Guides
Guides for owners thinking about a sale.
Plain guides on what a business is worth, how to get it ready, how to sell it in Alberta or British Columbia, and what to do about tax and the paperwork. The rules and figures come from Canadian government and regulator pages, named at the end of each guide.
PricingHow many times profit is a small business worth in Canada?How a small business is priced on its earnings, with BDC's published range and a worked example.Read the guide
AlbertaHow to sell a business in Alberta, step by stepThe steps, the GST rules, the 2026 capital gains exemption and the Alberta accounts and registrations that change hands.Read the guide
CalgarySelling your business in CalgaryWhat you hand over in Calgary, from the City business licence to WCB clearance, and what your buyer does after closing.Read the page
EdmontonSelling your business in EdmontonWhat you hand over in Edmonton, from the City business licence to WCB clearance, and what your buyer needs from the City.Read the page
LethbridgeSelling your business in Lethbridge and Medicine HatWhere a licence can pass to your buyer and where it cannot, and what Alberta asks of a seller.Read the page
British ColumbiaHow to sell a business in British Columbia, step by stepThe steps, PST on equipment but not goodwill, the GST election, provincial licences, clearances and the 2026 capital gains exemption.Read the guide
VancouverSelling your business in Vancouver, BCWhat you hand over in Vancouver, from the City business licence to WorkSafeBC clearance, and what your buyer needs from the City.Read the page
OkanaganSelling your business in Kelowna and the OkanaganWhat each town from Salmon Arm to Osoyoos and Kamloops asks of a new owner, and the BC paperwork for a sale.Read the page
VictoriaSelling your business in VictoriaWhat Victoria, Saanich and Langford ask of a new owner, the region's mobile business licence, and the BC paperwork for a sale.Read the page
Vancouver IslandSelling your business in Nanaimo and on the IslandWhat the towns from Duncan to Campbell River ask of a new owner, and the licence trades share across the Island.Read the page
Fraser ValleySelling your business in the Fraser ValleyWhat Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack ask of a new owner, and the BC paperwork for a sale.Read the page
ClosingShould I sell my business or close it?What closing costs that selling does not, and how a company is closed in Alberta and British Columbia.Read the guide
TaxSelling shares or assets in Canada: what the seller keepsThe difference between a share sale and an asset sale, and the 2026 lifetime capital gains exemption.Read the guide
TradesWhat is a trades business worth? Plumbing, HVAC, electrical and moreWhat buyers pay for in a plumbing, HVAC or electrical business, and why the licence holder matters when the owner leaves.Read the guide
EmployeesSelling your business to your employees in CanadaWhat an employee ownership trust is, the $10 million exemption, who qualifies and what you give up.Read the guide
FamilyPassing your business to your children in CanadaSelling a business to a son or daughter: the 2024 rules, immediate or gradual, and why the price must be fair.Read the guide
Getting readyHow do I get my business ready to sell?The records buyers ask for, what pulls a price down and how to fix it, who to hire and the clearances to line up.Read the guide
BrokersWhat does a business broker do, and what does it cost in Canada?What a business broker does, what brokers charge in Canada by BDC's figures, when a licence comes into it in BC and Alberta, and what to ask before you sign.Read the guide
Buying a business?
The steps, the tax and how to pay for it, in plain words, when you buy a business in Alberta, British Columbia or elsewhere in Canada.
Buying in BCHow to buy a business in British Columbia, step by stepThe steps, GST and PST, the clearances to ask for, staff, licences, land and how to pay for it.Read the guide
Buying in AlbertaHow to buy a business in Alberta, step by stepThe steps, GST with no provincial sales tax, the WCB Alberta clearance, staff, licences, land and how to pay for it.Read the guide
FinancingHow to pay for a business you buy in CanadaYour own money, BDC, the Canada Small Business Financing Program and seller financing, with the real limits.Read the guide
Buying in EdmontonWhat does an Edmonton business licence cost when you buy a business?The City's 2026 fees by tier, why the seller's licence does not pass to you, how long a new one takes, and the food, liquor and fire steps.Read the guide