Start a business in Manitoba.
Registration with the Companies Office, 12% sales tax, Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba, licences, bank account and Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program business plans. Here is how it works and what we do for you.
- Capital · cities
- Winnipeg (capital) · Brandon, Steinbach, Thompson
- Registry
- Companies Office (Manitoba)
- Statute
- The Corporations Act (Manitoba)
- Name search
- Name reservation through the Companies Office
- Sales tax
- 12% combined: 5% GST + 7% RST
- Workers’ compensation
- Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba
- Business immigration
- Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) Business Investor Stream: Entrepreneur Pathway, Farm Investor Pathway
- Business support
- Manitoba Business Hub · Entrepreneurship Manitoba
What makes Manitoba different.
Manitoba is one of the most affordable provinces to live and operate in, with a central location for trucking and distribution and an active Business Investor Stream for immigrant entrepreneurs. Registration goes through the Companies Office, with a name reservation first and the business registration or incorporation second.
SZ Business Solution reserves your name, files the registration, opens the CRA and Manitoba RST accounts, registers you with the WCB and sets up your bank account and books, so your first week in business is spent on customers rather than forms.
- A business name reservation from the Companies Office is the first step for both sole proprietorships and corporations.
- Retail Sales Tax (7%) is administered by the province and needs its own vendor registration if you sell taxable goods or services.
- The MPNP Entrepreneur Pathway requires a business plan and a Business Performance Agreement; we prepare the plan to your consultant’s criteria.
- Employers with payroll above the threshold pay the Health and Post Secondary Education Tax Levy.
- Corporations file an annual return with the Companies Office each year.
Popular with newcomers here: Transportation and trucking, Manufacturing, Agriculture and food processing, Retail and convenience, Construction, Health services.
How to start a business in Manitoba.
The sequence matters: a bank will not open the account before the registration exists, and CRA cannot issue accounts before the Business Number. We run the steps in order.
Plan the business
Confirm the idea, the market and the money. If you are applying through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) Business Investor Stream, this is where the business plan is written.
Business plansChoose the structure and the name
Sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation, Manitoba or federal. Name search: Name reservation through the Companies Office.
Registration & incorporationRegister with the Companies Office
File the registration or articles of incorporation under the The Corporations Act (Manitoba). Federal corporations register extra-provincially here as well.
Get your CRA Business Number and tax accounts
Business Number with GST/HST (5% GST), payroll and corporate tax accounts, plus Manitoba RST (7%) registration. Manitoba Retail Sales Tax (RST) is registered with Manitoba Finance, Taxation Division, separately from GST.
Register as an employer
Register with Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba when you hire, set up payroll deductions and remittances, and issue T4s each February.
Payroll & taxLicences, permits and bank account
Municipal business licence and industry permits (BizPaL lists them), then the business bank account with the registration documents in hand.
Bank accountsBrand, website and launch
Logo, signage, Google Business Profile, business email and website, so the business looks established from day one.
Branding & signsKeep it running and in good standing
Monthly bookkeeping, sales tax returns, payroll, the T2 or T1 at year-end, and the annual return with the Companies Office.
ComplianceEvery business solution, delivered remotely in Manitoba.
From Winnipeg to Thompson, the same eight service lines, with the Manitoba rules handled for you.
Business Registration & Incorporation
Sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation, federal or provincial, in all 13 provinces and territories.
Make it official. Anywhere in Canada. 02 · PlanBusiness Plans for Immigration, Banks & Investors
Canada and USA immigration business plans, bank and BDC loan plans, investor pitch decks and financial projections.
A plan that opens doors. 03 · BankBusiness Bank Accounts
Open your business account at any Canadian bank or credit union, with the paperwork prepared and the appointment booked.
Open for business. Literally. 04 · CountAccounting, Bookkeeping & Tax
Monthly bookkeeping, payroll, GST/HST, T1 personal and T2 corporate returns, financial statements and CRA support.
Books that balance. Filings on time. 05 · BrandBranding, Marketing, Social Media & Signs
Logo and identity, business cards and print, storefront and vehicle signs, social media, Google Business Profile and ads.
Look established from day one. 06 · BuildIT & Digital Solutions
Domain and business email, website and online store, booking and POS, accounting and CRM software, cloud and security basics.
Your business, online by launch day. 07 · RunVirtual Assistance & Office Support
Inbox and calendar, appointments, customer follow-ups, data entry, document preparation and the back office, monthly.
A back office without the overhead. 08 · KeepCompliance, Corporate Changes & Closing
Annual returns, director and address changes, name changes, extra-provincial registrations, licences, dissolutions and wind-downs.
Stay in good standing. Change with confidence.Business plans for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.
We write the plan to the stream’s criteria (investment, job creation, location, your experience) in the format the program expects, working directly with your licensed immigration consultant or lawyer, who manages the application. We do not provide immigration advice.
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) Business Investor Stream
- Entrepreneur Pathway
- Farm Investor Pathway
Federal pathways that also apply
- Start-up Visa (SUV)
- Intra-Company Transfer (ICT)
- C11 entrepreneur and self-employed work permits
- Owner-operator and LMIA-supported plans
Program names, streams and intake status change; your consultant confirms what is open before we start the plan.
Starting a business in Manitoba: questions we hear most
Short answers. For anything specific to your situation, book a consultation and we will walk through it.
How do I register a small business in Manitoba?
Reserve the name with the Companies Office, register the business name or incorporate, then obtain a CRA Business Number with GST and payroll accounts and a Manitoba RST number if applicable. We handle the full sequence.
Do I charge GST and RST in Manitoba?
Most businesses charge 5% GST once registered and 7% RST on taxable goods and some services. The two taxes are filed separately; we set up both and file on schedule.
Can I incorporate in Manitoba if I do not live there yet?
Manitoba corporations do not require resident directors. We can complete the registration remotely while you are still arriving, and your immigration consultant advises on your status.
What does a Business Investor Stream plan need?
A plan that addresses investment, job creation, the business location and your relevant experience, in the format the MPNP expects. We write it with the consultant handling your application.
Start a business in another province or territory.
Expanding from Manitoba to a second province? That is an extra-provincial registration; we file it and keep both in good standing.
Starting in Manitoba? Tell us what you are opening.
One short call, then a written scope with our fee and the government fees listed separately. Registration, bank account, books and brand can all be one scope.