| An Alberta Registration of a Sole Proprietorship is | | | | Name pursuant to the Partnership Act (Alberta). A |
| governed by the Partnership Act (Alberta). An | | | | service provider will assist you with completion of the |
| Alberta Sole Proprietorship is sometimes called an | | | | form. |
| Alberta Trade Name. | | | | If the residential address of the sole proprietor |
| The statute says that each person who: | | | | changes the sole proprietor has 30 days in which to |
| (1) is engaged in business for trading, manufacturing, | | | | change his address. He or she must file an Alberta |
| contracting or mining purposes; and | | | | Declaration of Address Change showing the new |
| (2) is not associated in partnership with any other | | | | address. |
| person or persons and uses as the person’s | | | | If you wish to terminate your Alberta sole |
| business name some name or designation other than | | | | proprietorship|Alberta Trade Name, you must file a |
| the person’s own, or the person’s own | | | | Declaration of Ceasing to Carry on Business under a |
| name with the addition of “and company” or | | | | Trade Name. |
| some other word or phrase indicating a plurality of | | | | You cannot change the name of a sole proprietorship |
| members in a firm;shall file with the Alberta Registrar | | | | or trade name. If you wish you can dissolve an |
| a declaration in writing of the fact. | | | | existing sole proprietorship and register a new Alberta |
| This means if you are using a name other than your | | | | sole proprietorship under the new name. You would |
| own in Alberta and you are not in partnership with | | | | transfer the assets from one to the |
| anyone else, you must register a Declaration of | | | | other. However, it is not considered a name |
| Trade Name in order to carry on business in Alberta | | | | change. You would be registering a new Alberta sole |
| as a sole proprietorship. | | | | proprietorship. |
| A Declaration of Trade Name for a sole | | | | Sole proprietorships are issued Federal Business |
| proprietorship must be filed within six months of | | | | Numbers by the federal government. The numbers |
| commencing business under a name other than your | | | | have extension numbers on them for adding the GST |
| own. | | | | number, Import / Export number and the Payroll |
| You are not required to provide an Alberta Nuans | | | | number. If you do not have employees you do not |
| name search report to register an Alberta | | | | need the payroll number. If you do not import / |
| Registration such as a sole proprietorship. The | | | | export then you do not need that number. If you |
| Partnership Act (Alberta) has no requirement for an | | | | are not making more than $30,000 you do not |
| Alberta trade name / Alberta partnership / Alberta | | | | require a GST number although you can register |
| sole proprietorship name to be unique. Any | | | | voluntarily. |
| company, sole proprietorship or partnership can | | | | If you own more than one Alberta sole proprietorship |
| register the same Alberta business name at the | | | | the federal government will issue you one Business |
| same time. This does not mean that you should just | | | | Number for both proprietorships. All you need to do |
| go ahead and register any name you wish. It is | | | | is let the government know about any additional |
| important that you make all attempts to have a | | | | proprietorships that you register. If you wish you |
| distinct name for an Alberta Registration that is very | | | | can have a separate GST number, separate Payroll |
| different from all names out there. The best way | | | | number and/or a separate import / export number |
| to ensure this is to do a preliminary name search | | | | for each sole proprietorship. You might have one |
| Alberta Registration Name before you register your | | | | number for one and not for the other. You can |
| sole proprietorship. | | | | track GST for both sole proprietorships under one |
| Just to clarify, Alberta company names are unique | | | | GST number if you wish. You just need to provide |
| and no one can register a company with the exact | | | | the federal government with this information. For |
| same name as another company. It is only where a | | | | instance you might want to track GST separately for |
| company carries on business under a business name | | | | both proprietorships so you would have a separate |
| other than its own (called an Alberta Trade Name as | | | | number for each. |
| well) that there is no protection for the name. An | | | | Alberta Registrations or Alberta Sole Proprietorships |
| Alberta Registration such as an Alberta Partnership, | | | | or Alberta Trade Names are perpetual. This means |
| Alberta trade name and Alberta sole proprietorship | | | | they will stay in place until you dissolve the |
| have no protection for their names in Alberta. | | | | registration. |
| You cannot register an Alberta Trade Name or | | | | Every province and territory has its own statute that |
| Alberta Sole Proprietorship on your own. You must | | | | governs carrying on business in that province. You |
| ask a provider to assist you with the | | | | need to review that statute to see what that |
| registration. The information you will need to provide | | | | province or territory has defined as carrying on |
| to the provider is your full name, your residence | | | | business. If you are conducting that type of |
| address, a description of the business you will be | | | | business then you must register. It is a good idea to |
| conducting, the city in which the business will be | | | | get advice from a solicitor about this since |
| conducted, the name of the business, the date the | | | | sometimes it might appear as if you need to be |
| business first commenced, your occupation and a | | | | registered but you actually may not need to. If your |
| form of identification. You will be required to provide | | | | conducting business in a number of provinces and |
| a driver’s licence no., a birth certificate no., a | | | | territories it can become extremely expensive to |
| passport no. or a healthcard no. The form does not | | | | register and maintain those registrations so you want |
| have to be originally signed. The identification | | | | to know in advance whether it is absolutely |
| provides the government with your true identity. The | | | | necessary. |
| identification is included as part of the registration | | | | Resources for Canadian Business Owners prides itself |
| process for an Alberta Registration. | | | | on its customer service. We will be glad to answer |
| The form required to be filed for an Alberta | | | | any questions you may have on this topic or any |
| Registration such as an Alberta sole proprietorship or | | | | other legal or government matter. |
| Alberta Trade Name is called a Declaration of Trade | | | | |