For more than a decade, Grande Prairie has topped national ranking lists as the best place for entrepreneurs and businesses in Canada.
SpeedyApprovals
With some of the fastest turnaround times for all required permit approvals in Alberta, the City's streamlinedplanning and permitting process can takeas little as three weeks.
YoungandSkilledWorkforce
Grande Prairie is one of the youngest and fastest growing communities in Canada.The median age is 34, which is 3.8 years younger than Alberta and 7 years younger than Canada. The city is well served by Alberta's world-class education system that provides exciting program options for students of any age.
GrowingDemand
With a regional trade area of almost 300,000 people, commercial retail demand exceeds the city's current inventory by more than a million square feet.
AccesstoMarkets
Grande Prairie is Alberta's closest location to west coast container shipping ports, which can ship your products to Asian markets faster than from anywhere else in Alberta. A systemof major highwaysand high load capacity rail lines connect Grande Prairie businesses to several major cities in North America.
GreatIncentives
The City offers multiple incentives for new and existing businesses. Some of these incentives include the City's New Business Grant, the Business Retention and Expansion Grant, and the Beautification and Patio Grant. For more information about current grants and incentives,please visit Grande Prairie's Grants and Incentives website.
Incorporating a business, obtaining a municipal business licence and registering your business are all separate processes.
Build orrenovateyour businesslocation
1. Confirm that the property is zoned correctly and that the Land Use Bylaw allows for the desired type of business to be there.To confirm if your property is zoned for your intended use, please email devpermits@cityofgp.com with your inquiry.
2. A business location must be built prior to receiving a business licence, as your licence application may require an inspection and approval by City departments (Development Services, Building Inspections, Fire Departments and others), and Provincial administration (e.g., Alberta Health Services)
3. Submit a City of Grande Prairie Major Development Package form if yourbusinessrequiresa new development for eithercommercial or industrial builds.
For more information visit the City of Grande Prairie Land Development website.
Applyfor businesslicencesandpermits
1. The Government of Alberta licenses or registers businesses under the ConsumerProtectionAct, CharitableFund-raising Act, CemeteriesActand the CooperativesAct. For a full list of businesses requiring a licence see the Goverment of Alberta's guide, "Licensing and Registering Your Business:'
Incorporateand registeryour business
1. Choose a business name and check google to confirm it is not already in use. If the name is already taken, is it being used in Canada or Alberta? You can also check the Canadian business names database You may also want to check the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPOl database for any registered trademarks or copyrights for the name.
2. Searchandregister on thenationaldatabasesNUANS, or head to the local Alberta registries (Visit www.alberta.ca for a list of Alberta registries) to get your name search completed and registered.
3. Apply for a business number to pay corporate income tax and goods and services tax (GST).
Beforestarting the process of opening a business in Grande Prairie please familiarize yourself with the City's relevant bylaws. Key documents to review include:
Building Bylaw(Bylaw
C-1328)
The provisions of this Bylaw refer to the Safety Code Act, these shall apply to the issuance of permits respecting the construction, alteration, addition, occupancy, change in occupancy, installation, repair or demolition of buildings, electrical, plumbing, gas equipment and systems regulated by the Act within the City.
Business Licensing Bylaw(Bylaw C-1393)
This bylaw shall apply to any trade, business or occupation with the intent of making a profit. No person shall engage in or operate a business within the City unless a Business Licence has been issued pursuant to the provisions of this Bylaw.
Fees, Rates and Charges Bylaw(Bylaw
C-1395)
This bylaw enables the City to establish fees, rates and charges for municipal services.
Land
Use
Bylaw (Bylaw C-1260)
Thepurposeof this bylaw is toregulatethe use and developmentof land andbuildingswithin the boundaries of the City to achieve the orderlyand economicdevelopment of land.
We highly encourage you to engage with City's administration early in your project as this will help to avoid potential issues while starting your business in the City of Grande Prairie. A list of key contacts in provided below:
Development Permitting Division
Phone: 780-538-0325
Email: devpermits@cityofgp.com
Invest Grande Prairie
Phone: 780-357-4969
Email: ecdevinfo@cityofgp.com
Business Licensing Division
Phone: 780-830-7428
Email: blicensing@cityofgp.com
Building Divison
Phone: 780-538-0421
Email: inspections@cityofgp.com
Development Engineering Division
Phone: 780-538-0325
Email: eng services@cityofgp.com
Business Incorporation and Registration
CertificateofIncorporation
If your business has a permanent location in Alberta, you are required to pay income tax to the Tax and Revenue Administration. Once your corporation is registered with the Corporate Registry, you must file your income tax return each year with theTaxand Revenue Administration. If you need information on how to register a corporation in Alberta, visit www.alberta.ca
Registrationofabusinessname {optional)
If you want to register a corporation, partnership, or trade name, you need to provide the necessary information to a registry agent or a law firm that is authorized and knowledgeable in completing various types of business registrations. Societies and non-profit companies can be registered directly with Service Alberta.
Mainbusinesstypes
The three main types of businessorganizations that are registered with Corporate Registry Services are:
• Trade nameor sole proprietorship: Singular business owner.
• Partnership: Business partners who sign a formal agreement that indicates who is responsible for the obligations and liabilities of the business.There are three kinds of partnerships: ordinary partnership, limited partnership and limited liability partnership.
• Limited company or corporation: The words limited, incorporated or corporation (or their abbreviations Ltd., Inc. or Corp.) indicate the business is incorporated. This means a distinct legal entity or corporate person has been established that is separate from the business owners. A corporation is normally formed to protect the shareholders from certain liabilities and obligations or to provide some tax advantages.
>TIP: If you want to operate your business in other municipalities, you may need to apply for business licences there too.
To find an authorized service provider for trade name, partnership or corporation registration:
Contact one of Grande Prairie's registry agents: A-1 Licence & Registry
106-8716 108 Street, Grande Prairie 780-539-5009
Alberta Motor Association (AMA) Grande Prairie 11407 99 Street, Grande Prairie I 866-989-6370
The Licence Centre 9917 116 Ave, Grande Prairie I 780-532-4033
Call the Corporate Registry at 780-427-7013
Businessnumberregistration
Having an identification number is important for any interaction with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and other government programs. When you incorporate your business federally or in specific provinces, or when you apply for certain CRA programs, you will automatically be registered for a business number. A business number is necessary for various business activities, such as:
Remitting GST/HST if you charge it;
Remitting payroll deductions;
Filing taxation for corporations;
Importing or exporting, and more.
Federalincorporation
Having a consistent name for your business is crucial when you expand to different provinces or territories. If you want to use the same name across multiple locations, it is also important to incorporate your business at the federal level.To learn how toincorporateyourbusinessfederally, visit the Innovation. Science and Economic Development Canada website.
TIP: To determine the necessary business licence applicationsfor your business, the most convenient method is utilizing BizPal. Thisfree service allows you to searchfor required permits and licences based on your location and industry.
Home-basedbusinesses
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All home-based businesses are required
p , to obtain a municipal business licence, no matter how large or small. Visit the Cityof GrandePrairie'swebsite to apply for detailed requirements, including restricted hours of operation.
There are three categories of home-based businesses: home office, homebusiness, and primarilyoff-site.The permit application feefor home-basedbusinessesis $300 and the business licence fee is $200. Business licences for off-site businessesare free of charge.
A home office involves businessactivities that do not require client or employee visits, such as web-based businessesor consultants with no client visits.
A home business involves activities that require client or employee visits or on-site parking of a utility trailer or mobile cooking operation (food truck) associated with the home business. Examples include hairstylists, massage therapists, and homebakerieswith customer visits. Primarily off-site businesses involve no business activities at the residential location, such as building general contractors, consultants, and mobile massage therapists.
Directsellers
Direct sellersare required to have a business licence when soliciting, negotiating or concluding in person the sale of goods and services. A separate licence is required for each direct seller regardless of whether that direct seller is an employee of some other person. A direct seller may not carry on business between the hours of8:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Licenses can be for 3 day, 3 month or6 month terms. Sellers must also have a Provincial Direct Sellers License.
Tradeshows,farmers'markets,andevents
A person who is a participant in a trade show, farmers' market,orcommunityeventisentitledtoacceptordersor payments of money at the event location for performance of services, sales of goodsor for delivery of goods.
Entrepreneurialyouth
An entrepreneurial youth is eligible for a business licence free of charge, although a business licence is not required. No penalty will be applied to youth proprietors operating without a business licence.
Garagesalesandyardsales
A maximum of two garage sales, each for a period not exceeding three consecutive days, in any calendar year may be conducted on any private residential property without a business licence.
Mobilecookingoperations
Before a business licence is issued or renewed for a mobile cooking operation, proof is required that the unit has passed all inspections governed under the Safety Codes Act for mobile cooking operations and has receivedapprovalfrom Alberta Health Services. Seepages 16-18 of this guide for more informationrelatedto food service businesses.
Mobilevendingunits
Mobile vending unitsare only permitted to carry on business on non-residential private property with permission of the property owner or on public/City-owned property approved by the City. See pages 16-18 of this guide for more information related to food service businesses.
Non-residentbusinesses
A non-resident business Is a business that �.(;1 . •
operates within the City's municipal limits, .-.U· · in whole or in part, but does not have a (!I
permanent Grande Prairie business location. The business licence fee for non-resident businesses is $525.
**Pleasenote: All feesaresubjectto change.
For a list of Inspection Services Fees that may be relevant, please visit the City of Grande Prairie Website:
Submit the major development package if your business requires a development permit. A development permit is needed for new construction, additions/alterations or changes of use. If you are planning changes such as constructing or renovating a building or changing the use of a building, you will need permits from the Development Services Department. Development permits deal with a development's impact on surrounding properties. However, building permits deal with the structural stability of buildings and the health and safety of the building's occupants.
The base fee for an industrial new development is $550, plus $75 per $100,000 of project cost {no maximum limit).
The base fee for an industrial addition to an existing buildingis $250, plus $75 per $100,000 of project cost {no maximum limit).
The standard timeline for major development permits is a minimum of 3 weeks.The timeline will extend if there is a variance to the Land Use Bylaw or discretionary use.
Once the development permit has been approved, it is necessary to ensurecompliancewith all Safety Code permits. A building permit is designed to address the life and safety componentsof a structure. It gives the authorization to erect, demolish, relocate, change the use/occupancy of a space, alter or repair a structure. In addition to a building permit, subtrade work also requires permits.
Commercial Safety Code permits include:
New Commercial Development (Base Buildingor Cold Storage): A lot grading,development,building and allsubtrade {electrical,plumbing and gas) permitsare requiredto construct a basebuilding.A base building is considered to have exterior walls with minor interior construction for future tenant development. A demising wall or mezzanine may be built as part of a base building.
Safety Codes permit fees include the building permit fee (based on cost of construction), electrical permit fee, gas permit fee, plumbing permit fee, and occupancy certificate.
• Subtrade: Subtrade permits are required for installing new, adding to, or altering an electrical, plumbing, or gas system.The HVACscopeis often includedunderthe issuance of a building permit. If a building permit is not otherwise required, and there are alterations to an HVAC system, a standalone HVAC permit may be required.
• Hydronic Heating: A hydronic heating permit is required to install a hydronic heating system.
• Demolition: A demolition permit is required to demolish a structure over 108 square feet.
All required inspections are listed on the conditions issued with the permit. It is the permit holder's responsibility to ensure all inspections are requested and received. Call 780-538-0421 or email inspections@cityofgp.com to request an inspection.
You may also request an inspection online on the Cityof Grande Prairie website.
Minor Renovations and Change of Use
If youdecideto purchase or leaseanexistingbuilding, youmay requireachangeof usepermitif your type ofbusinessdiffers from itsprevioususe. Depending on the type ofchangeof use, youmay require both adevelopment permit and building permitapplication. It isworth noting that a change of use could also trigger requirements to alignwith the Land Use Bylaw.
To determine what permits you require, contact: Inspection Services at 780-538-0421 or inspections@ cityofgp.com
Development Permitting at 780-538-0325 or devpermits@ cityofgp.com to determine what you require.
Development permit fees include:
Change of use to a permitted use in the land use district$400.
Change of use to a discretionary use in the land use district - $800.
**Please note: All fees are subject to change.
Safety Code permit fees include:
Building permit fee: $89.50
A Safety Code Levyremittedto the Province of Alberta.
Preparetosellimportedproducts
The Governmentof Canada may require additional permits depending on your business activity. Each retailer business is subjectto different types ofpermitsto sell products. You may beginconstruction once all required permitshave been applied for and approved.
Upon completion you can request a safety inspection. Call 780-538-0421 or emailinspections@cityofgp.comto request an inspection.
**Please note: All fees are subject to change.
Applyforacommercial-basedbusinesslicence
Applyfor a commercial-basedbusinesslicencewith the City. This process includes the application review, land use approval andthe occupancyclassification.
Applyforasignpermit
To installmost signswithin the City of Grande Prairie, you will needto obtain a development permit. However, if the sign is more complex and involves electricalcomponents, you may also needto obtain an electrical permit. Applicationsmay be submitted electronically to devpermits@cityofgp.com
You may submit in person by coming to our front counter at 9505 - 112 Streetbetween 8:30 a.m. and4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (see Sign Development Application Package on our website).
To import goods into Canada for commercial use, you mustdocument them. Learn about Canada's accounting for your shipment on the Goverment of Canada website. If you are importing goods into Canada, these must be properly invoiced. Visit the Canada Border Services Agencywebsiteto learn more about Canada'sshipping and reportingyour goods.
Some products are subject to additional control, for instance, to import productsthat are on the Canadian Import Control List, you need a permit. Products on the list include agriculture products,firearms, textiles and clothing, steel and aluminum.
> Indigenous owned businesses can apply for the Alberta Indian/Indian Band TaxExemption Retailer Registration. Registration allows the retailer to sellfuel, tobacco products or accommodation with tax exemption to eligible consumers on reserve. Each Alberta Indian tax exempt (AITE) retailer location must be registered separately.
Noticeabouttermsonthispage:TheGovernmentofAlbertarecognizesthatmany First Nationspeople andcommunitiesintheprovinceprefernottodescribethemselvesas Indians/Indianbands.Thesetermshave beenusedwherenecessarytoreflecttheirlegalmeaninginthefederalIndianAct.
Personal Care Services
Ensuring the health and safety of your clients is crucial for the prosperity of your business.To achieve this, it is vital to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Alberta Public Health Act, the Personal Services Regulation and the Personal Services Standards.
Theirchecklistswill guide you in puttingnecessary precautions in placeand ensure that youare well-prepared for any potential public health inspections. By proactively addressing these aspects,you canmaintain a safe andhygienicenvironment for your clients andfoster the success of your business.
NotifyAlberta Health Services
As of July 1, 2020, you must notifyAlberta Health Services (AHS) of any personal services you currently offer or plan to offer in the future. If you decide to introduce new services to your existing business, notifyAHS before providing these services to your clients.Visit the Alberta Health Services website to submit a Personal Services Notification: https://ephisahs.aIbertahealthservices.ca/create-case-psn/.
Submityour plantoAlberta's Environmental Public Health Program -Alberta Health Services
Submit your plans at least six weeks in advance of when you would like to start your construction to the EPH office, and the local public health inspector. Visit www.ahs.ca/eph to contact Environmental Public Health.
Submit plans for review by a Public Health Inspector before you start construction of your new business.This may help you prevent costly structural changes after construction is complete. Ensure that your planscontain the following:
-Finished materials of floors,walls, counter tops and ceilings. Lighting and ventilation.
Arrangebuilding permits andconstruction
New Development
Submit the major development package, found on the City of Grande Prairie website, if your business requires a building permit. A building permit is needed for most new construction, additions/alterations or changes of use. If you are planning changes such as constructing or renovating a building or changing the use of a building, you will need permits from the Building Division. Building permits deal with the structural stability of buildings and the health and safety of the building's occupants.
Ensurecompliancewith all SafetyCode permits
A building permit is designed to address the life and safety components of a structure. It gives the authorization to erect, demolish,relocate, change the use/occupancy of a space, alter or repair a structure. In addition to a building permit, subtrade work also requires permits. Commercial Safety Code permits include:
New Commercial Development (Base Building or Cold Storage):
A lot grading, development, building and all subtrade (electrical, plumbing and gas) permits are required to construct a base building.A base building is considered to have exterior walls with minor interior construction for future tenant development.A demising wall or mezzanine may be built as part of a base building. Safety Code permits include the building permit fee
(based on cost of construction), electrical permit fee, gas permit fee, plumbing permit fee, andoccupancy certificate.
• Subtrade: Subtrade permits are requiredfor installing new, adding to, or altering an electrical, plumbing, or gas system.The HVACscopeisoftenincludedunderthe issuance of a building permit. If a building permit isnot otherwise required, and there are alterations to an HVAC system, a standalone HVAC permit may be required.
• Hydronic Heating: A hydronic heating permit isrequired to install a hydronic heating system.
• Demolition: A demolition permit isrequired to demolish a structure over 108 square feet.
All requiredinspections are listed on the permit conditions issued with the permit. It is the permit holder's responsibility to ensure all inspections are requested and received.
Call 780-538-0421 or email inspections@cityofgp.com to request an inspection.
It is important toknow, that once construction is complete, and equipment is in place and operational, operators must contact Alberta Health Services for an initial approval inspection.
Applyforasignpermit
To install most signs within the City of Grande Prairie, you will needto obtain a development permit. However, if the sign is more complex and involves electrical components, you may also need to obtain an electrical permit. Applications may be submitted electronically to devpermits@cityofgp.com
You may submit in person by coming to our front counter at 9505 - 112 Street between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (see Sign Development Application Package on the City of Grande Prairie website.
