RE: Laws

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Just about the same as a brick and mortor store.  Register your business name with the province - get any tax registrations you need/want like GST and PST/RST.  Get extra BUSINESS INSURANCE (can be added to your personal property insurance) with atleaset 1 Million for liabity. (5+ is perfered).  Any leased equipment or higher value equipment (computers, printers, copiers, ect..) should be listed specifically in the insurance (for fire/theft ect...).  Get a bank account under your business name (take your prov. business name registation certificate with you).

Most personal insurance has very small LIMIT on personal "home business" assests and liablity (ie: general contractor who owns his own tools/equipment - had some one break into his garage and had $20,000+ of tools and stuff stolen - insurance only allowed less than 1/2 of that - the MAX allowed - as he did not have any "home" business insurance.

Claim all income with your Revenue Canada filing.  I have been doing my own for the last 4+ years with personal tax s/w.  When you get started talk to an accountant on what kinds of items can be witten off and how much - talk about tax liablity (do you need to make income tax payments) and have him file atleast the first year or so for you.

Optionaly - getting a LLC or Inc or Ltd corporation. (You will need a bookeeper and a proper CGA or CA acountant to review your books yearly and a lawyer for corporate filings) If you may have alot of personal assest or for insurance puroses or for tax reasons (if there are more "partners" than yourself and spouse).

Optionaly - Register with local Chamber of Commerce/Better Business....
Other trade orginations....

Note: if you sell less than 30,000 per year you don't NEED to get a GST/HST# (now called a BN or Business Number) - but then you have to pay GST/HST for everything you buy and can not claim it back or  pass that on as a extra charge on what you sell - you have to lump it into your cost of the goods.  I sell food product and thus not subject to being charged GST/RST on goods bought or sold.   However I pay GST on packing supplies/shipping - Which I can claim back.

PM me if you want.

Good Luck