Running a Business
The Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption, tax strategies, liability protections, and loopholes for Canadian entrepreneurs.
Available Loopholes
Each entry below is a plain-English guide to a specific Canadian legal right, rule, or workaround — including the exact laws and regulations that back it up.
GST/HST Quick Method — Small Businesses Pay Less Tax by Keeping the Difference
The GST/HST Quick Method lets most small businesses remit a reduced flat percentage of their gross revenues to the CRA instead of tracking every input tax credit — and for many service businesses, the amount remitted is less than the GST/HST collected, so the business keeps the difference as profit.
GST/HST Small Supplier Threshold — Delay Registration Until You Actually Cross the Line
Small suppliers generally do not have to register for GST/HST until taxable revenues exceed the threshold.
Home Office and Vehicle Deductions for the Self-Employed
Self-employed Canadians (sole proprietors and partners) can deduct a proportional share of home expenses — rent, utilities, mortgage interest, property taxes, maintenance — plus business vehicle costs against their business income, reducing their taxable income by thousands of dollars annually.
GST/HST Bad Debt Adjustment — Recover Tax You Remitted on Invoices Your Customer Never Paid
If you charged and remitted GST/HST on a taxable sale but the customer never paid and the receivable became a bad debt, CRA may let you claim a GST/HST adjustment to recover the tax already remitted.
Missed Input Tax Credit Recovery — Claim Forgotten GST/HST ITCs on a Later Return
If you forgot to claim GST/HST input tax credits when you first filed, you may still be able to recover them on a later return.
Small Business Deduction — Pay 9% Federal Corporate Tax Instead of 15%
Canadian-Controlled Private Corporations (CCPCs) pay only 9% federal corporate tax on the first $500,000 of active business income — versus 15% for larger corporations — cutting the federal tax bill nearly in half on eligible income.
Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE) on Small Business Shares
Canadian small business owners can shelter up to $1,250,000 (2024) in capital gains from the sale of qualifying small business corporation shares — completely tax-free — using the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption.
SR&ED Tax Credits — Recover Up to 35% of R&D Costs from the CRA
Canadian businesses doing qualifying research, development, or technological problem-solving can claim the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit — a refundable 35% federal credit for small CCPCs on eligible expenditures up to $3 million, plus additional provincial credits.
Not Sure How This
Applies to You?
Our consulting service connects you with the right guidance for your specific situation — no jargon, no hourly billing surprises.