L'ABC de l'écosystème entrepreneurial québécois
Setting Up Your Business
Setting up your business is a key step in your entrepreneurial journey. Several factors need to be considered, including choosing the appropriate legal structure, selecting a business name, registering your business, and obtaining the permits and licences required to operate legally.
Different Legal Structures
Every business operates under a specific legal structure. It is important to understand the main options available so you can choose the one that best suits your needs and objectives. In Quebec, there are several legal structures, including:
sole proprietorship;
general partnership;
a share-capital corporation, referred to as a ‘company’ if incorporated under Quebec provincial law, or a ‘corporation’ if incorporated under federal law;
limited partnership;
cooperative;
non-profit organization.
Several factors may influence the choice of a business’s legal structure:
the number of people involved;;
whether or not the business is for profit;
the projected revenue;
How to choose a business name
Regardless of the legal structure you choose for your business, you must comply with the legal requirements of the following legislation before selecting its name :
● An Act respecting the legal publicity of sole proprietorships, partnerships and legal persons
● Quebec’s Charter of the French Language
Comply with the requirements
Business Registration Process
In Quebec, most businesses must register with the Registraire des entreprises, as applicable, and declare their legal structure. Registration is mandatory, except for a sole proprietorship operating under a name that includes the owner’s first and last name.
Registration protects your business’s chosen name. Annual fees must be paid to maintain your registration in good standing. Once the required formalities have been completed, the Registraire des entreprises assigns the business a Quebec Enterprise Number (NEQ).
Register your business
Obtaining Permits and Licences
Within a business’s domestic market, three levels of government—municipal, provincial, and federal—enact laws and regulations that may affect your business in various ways. It is important to be familiar with all applicable legal requirements. A business that fails to take them into account or neglects to comply with certain legal requirements does so at its own risk.
Below are some of the legal and regulatory requirements that may apply.
You must comply with applicable export laws and regulations (permits and licences for controlled goods, an import/export account associated with your Business Number, export declarations, customs tariffs, Harmonized System codes (HS codes), etc.).
You must comply with applicable import laws and regulations (customs laws, Harmonized System codes (HS codes), import permits and controls, declarations, sanctions, etc.).
Vous devez respecter les lois et règlements applicables en matière d’importation (lois douanières, codes du Système harmonisé [codes SH], permis et contrôles à l’importation, déclarations, sanctions, etc.).
Regardless of where you conduct business, you must obtain a certificate of occupancy from your municipality or borough.
Directory of Organizations Supporting Entrepreneurs
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