This is the full Biza.ca checklist: 26 letters, each with a handful of statements to tick when they are true today. Print it, take a pen, and be strict. A box is ticked only when you could show the evidence within five minutes. "I think the accountant has it" is not a tick.
Everything here is a business and marketing checklist, not legal or tax advice. Where a letter depends on government rules, we link the official page, as of October 2026, so you can confirm the details yourself or with your accountant. Rules differ by province, so see our areas pages for the registry, workers' compensation and consumer bodies where you trade.
A to F: foundations
These six letters decide whether the business is really yours, and whether it can keep running if something goes wrong.
A: Accounts you own
- ☐ I have a written list of every online account the business uses.
- ☐ Each account is registered to me or to the company, not to a supplier or ex-employee.
- ☐ Every important account has two-step verification and a second trusted admin.
The accounts you own guide walks through this letter in detail.
B: Business number and registration
- ☐ I know whether my business needs a business number, and if so I have it on file.
- ☐ My provincial or territorial registration (or incorporation) is current, and I know its renewal date.
- ☐ I know which CRA program accounts my business holds.
The CRA explains when you need a business number: it is the single identifier used across federal, provincial and municipal programs, and a business has only one.
C: Cash and banking
- ☐ Business money runs through a separate business bank account.
- ☐ A second person could reach the bank in an emergency, with the bank's agreement.
- ☐ I use bookkeeping software or a bookkeeper, not a shoebox.
D: Domain
- ☐ My domain is registered in my name or the company's, at a registrar I can log in to.
- ☐ Auto-renew is on, with a card that will not expire before the renewal date.
- ☐ I know who controls the DNS settings.
E: Email you control
- ☐ The business uses email on its own domain, not a free personal address.
- ☐ I can create and remove staff mailboxes myself.
- ☐ Password resets for key accounts go to an address the business owns.
F: Filing calendar
- ☐ I have one calendar with every filing and remittance date, confirmed with my accountant.
- ☐ I know whether and when my business must register for GST/HST.
- ☐ Each date has a named person responsible.
On GST/HST, the CRA's registration page explains mandatory registration and the small-supplier rules. Confirm your own situation with an accountant.
G to M: getting found and staying covered
These letters mix the first growth jobs with the first obligations of hiring and operating.
G: Google Business Profile
- ☐ The profile is verified and I am the primary owner.
- ☐ Categories, service area and hours are correct.
- ☐ There are photos from the last six months.
H: Hiring basics
- ☐ Before the first hire, I know whether I need a payroll account with the CRA.
- ☐ I have checked whether my business must register with the provincial workers' compensation board.
- ☐ I have read the employment standards that apply where my staff work.
I: Insurance
- ☐ A licensed broker has reviewed what the business does and what it covers.
- ☐ I know the renewal date and what changed since last year.
J: Job and customer records
- ☐ Every quote and invoice is numbered and stored in one place.
- ☐ I can find any customer's history in under a minute.
K: Key numbers
- ☐ I know my monthly inquiries, close rate and average sale.
- ☐ I know roughly what one new customer costs to win.
- ☐ I look at these numbers at least monthly.
L: Licences and permits
- ☐ I have checked municipal, provincial and federal permit needs for what I do and where.
- ☐ Licences are filed with their renewal dates in the F calendar.
The federal starting a business hub groups planning, naming, registration and permits as steps; it is a useful cross-check for B, L and N.
M: Measurement
- ☐ Website analytics are installed and owned by the business.
- ☐ Calls, texts and emails from the website are counted.
N to T: name, offer and trust
These letters decide whether customers understand you and trust you enough to get in touch.
N: Name
- ☐ I searched my provincial registry before using the name.
- ☐ I checked the Canadian trademarks database for conflicts.
- ☐ The name, domain and social handles match.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office runs the trademarks database. Registering a business name is not the same as registering a trademark; ask a trademark professional if the name matters to you.
O: Offer
- ☐ I can describe what I sell, to whom and at what price in two sentences.
- ☐ My main services are listed on the website, each with its own page.
P: Privacy
- ☐ I know which privacy law applies to my business.
- ☐ My website has a privacy policy that matches what I actually collect.
- ☐ Customer information is stored somewhere access-controlled.
The Privacy Commissioner's summary of privacy laws explains when the federal law applies and where provincial laws take over.
Q: Quick response
- ☐ Calls and texts from new customers are answered or returned the same working day.
- ☐ Missed calls get a text back.
R: Reviews
- ☐ I ask every satisfied customer for a review, the same way each time.
- ☐ I reply to every review, good or bad.
S: Search
- ☐ Each main service has a page that answers real customer questions.
- ☐ The places I serve are named where it is true.
T: Tools
- ☐ I know every piece of software I pay for and who uses it.
- ☐ Customer data is in one system, not five spreadsheets.
U to Z: consent, contracts and review
The last six letters keep the business tidy as it grows, and give you a yearly routine.
U: Unsubscribe and consent
- ☐ Everyone I send marketing email or texts to has given consent, and I can show when.
- ☐ Every message identifies the business and has a working unsubscribe.
Canada's anti-spam legislation covers commercial electronic messages, including texts. Read the official overview before you build any email list.
V: Vendors and contracts
- ☐ I have a list of every contract, lease and auto-renewing agreement, with end dates.
- ☐ I know the notice period for each.
W: Website
- ☐ The site loads quickly on a phone.
- ☐ The phone number is tappable on every page.
- ☐ The site is on a domain I own (see D).
X: The extra key
- ☐ A trusted person knows where the key list and passwords are kept.
- ☐ There is a one-page note on how to keep the business running for a month without me.
Y: Year-end review
- ☐ Once a year I compare key numbers with last year and write down three lessons.
Z: Zero-based review
- ☐ Once a year I list every recurring cost and re-justify each from zero.
What to do with your empty boxes
Rank them twice, by risk and by money, and start where the two lists overlap. Risk letters (A, B, D, E, H, I, P, U) can stop the business or bring a penalty. Money letters (G, K, M, Q, R, S, W) cost sales every day they stay empty.
Most owners can close two-thirds of the list on their own. If the remaining letters need a second pair of hands, our A to Z business review scores every letter against evidence, and the annual calendar shows which letters to revisit and when. Questions? See the FAQ or contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to do the letters in order?
No, but the early letters protect the later ones. If you are short of time, do A, B, D and E first, then pick by risk and by money.
How often should I redo the checklist?
Do a full pass once, then revisit only the letters that change with the calendar, such as F, I, Y and Z. The annual calendar guide sets out when.
Is this checklist legal or tax advice?
No. Where a letter touches registration, tax, employment, insurance or privacy law, it links the official source so you can check the details or ask a professional.
What counts as a tick?
Evidence. If you can show it in under five minutes (a document, a screen, a dated note), tick it. If you think someone else has it, mark it amber until you have seen it.
Sources
- Canada Revenue Agency: When you need a business number (2026-10-23)
- Canada Revenue Agency: Register for a GST/HST account (2026-10-23)
- Government of Canada: Starting a business (2026-10-23)
- Canadian Intellectual Property Office: Trademarks (2026-10-23)
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada: Summary of privacy laws in Canada (2026-10-23)
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Canada's anti-spam legislation (2026-10-23)