My business is incorporating, do I need to register to remit GST/HST?

If your business has worldwide, taxable sales of more than $30,000 during any four consecutive calendar quarters, you must register for a CRA GST/HST program account and collect GST/HST from your customers. Because it can be challenging to constantly monitor when your business has hit the benchmark while still ensuring you have the funds available to pay the taxes owed, we will likely recommend that you collect sales tax right from the start. An additional benefit is that once registered, you can claim Input Tax Credits – meaning if the HST collected on your sales is less than the HST paid on expenses, you can claim a refund. 

Before registering with the CRA, you’ll need to have the following information ready: effective date of registration, fiscal year, total annual revenue and basic corporate information. You can register with CRA Business Registration Online here and watch a tutorial here.