You've incorporated, now set up the tax accounts and stay onside in year one.
This tool organizes the CRA and tax setup a newly-incorporated Canadian corporation faces in its first year. It is general information, not legal or tax advice, and tax rules, rates, and thresholds change. Confirm the current requirements with the official sources on the Sources tab, and work with your accountant on anything specific to your situation. Pairs with the Toolbox Incorporation Checklist, this picks up once you have your Certificate of Incorporation.
Incorporating creates the corporation; it does not, on its own, set up everything the Canada Revenue Agency and your province expect. A Business Number and a corporate income tax account are usually opened automatically, but GST/HST, payroll, and (in Ontario) Employer Health Tax and WSIB are separate steps you trigger, and each carries its own deadlines and penalties.
| Obligation | Key threshold / deadline |
|---|---|
| GST/HST registration | Mandatory once taxable revenue exceeds $30,000 over four consecutive quarters (or in a single quarter) |
| Payroll (RP) account | Before the first payday, including salary you pay yourself |
| Source-deduction remittance | Regular remitters: by the 15th of the month after you pay |
| T4 / T5 slips | Filed by the last day of February for the prior calendar year |
| T2 corporate return | Filed within 6 months of the fiscal year end |
| T2 balance owing | Due 2 months after year end (3 months for many small CCPCs) |
| Ontario EHT | Exemption on the first $1,000,000 of Ontario payroll for eligible employers |
| WSIB (Ontario) | Register within 10 calendar days of hiring your first worker |
Choose your coverage at the top: CRA baseline shows the federal obligations every Canadian corporation shares; Employing in Ontario adds the Ontario-specific items (Employer Health Tax, WSIB). Tick items as you complete them, progress is saved in this browser only. Use Why this matters under any item for a short explanation, and Print / Save PDF for a record to keep or hand to your accountant.
Two catch new corporations most often. First, the T2 balance is due before the return itself, interest runs from the balance-due day even if you file within the six-month window. Second, a late or missed payroll remittance draws an automatic penalty regardless of how small or how few days late. Both are avoidable with a calendar (group 7).