario buyers and sellers into hiring a lawyer, and the narrow situations where the rule works differently.
How do I license my intellectual property to someone else?
The steps to licensing IP in Canada, why the writing requirement trips people up, and how licensing a trademark differs from copyright or patents.
How should employers handle sexual harassment in the workplace federally or provincially?
A side-by-side look at how federal, Ontario, and Alberta law require employers to prevent, investigate, and document harassment complaints.
How should employers handle sexual harassment in the workplace in Alberta?
The six-step process Alberta employers must follow, from the written prevention plan to the documentation rule most workplaces get wrong.
What happens to the deposit if a real estate deal falls through?
Who actually decides where a failed deal's deposit goes, why 'the buyer breached' isn't the end of the story, and the tax bill nobody mentions.
Can my employer fire me for just cause in Alberta?
What Alberta employers must prove before dismissing without notice for just cause, and why progressive discipline usually still applies first.
Do I need a lawyer to buy or sell a home in Ontario?
Why closing a home sale in Ontario runs through a lawyer, what the lawyer handles, and why no statute simply says 'you must hire one.'
How do I file a human rights complaint in Ontario?
The HRTO filing process step by step: the screening question most people skip, the 35-day response clock, and when a late filing can still be accepted.
What licenses does my small business need in Alberta?
What triggers a licence requirement in Alberta, which businesses are exempt, and the free tool that checks all three levels of government at once.
What should first-time buyers know before purchasing a home?
The financing programs, refunds, and disclosure documents that matter most, and the one legal doctrine that shifts risk onto the buyer.
Can I buy or sell a home without a real estate agent?
What actually changes when you skip the agent: the paperwork, the legal steps, and how Ontario and Alberta treat private sellers differently.
Can I terminate an employee for poor performance?
What separates a lawful performance-based termination from one that triggers extra pay or a complaint, and why documentation decides which one you get.
Do I need an employee handbook or policy manual?
The specific written policies Ontario, Alberta, and federal law require, the size thresholds that trigger them, and when a handbook binds employees.
What does a real estate lawyer do when buying or selling a home?
What a real estate lawyer actually checks before closing, the property and mortgage risks buyers rarely think to ask about, and who pays the fees.
What happens if a buyer backs out of, delays, or fails to close on a real estate deal?
The remedies a seller actually has when a buyer walks away, the mitigation duty most sellers miss, and where Alberta's rules stay unverified.
Can an employer terminate an employee while they are on leave?
What actually happens when someone is fired mid-leave: the reinstatement remedy, the one exception that changes everything, and how to complain.
How do I incorporate a business in Ontario?
The filing steps, fees, and post-incorporation deadlines for setting up an Ontario corporation, plus the requirement most founders miss.
How do I remove a director from a corporation in Alberta?
What actually happens when a director is removed in Alberta: who votes, filing deadlines, and why the registry fee isn't fixed.
Is severance pay mandatory?
The three-jurisdiction breakdown of when severance is legally owed, the payroll test almost nobody checks, and where it doesn't exist by law.
When can I be personally sued as a director or shareholder of my company?
The specific wage, tax, and veil-piercing triggers that expose directors personally, and why Alberta shareholders can face an entirely different rule.
How do I remove a director from a corporation in Ontario?
The OBCA steps to remove an Ontario director, why articles can't raise the vote threshold, and the filing deadline that follows.
What is a unanimous shareholder agreement?
What a unanimous shareholder agreement actually changes about who runs a corporation, and where Ontario and Alberta rules diverge from the federal one.
What is an Ontario Initial Return and when must a new corporation file it?
Ontario's Initial Return filing process for new corporations: who must file, the information required, and the registry system to use.
What is the difference between a corporate annual return and a corporate tax return?
Why filing your T2 doesn't cover your registry filing, which province requires a second tax return entirely, and where each one actually gets filed.
What rights does a minority shareholder have?
Which statutory remedies protect a minority shareholder in Ontario, Alberta, and federally, and the conditions courts attach before granting them.
Can a former employer give a bad reference or disclose reasons for termination?
What stops a former employer from bad-mouthing you: the malice test, the good-faith duty, and how privacy rules differ by province.
Can my employer punish me for reporting misconduct or safety issues in Canada?
What counts as workplace reprisal for reporting safety or misconduct issues, and where to file a complaint in Ontario, Alberta, or federally.
How much severance am I owed when I'm fired or laid off in Canada?
A line-item comparison of what federal, Ontario, and Alberta law actually require, and why common law often pays out far more.
What happens if I register late for GST/HST?
Why late GST/HST registration has no listed fee but still forces a backdating process, and how CRA sets your true effective date.
Who owns intellectual property created by contractors or employees?
The federal rule that flips ownership from creator to employer, why contractors keep their work, and the patent gap most businesses miss.
Are employers liable for injuries when employees work from home?
Which route a home-office injury claim actually takes in Ontario and Alberta, what decides compensability, and the OHS duties that persist.
Can I legally sell food made in my home kitchen in Ontario?
Why an Ontario home kitchen falls outside 'food premise' rules, the conditions that keep it there, and what tips you into regulation.
Can my landlord evict me for running a business from my rental in Alberta?
When a home business actually breaches an Alberta tenancy, what counts as a substantial breach, and how eviction proceeds from there.
Do Alberta health and safety rules apply to employees working in my home-based business?
How far Alberta's OHS Act reaches into a home workplace, the limits of the private-dwelling exception, and the one true carve-out.
Does Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act apply to employees working in my home-based business?
How far Ontario's OHSA reaches into a home workplace, the private-residence exemption and its limit, and what enforcement looks like there.
How can I protect myself from real estate title fraud?
How title fraud actually works, the legal protections in Ontario and Alberta that differ, and the practical safeguards worth setting up now.
How do I get zoning approval for a home business in Toronto, Ottawa, and other Ontario cities?
Identifying your zone and permitted uses, confirming the official plan agrees, and choosing between a minor variance and a rezoning.
How do I get a home occupation permit in Calgary, Edmonton, and other Alberta cities?
Finding your city's land use bylaw, applying for a development permit before you start, and the separate municipal business licence.
Should I negotiate or get my severance package reviewed by a lawyer?
The step-by-step process for checking a severance offer before you sign, and the release clause that can quietly close off future claims.
What zoning, condominium, or landlord rules can stop a home-based business in Ontario?
Municipal zoning as the first hurdle, condo declarations versus by-laws and rules, lease terms if you rent, and how the layers interact.
When does a home-based business need municipal zoning approval in Canada?
What decides whether you need approval, Alberta's two-permit pattern, Ontario's rezoning and minor-variance routes, and why the difference matters.
Do I need a lawyer to buy or sell a home in Alberta?
What Alberta law actually requires for a home closing, where a lawyer's role stops being optional, and who else can witness the paperwork.
Can my landlord evict me for running a business from my rental in Ontario?
The specific RTA grounds an Ontario landlord must rely on, what turns a lawful home business into one, and how to respond.
How do I add or remove a director or shareholder federally or provincially?
A side-by-side look at how federal, Ontario, and Alberta corporations report director and shareholder changes, and where the process actually differs.
I signed a personal guarantee. What am I actually on the hook for?
What a personal guarantee actually covers, how continuing guarantees keep growing, and the one signing step Alberta requires that Ontario does not.
What counts as workplace harassment in Canada?
How Ontario, Alberta, and federal law each define workplace harassment differently, and the management-action exception most people miss.
Am I liable if a client is injured at my home-based business in Ontario?
When Ontario's Occupiers' Liability Act puts a client's injury on you, what counts as reasonable care, and the deadline to sue.
Can I use my home address as my corporation's registered office in Alberta?
What Alberta's Business Corporations Act actually demands of a registered office address, and the circumstances that rule a home out.
What is an annual return and what happens if I don't file it?
What an annual return covers, why it isn't your tax filing, and the filing deadlines and dissolution risks in Canada's three jurisdictions.
Who is liable if a customer is injured at a home-based business?
Which province's rules apply to you, what the duty of care actually requires, the defences that change the outcome, and why employees are separate.
Why and how should I hire a business lawyer for my small business?
What a small business lawyer actually does, when hiring one pays off, and how referral services in Ontario and Alberta work.
Does running a business from home affect the tax-free sale of my house?
The three conditions that keep your principal residence exemption intact despite a home business, and what happens when one fails.
How do I sue someone for breach of contract?
The court-by-court filing steps for a breach of contract claim in Ontario and Alberta, plus the limitation deadline that can end your case early.
How should an employer conduct a workplace investigation in Ontario?
The six-step process Ontario employers follow for harassment investigations, who must stay uninvolved, and what happens after findings are made.
What's the legal difference between a business name, a domain name, and a trademark?
Why registering a business name creates no ownership, and what actually separates a name, a domain, and a trademark in Canada.
What zoning, condominium, or landlord rules can stop a home-based business in Alberta?
Three separate Alberta rulebooks, why clearing one does not clear the others, how condo bylaws differ from condo rules, and where leases bite.
Can I deduct home office expenses for my home-based business?
Federal tax rules on deducting home office expenses for a self-employed business, including the two eligibility tests and what you can claim.
Can my corporation pay me rent for using my home as its office?
Federal tax rules on when a corporation can pay a shareholder rent for home office space without triggering a taxable benefit.
Can my employer monitor my work email and computer use in Canada?
How Canadian privacy law treats employer monitoring of work email and computers, and why the rules differ sharply between Ontario and Alberta.
What counts as wrongful dismissal and what can I claim?
The legal test that separates unfair firing from wrongful dismissal, what damages you can claim, and how Ontario and Alberta rules differ.
Will ordinary home insurance cover a home-based business?
Why the exclusion exists and what it does not reach, the disclosure condition that can void your coverage, and what to do about it.
Am I liable if a client slips and falls at my home-based business in Alberta?
What Alberta's Occupiers' Liability Act asks of you, the defences that reduce or eliminate liability, and the claim deadline.
Can an employer withhold or reduce a bonus after termination?
The two-part test courts apply to a withheld bonus, why 'active employment' clauses often fail, and what bonus damages cover.
Does an online or home-based business need a municipal business licence in Ontario?
What actually determines whether your Ontario municipality licenses you, how to check, and what changes if you operate in more than one.
How do I file a complaint for unpaid wages in Canada?
Identifying which labour authority covers your job, the deadline to check before anything else, the right portal, and what follows filing.
How do I trademark my business name in Canada?
Why a business name registration is not a trademark, searching the database, the confusion test, filing with CIPO, and examination.
Can a tenant legally run a business from a rented home in Canada?
Ontario and Alberta tenancy law side by side: the substantial-breach route, the illegal-act grounds, and what actually triggers eviction risk.
Can I use my home address as my corporation's registered office in Ontario?
What Ontario's Business Corporations Act requires of a registered office, where a home address won't work, and what to weigh first.
Do I have to tell my mortgage lender and home insurer about my home-based business?
What your insurer and lender each need to know about a home business, why insurers treat it as material, and what non-disclosure costs.
Do I need a licence to open a home day care in Alberta?
Where Alberta's licensing threshold sits for home child care, what happens if you cross it, and the agency route available below it.
Do I need a licence to operate a home daycare in Ontario?
Where Ontario's child-count threshold sits, what unlicensed providers must still do, and what licensing under the CCEYA involves.
How do I incorporate a business in Alberta?
Name or number, the Alberta NUANS report, preparing articles of incorporation, appointing directors, and what arrives at the end.
How often do I have to file GST/HST returns?
Working out which CRA reporting period applies to you, why the assigned one catches registrants out, and how to elect a different frequency.
What can I do if I'm being harassed at work in Canada?
The reporting steps that apply wherever you work, where the jurisdictions diverge, Ontario's job-protected leave, and what escalation looks like.
What happens if my business partner and I split up?
Checking your partnership agreement first, giving notice to dissolve, what authority survives, and the order debts and assets are settled in.
What's the difference between a will and a trust in Canada?
Which instrument fits what you are solving for, how probate costs compare in Ontario and Alberta, and what neither one does on its own.
Are salaried employees entitled to overtime pay?
The overtime thresholds and rates for Ontario, Alberta, and federal employees, where exemptions actually bite, and how salaried overtime is calculated.
Are unpaid internships legal?
The narrow exemptions that make an unpaid internship lawful federally, in Ontario, and Alberta, and what an employer owes when none apply.
Can an employer rescind a job offer?
What a withdrawn job offer legally counts as, why statutory minimum notice often doesn't apply yet, and what you can claim instead.
Can I legally sell food made in my home kitchen in Alberta?
Which home-prepared foods qualify under Alberta's low-risk exemption, where you may sell them, the labelling conditions, and what stays prohibited.
Does my workplace need an AI usage policy?
What actually creates a binding AI obligation for an Ontario or Alberta workplace, and why a policy earns its place even without one.
How long does implied consent last under CASL?
What triggers CASL's implied-consent clock, why the length depends on how the relationship began, and when consent never expires at all.
How should an employer conduct a workplace investigation in Alberta?
The stage-by-stage requirements for an Alberta workplace investigation under OHS law, and the fairness test employers most often miss.
Is a verbal agreement legally binding in Canada?
What actually makes a spoken deal enforceable, which agreements Ontario and Alberta refuse to enforce without writing, and where the exceptions bite hardest.
Is cryptocurrency taxable in Canada?
What counts as a taxable disposition, how CRA separates business income from capital gains, and where mining, staking, and GST/HST land.
Are non-competition clauses enforceable in Canada?
How Ontario's statutory rule and Alberta's reasonableness test diverge, why sale-of-business clauses are judged differently, and what sinks a broad clause.
Do I need a privacy policy on my website?
When PIPEDA or Alberta's PIPA applies to a Canadian website, and why what the policy says matters as much as having one for compliance.
Do I need to trademark my business name?
The real risk of relying on unregistered use, why registering a business name gives no trademark rights, and what registration adds.
Is a handshake or verbal agreement legally enforceable in Alberta?
The statutory basis for oral contracts in Alberta, what happens when a written contract and a verbal promise conflict, and why proof decides it.
Is it legal to record a conversation without consent in Canada?
Where Canada's one-party consent rule starts and stops, what flips a lawful recording into eavesdropping, and what you can do with one.
Can my employer fire me without cause in Canada?
What Ontario and Alberta employers owe to dismiss without cause, and why statutory minimums are a floor rather than the whole answer.
Do I need a business bank account before incorporating?
The order Ontario, Alberta, and federal incorporation actually follow, why the question keeps coming up, and how to plan the timeline.
How much does it cost to maintain a corporation each year in Ontario?
What Ontario actually charges each year, why the Annual Return still needs your attention, and the recurring costs that are not the return.
Should I practice through a professional corporation?
Whether your profession can incorporate at all, why it does not shield you from malpractice, and the federal tax rules that change the math.
What is a numbered company and when should I use one?
How you get a numbered company, why founders choose one over a word name, and how to use a trade name alongside it after incorporation.
Do I need a lawyer to make a will in Canada?
What Ontario and Alberta statutes actually require to make a will valid, the holograph route, and the Indian Act exception.
How do I apply for probate in Alberta?
Whether you need a grant at all, choosing a filing method, preparing the inventory, serving notice, and where Alberta's court fees land.
How do I dissolve a business partnership or corporate relationship in Alberta?
The two Alberta routes — Partnership Act dissolution and corporate dissolution — what each requires, and why the route you take matters.
How much does it cost to maintain a corporation each year in Alberta?
Why Alberta's annual return carries two separate charges, when it is due, what happens if you miss the filing, and the tax return that remains separate.
How much does it cost to maintain a federal corporation each year?
The one mandatory federal filing, the ISC register you must also keep, what a missed return triggers, and where the cost grows.
How do I properly close or dissolve a corporation in Ontario?
Satisfying creditors, dealing with real property before you file, shareholder authorization, and filing Articles of Dissolution in Ontario.
How do I write and review an employment termination letter for federally regulated employees?
Confirming coverage, calculating the minimum notice period, choosing notice or pay in lieu, and why severance is calculated separately.
How does a wrongful dismissal claim work federally or provincially and how long does it take?
Which route applies to you, how the federal complaint and an Ontario or Alberta lawsuit differ, and how long each actually takes.
How much severance pay is an employee entitled to federally or provincially?
Which framework applies to you, why Ontario separates severance from termination pay, the federal formula, and why Alberta has no statutory severance.
What should I do if I've been fired or terminated from federally regulated employment?
Requesting written reasons, working out notice and pay in lieu, checking whether you qualify to complain, and the 90-day filing window.
Do I need a separate will for my business?
What actually drives the second-will decision for business owners: probate cost, how Ontario and Alberta differ, and the tax rule that applies everywhere.
How do I apply for probate in Ontario?
Who has the right to apply, choosing the correct probate stream, the forms and originals you need, and what Ontario's process costs.
What happens if someone dies without a will in Canada?
Who inherits under Ontario's rules, Alberta's rules, and the federal Indian Act, and what happens when nobody will administer the estate.
What is a family trust used for in Canada?
What a family trust holds and who it serves, the TOSI trap in income splitting, and how Ontario and Alberta trustee law fits in.
What should I do if I've been fired or terminated federally or provincially?
How Ontario and Alberta statutory rules differ, the federal EI step that is the same everywhere, and when discrimination or retaliation changes your route.
How do I properly close or dissolve a federal corporation?
The two CBCA dissolution routes, which one applies to you, the resolution each needs, and how remaining property and liabilities are handled.
How do I write and review an employment termination letter in Ontario?
Determining ESA notice entitlement, working notice versus termination pay, whether a just-cause exemption applies, and the letter's mandatory elements.
How does a wrongful dismissal claim work in Alberta and how long does it take?
Checking the limitation period, identifying the right Alberta court, serving the claim, and establishing the reasonable notice period.
How does a wrongful dismissal claim work in Ontario and how long does it take?
Choosing between an ESA claim and a civil lawsuit, the limitation period to check first, picking a court track, and the litigation stages.
How much notice do I have to give when terminating a federally regulated employee?
How to calculate notice under the Canada Labour Code, why the obligation stands on its own, and what the Code does not require.
How do I add or remove a director or shareholder in a federal corporation?
The resolutions a CBCA change actually requires, how a director can resign instead, and the Corporations Canada reporting deadline.
How do I dissolve a business partnership or corporate relationship in Ontario?
Which Ontario track applies to you, the steps for a Partnerships Act dissolution versus a corporate one, and what neither route covers.
How do I set up a power of attorney in Ontario?
The age and capacity requirements, which of the two Ontario documents you need, and deciding when your attorney's authority starts.
How much severance pay is an employee entitled to federally?
What the Canada Labour Code severance formula looks like, what determines the amount, and when it is not owed or is counted separately.
What should I do if I've been fired or terminated in Ontario?
Getting the details in writing, working out whether it was with or without cause, checking ESA minimums, and whether common-law notice applies.
How do I set up a power of attorney in Alberta?
Where capacity and medical evidence come in, signing in person versus by video, and registering a power of attorney against land.
How do I write and review an employment termination letter in Alberta?
Calculating the statutory minimum notice, choosing working notice or termination pay, checking common-law exposure, and the letter's required content.
How does a wrongful dismissal claim work federally and how long does it take?
How the federal unjust dismissal process runs step by step, what it does not cover, and how long it realistically takes.
How much notice do I have to give when terminating an employee federally or provincially?
Federal, Ontario, and Alberta notice periods at a glance, when no notice is required at all, and why statutory minimums are not the ceiling.
How much vacation time and pay are employees entitled to?
Vacation time and pay by jurisdiction, how the percentage is actually calculated, when it must be taken, and why the federal split matters.
How much does probate cost in Ontario?
How Ontario's Estate Administration Tax is calculated, the Estate Information Return people forget, and what to do if the estate cannot pay upfront.
How much does probate cost in Canada?
Probate cost item by item in Ontario and Alberta, what drives the range, where people overspend, and how payment actually works.
How much notice do I have to give when terminating an employee in Ontario?
Calculating the ESA minimum, checking whether statutory severance is also owed, and what a termination clause in the contract changes.
How much severance pay is an employee entitled to in Alberta?
Working through Alberta entitlement in order: the statutory minimum, notice versus pay in lieu, when a layoff becomes termination, and common-law severance.
What is a power of attorney and how do I set one up in Canada?
Deciding what kind of authority you need, who can make one, choosing your attorney and when their authority starts, and putting it in writing.
Do I pay tax on an inheritance in Canada?
How Canada taxes the estate instead of the heir, the exceptions that change the bill, and where Ontario and Alberta probate fees land.
How do I move my corporation to another province?
Continuance versus extra-provincial registration, the shareholder and home-jurisdiction authorizations required, and filing into the destination province.
How do I properly close or dissolve a corporation federally or provincially?
Which jurisdiction's rules apply, settling debts and property before filing, the federal tax step every dissolution needs, and what a missed step costs.
How do I properly close or dissolve a corporation in Alberta?
Confirming the corporation qualifies, the vote required, settling debts before assets move, and the CRA clearance certificate you need first.
How much does probate cost in Alberta?
How Alberta's probate fee tiers work, what 'net value' means for which tier you land in, and why fee waivers generally do not apply.
Can a corporation be dissolved without the owner noticing?
What the registry status means, how the notice gets missed, and whether a dissolved federal, Ontario, or Alberta corporation can still be revived.
How do I dissolve a business partnership or corporate relationship federally or provincially?
Which law governs your dissolution, how the partnership and corporation routes differ across the three jurisdictions, and closing CRA accounts after.
How do I dissolve a federal business partnership or corporate relationship?
Which law actually governs a partnership split, the CBCA corporate dissolution steps, winding up over time, and what happens after.
How do I write and review an employment termination letter federally or provincially?
Which regime governs your letter, what it must say in each jurisdiction, and the common-law layer none of the three statutes covers.
How much severance pay is an employee entitled to in Ontario?
Who qualifies for Ontario severance pay, how the calculation works, when it is not owed at all, and the payment timing rules.
How do I choose and reserve a federal corporate name?
What 'distinctive' actually screens out, how confusion review differs from trademark risk, and when reserving a federal name is worth it.
How much notice do I have to give when terminating an employee in Alberta?
Alberta's notice requirements by length of service, plus the rules employers miss: employment gaps, group terminations, and how severance differs.
What happens if I don't file my Alberta corporation's annual return?
When the Alberta return is actually due, what changes once dissolution happens, how revival works, and what it means for planning.
What happens if I don't file my federal corporation's annual return?
The escalation step by step, why losing your Certificate of Compliance bites first, what dissolution changes, and how revival works.
What happens if I don't file my Ontario corporation's annual return?
What the Ontario annual return requires, the path from a missed filing to dissolution, what dissolution changes, and how revival works.
What should I do if I've been fired or terminated in Alberta?
Identifying whether it was a layoff or dismissal, the 90-day layoff rule, when your final wages must arrive, and what you are actually owed.
How much does it cost to incorporate a business federally or provincially?
The federal, Ontario, and Alberta fee comparison, the name-search cost that applies almost everywhere, and how to decide where to file.
Should I operate as a sole proprietorship or incorporate?
What incorporating actually changes, where cost and process differ by jurisdiction, and the criteria for choosing between the two.
What do I do after incorporating in Alberta?
Setting up your records office, getting a federal Business Number, where accounting records must be kept, and the annual return.
What do I do after incorporating in Ontario?
The four filings every Ontario corporation needs, why your fiscal year-end matters first, and the deadlines attached to each one.
What do I do after incorporating federally?
The organizational meeting, issuing shares and recording resolutions, calling the first shareholders' meeting, and where you must register provincially.
How much does it cost to incorporate a business in Alberta?
The full line-item breakdown of incorporating in Alberta, why registry agent fees vary so widely, and which fee you can skip entirely.
How much does it cost to incorporate a business in Ontario?
Ontario's filing fee breakdown, why your total often lands higher than the base fee, and the separate cost of correcting filed documents.
What has to be in an employment contract federally or provincially?
Which set of rules governs your workplace, where federal, Ontario, and Alberta requirements diverge in practice, and what this comparison leaves out.
What has to be in an employment contract for federally regulated employees?
What the Canada Labour Code's written employment statement must contain, the 30-day deadline, and the transition rule for existing employees.
What has to be in an employment contract in Alberta?
Building a compliant Alberta contract from the Employment Standards Code floor, and the terms the Code will not let a contract override.
How do I choose and reserve a corporate name federally or provincially?
What the federal, Ontario, and Alberta name choice turns on, how the mechanics differ once you decide, and where risk survives a clear report.
How do I choose and reserve a corporate name in Alberta?
Named versus number name in Alberta, why the 90-day NUANS window matters, and when registering a trade name beats incorporating.
How do I choose and reserve a corporate name in Ontario?
Word name versus numbered name in Ontario, the naming rules to check, ordering an Ontario-biased NUANS, and reading it for conflicts.
Should I incorporate federally or provincially?
Federal, Ontario, and Alberta side by side, what changes once you operate in more than one province, and how naming rules differ.
What has to be in an employment contract in Ontario?
What Ontario's Employment Standards Act requires in writing, and which contract clauses are void if they undercut statutory minimums.
How do I get a business number and CRA program accounts after incorporating?
Which CRA accounts arrive automatically on incorporation, where your confirmation comes from in Ontario versus Alberta, and what you must register yourself.
How do I write a contract that actually protects me?
Writing payment and interest terms precisely, deciding what happens to implied terms, and whether to vary the limitation period.
What are articles of incorporation and what do they include?
What the articles must include, standard versus custom provisions, Alberta's unlimited liability option, and the filing fees at a glance.
What is a non-disclosure agreement (NDA)?
How NDAs are actually enforced in Canada, Ontario's rules for NDAs in the employment context, and where Alberta differs.
What share structure should a new corporation set up?
What a share structure sets out, when a single class of common shares is enough, what adding classes requires, and Alberta's filing difference.
Can a text message, email, or emoji create a binding contract or signature?
What counts as an electronic signature in Ontario and Alberta, and the intent test that decides when a casual message binds you.
What makes a contract legally binding in Canada?
Who can legally enter a contract, when one must be in writing, and why contracts formed electronically are valid in Ontario and Alberta.
What should I look for in a commercial lease before signing?
Gross, net, or triple-net rent structures, insurance and maintenance obligations, rent-increase notice rules, and landlord remedies for unpaid rent.
Can I email marketing to customers without their consent under CASL?
What CASL requires before you email a customer, the rules that still apply once you have consent, and who can be liable.
Can I run a business from home?
The three things that decide whether you can run a business from home: zoning, licensing, and how you claim workspace expenses.
Do I need a lawyer to sell my business?
The specific triggers that make legal help unavoidable in a business sale: selling substantially all assets, real property, foreign buyers, and deal size.
How long does it take to incorporate a business federally or provincially?
Federal, Ontario, and Alberta timelines side by side, which jurisdiction suits you, and what actually drives your total elapsed time.
How long does it take to incorporate a business in Alberta?
The Alberta incorporation process step by step, why the NUANS clock is already running, and what really determines your total timeline.
Should I incorporate my business or stay a sole proprietor?
Where the liability trade-off actually bites, the limits of limited liability, setup costs in Ontario and Alberta, and how to decide.
What licences does a small business need?
The three levels of government that can each require a licence, why federal licensing is sector-specific, and Ontario and Alberta examples.
What's the difference between an asset sale and a share sale when buying a business?
Where the tax treatment actually diverges, why employee continuity applies either way in Ontario, and the decision points that pick the structure.
What should I look for in my business insurance?
Confirming what is legally required for your business, getting comparable quotes, matching coverage to real exposure, and your duty to report changes.
What records does my corporation legally have to keep?
Which records the law requires, how long to keep accounting records, where they must be held, and what happens if you don't.
What's the difference between an employee and an independent contractor?
What actually separates the two, why the contract label doesn't decide it, how CRA rules on status, and Alberta's in-between dependent contractor.
When do I have to register for GST/HST?
What counts toward the CRA revenue threshold, when registration actually takes effect, the ride-share exception, and why some register early.
Can I be personally liable for my corporation's debts?
Where the corporate shield stops: director liability for unpaid wages, the statutory exceptions, and Alberta's unlimited liability corporation.
How much does it really cost to incorporate federally in Canada?
What drives federal incorporation cost up or down, what the filing fee does not cover, and how Ontario and Alberta compare.
What is the difference between a numbered and named corporation in Alberta?
What each Alberta name type actually is, when the NUANS step is skipped, and the objection risk a chosen name carries in practice.
Can my corporation operate in another province?
What actually triggers extra-provincial registration, how Ontario and Alberta each handle it, and the reciprocal exception that skips the paperwork.
How do I buy or sell a business?
What you are actually buying, the corporate approval a sale needs, what happens to employees under Ontario rules, and how closing works.
Should my spouse own shares in my company?
What adding a spouse as shareholder changes under TOSI, what it does to governance, and the criteria for deciding either way.
What is a holding company and when does an incorporated business need one?
How control is actually measured, group structures beyond a single parent and subsidiary, and when a business genuinely sets one up.
What should be included in an independent contractor agreement?
The clauses that keep a contractor relationship intact, where a CRA ruling fits in, and what drafting across Ontario and Alberta demands.
When should I incorporate my business?
What actually changes when you incorporate, the signals that usually prompt the decision, and the federal-or-provincial choice that follows.
Do I need a lawyer to incorporate, or can I do it myself online?
How self-filing works federally and in Ontario, why Alberta puts a registry agent in the way, and where legal advice still earns its fee.
Do I need a shareholder agreement?
What Alberta's default corporate rules leave unaddressed, when you clearly need an agreement, when you can skip it, and what must be unanimous.
What is a partnership?
What actually makes a partnership in Ontario and Alberta, how partners are taxed federally, and why each partner can bind the others.