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The BC Service Business Launch Checklist

Forty-two steps, in the order you actually do them — from reserving a name to landing your first review. Tick items off as you go; your progress saves automatically on this device.

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Before you start: this checklist covers the general path for a sole proprietorship or small corporation running a local service business in British Columbia. Requirements vary by municipality and trade. It's a planning tool, not legal or tax advice — confirm specifics with the applicable authority or a professional.
PHASE 01

Decide what you're building

Before any paperwork — get clear on the shape of the thing.

Pick your core serviceRecommended
Narrow beats broad. "Move-out cleaning for Burnaby rentals" sells better than "cleaning".
Define your service areaRecommended
The cities you'll actually drive to. This drives your licensing and your local SEO.
Work out your pricingRecommended
Price off your costs and target hourly rate — not off the cheapest person on Marketplace.
Choose sole prop or incorporateRecommended
Sole prop is faster and cheaper to start. Incorporation adds liability protection and costs more.
Sanity-check the numbersRecommended
Jobs per week × average price − costs. If it doesn't work on paper, it won't work in a van.
PHASE 02

Make it legal

The non-negotiable paperwork, in the order it has to happen.

Search your business nameRequired
Check BC Registries and a plain Google search. Don't fall in love before you check.
Reserve the name with BC RegistriesHas a fee
Name approval is required before registration. Allow a few days.
Register the businessHas a fee
Sole proprietorship registration, or file incorporation documents.
Get your BN (Business Number)Required
Issued by CRA. You'll need it for GST, payroll, and most accounts.
Apply for your municipal business licenceHas a fee
Every city is different. Apply in the city where your business is based.
Check inter-municipal licensingRecommended
If you work across several Metro Vancouver cities, an inter-municipal licence may cover you.
Register for GST if requiredRequired
Mandatory once you pass $30,000 in revenue over four consecutive quarters. Many register earlier by choice.
Check your WorkSafeBC obligationsRequired
Registration is mandatory once you hire workers. Solo owner-operators can buy optional Personal Coverage for themselves. Confirm your classification with WorkSafeBC.
Get liability insuranceHas a fee
Most clients — and many municipalities — expect it. Get quotes before you need it.
Understand your trade's specific rulesRequired
Some trades need certifications, permits, or disposal licences. Confirm with the authority, not a forum.
PHASE 03

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Set up the money

Separate the business from you. Do it on day one, not year two.

Open a business bank accountRequired
Never run business money through a personal account. It creates a tax mess.
Set up bookkeeping softwareRecommended
Wave is free; QuickBooks if you want payroll or richer reporting.
Connect the bank feedRecommended
Automatic transaction import. Saves hours every month.
Set up card paymentsRequired
Getting paid by card looks professional and gets you paid faster than chasing e-transfers.
Build an invoice templateRecommended
Your name, your BN, GST line if registered, clear payment terms.
Set aside tax from every paymentRequired
A separate savings account. Roughly 25–30% is a common starting rule.
Track your expenses from day oneRecommended
Mileage, supplies, tools, insurance, phone. All of it is deductible.
PHASE 04

Look like a real business

This is where most skilled people lose jobs they should win.

Create a proper business name and logoRecommended
Not clip art. Not your name in a font. A real mark you'll still like in three years.
Register a domainHas a fee
yourbusiness.ca. It costs about fifteen dollars a year and changes how people see you.
Set up a professional emailHas a fee
info@yourbusiness.ca — not yourbusiness2019@gmail.com.
Build a real websiteRequired
Services, service area, pricing or quote form, and proof you're legitimate.
Set up your Google Business ProfileRequired
This is how local customers find you. Verify it. Fill in everything.
Add online bookingRecommended
A booking link removes the phone-tag that loses jobs.
Write a service agreementRecommended
Scope, price, cancellation terms, liability. Have it reviewed by a professional.
Claim your social handlesRecommended
Even if you don't post yet. Consistency matters more than volume.
PHASE 05

Free reminder

Text me 2 weeks before my licence renews (December 31 in Vancouver and Burnaby; one year from the issue date in Richmond, Surrey and the Tri-Cities).

One message, two weeks before. No sales emails.

Get your first clients

The business is real now. Time to fill the calendar.

Tell everyone you knowRecommended
Friends, family, past customers, neighbours. Your first jobs almost always come from here.
Re-contact anyone you've worked forRecommended
Send them your new website. It re-frames you as a company, not a favour.
List where local customers actually lookRecommended
Marketplace, Craigslist, community groups — but always point back to your website.
Photograph every jobRecommended
Before and after. Your phone camera is your best marketing asset.
Ask for a review after every jobRequired
Ask while they're happy and the work is fresh. Make it one tap.
Never buy or incentivise reviewsRequired
It violates Google's policies and can get your profile penalised.
Respond fastRecommended
The business that replies first usually wins the job. Set expectations you can keep.
Get to five reviewsRequired
Five genuine reviews changes how you rank and how you're chosen. It's the single biggest lever.
PHASE 06

Keep it running

The unglamorous habits that separate a business from a side hustle.

Renew your municipal licence annuallyRequired
Diarise it. Lapsed licences are a common and avoidable problem.
Watch the $30k GST thresholdRequired
It sneaks up. Track revenue quarterly.
Review your pricing every six monthsRecommended
Costs rise. Most operators wait far too long to raise rates.
Keep records for six yearsRequired
CRA can ask. Digital copies are fine.
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