Start a business in Prince Edward Island.
Registration with the PEI Corporate Registry, 15% sales tax, Workers Compensation Board of PEI, licences, bank account and PEI Provincial Nominee Program business plans. Here is how it works and what we do for you.
- Capital · cities
- Charlottetown (capital) · Summerside, Stratford, Cornwall
- Statute
- Business Corporations Act (Prince Edward Island)
- Name search
- NUANS report (Prince Edward Island)
- Sales tax
- 15% combined: 15% HST
- Workers’ compensation
- Workers Compensation Board of PEI
- Business immigration
- PEI Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP): Business Work Permit Entrepreneur Stream
- Business support
- Innovation PEI · PEI Business Development
What makes Prince Edward Island different.
Prince Edward Island is small enough that a well-run business becomes known quickly, and its Business Work Permit Entrepreneur Stream brings newcomers who set up and operate a business before nomination. Registration goes through the PEI Corporate Registry, with HST at 15%.
We prepare your NUANS report and registration, your CRA Business Number with HST and payroll accounts, your WCB registration and the business plan your consultant needs for the PEI PNP, and we open your books and bank account remotely.
- Corporations, partnerships and business names register with the PEI Corporate Registry; a NUANS report supports a named corporation.
- HST is 15%, filed through CRA.
- Many business categories need a provincial or municipal licence; tourism accommodation and food service are the most common.
- Employers register with the Workers Compensation Board of PEI.
- Annual returns are filed with the Corporate Registry to stay in good standing.
Popular with newcomers here: Tourism, restaurants and accommodation, Agriculture and seafood, Construction, Retail, Bioscience, Transportation.
How to start a business in Prince Edward Island.
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 PEI Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP), this is where the business plan is written.
Business plansChoose the structure and the name
Sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation, Prince Edward Island or federal. Name search: NUANS report (Prince Edward Island).
Registration & incorporationRegister with the PEI Corporate Registry
File the registration or articles of incorporation under the Business Corporations Act (Prince Edward Island). Federal corporations register extra-provincially here as well.
Get your CRA Business Number and tax accounts
Business Number with GST/HST (15% HST), payroll and corporate tax accounts. HST (15%) through CRA with a single registration and return.
Register as an employer
Register with Workers Compensation Board of PEI 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 PEI Corporate Registry.
ComplianceEvery business solution, delivered remotely in Prince Edward Island.
From Charlottetown to Cornwall, the same eight service lines, with the Prince Edward Island 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 PEI 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.
PEI Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
- Business Work Permit Entrepreneur Stream
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 Prince Edward Island: questions we hear most
Short answers. For anything specific to your situation, book a consultation and we will walk through it.
How do I start a business on PEI?
Choose a structure, run a NUANS search if incorporating, file with the Corporate Registry, obtain your CRA Business Number with HST and payroll accounts, and register with the WCB if you hire. We handle the whole sequence remotely.
What does the PEI PNP Business Work Permit Entrepreneur Stream involve?
Applicants establish and run a business in PEI on a work permit and may be nominated after meeting their performance agreement. A detailed business plan is required; we prepare it to the program’s format with your consultant.
Is PEI a good place for a tourism business?
Tourism is one of the Island’s largest industries. We help with the registration, seasonal bookkeeping and payroll, and the branding and signage that tourist-facing businesses depend on.
Can you manage my books if my business is seasonal?
Yes. We scale bookkeeping and payroll up for the season and down for the off-season, and keep HST and T2 filings on schedule year-round.
Start a business in another province or territory.
Expanding from Prince Edward Island to a second province? That is an extra-provincial registration; we file it and keep both in good standing.
Starting in Prince Edward Island? 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.