Canada Legal Center

The path

Starting a business in Alberta

The legal groundwork in the order it actually comes up — from choosing how to incorporate to your first hire. Each step is a plain answer cited to primary sources.

  1. Should I incorporate federally or provincially in Alberta?
    The first fork in the road — and cheaper to get right than to redo. · coming soon
  2. How much does it cost to incorporate in Alberta?
    The real all-in number: government fee, registry charge, NUANS. · coming soon
  3. What share structure should a new Alberta corporation set up?
    The mistake that's expensive to fix later. · coming soon
  4. Do I need a shareholder agreement if I have a co-founder?
    Yes-adjacent. Read before the first disagreement, not after. · coming soon
  5. What has to be in an Alberta employment contract?
    Before the first hire. · coming soon
  6. Can I pay someone as a contractor instead of an employee in Alberta?
    The misclassification trap. · coming soon
  7. What is PIPA and does it apply to my small business in Alberta?
    If you collect any customer information — and you do — this applies. · coming soon
  8. What happens if I don't file my Alberta annual return?
    The one deadline that quietly dissolves corporations. · coming soon