Should you incorporate in Ontario or federally? We compare name protection, where you can operate, annual filings, official fees and director rules, and explain which usually suits an Ottawa consultant.
Author
Karim Bitar
Karim Bitar is the lead accountant at BBA Tax Accounting Services in Ottawa and an ELITE Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor. He and his team prepare personal and corporate tax returns, keep the books for small businesses, handle GST/HST and payroll filings, and represent clients during CRA reviews and audits. His articles explain Canadian tax rules in plain language.
Articles by Karim
Crypto Holding Company in Canada: How Gains Are Taxed in 2026
How an Ontario corporation’s crypto gains are taxed in 2026, with a worked example: investment income rates, the dividend refund, the capital dividend account, active trading, section 85 transfers and CARF.
GST/HST Post-Assessment Review: How to Respond to the CRA
A GST/HST post-assessment review checks amounts on a return the CRA already assessed. Here is what the CRA asks for, how to respond and what happens next.
Working Remotely for a US Company From Canada: How Your Taxes Work (2026)
Living in Ottawa and paid by a US company? Your income is taxed in Canada. What changes for employees and contractors, how to handle US withholding, currency, GST/HST and instalments.
CRA Voluntary Disclosure Program: Rules, Relief and How to Apply
The CRA’s Voluntary Disclosures Program lets you fix unfiled or incorrect returns in exchange for penalty and interest relief. Here is how the rules that took effect on October 1, 2025 work.
Catch-Up Bookkeeping: How to Fix Behind Books Before Year-End (2026)
Months or years behind on your books? What falling behind really costs, the step-by-step catch-up process, what to do about missing receipts and unfiled returns, and how to stay current.
Employee vs Contractor in Canada: How the CRA Decides in 2026
The CRA decides employee vs contractor status from the real working relationship, not the contract title. The test, the factors, the cost of getting it wrong, and how to get a ruling.
Personal Services Business Rules in 2026: Is Your Ottawa Consulting Corporation at Risk?
If your consulting corporation looks like an employee of its client, the CRA can tax it as a personal services business. How the rules work, why Ottawa consultants are exposed, and how to reduce the risk.