Business Licences

Overview

This document is intented to provide general business licencing information for a number of specific industries and is best used as a starting point when researching regulations.

A number of general business start-up regulations will also apply to most businesses in Ontario.  The  Business Start-Up Info-Guide  is a very useful resource to assist entrepeneurs in dealing with general business start-up information.

It is also very important to understand legal issues that exist in a specific industry before starting a business.  It may be useful to contact a lawyer or the Law Society of Upper Canada, which offers a Lawyer Referral Service, when researching business licences and regulations.

For further information:
please call (416) 947-3330 or 1-800-668-7380
see the document  Legal Issues in Starting a Business
visit the Web site http://www.lsuc.on.ca

Further information on licences and regulations listed in this document can be obtained by using the following resources:

Table of Contents

Adoption Agency
Business Activity on Ontario Lakes and Waterways
The Canada Firearms Centre (CAFC)
Car Rental Agency
Credit Negotiation Business
Day Care
Disc Jockeys
Driving School
Employment Agency
Estheticians/Beauticians
Freight Forwarding Business
General Contractor
Holistic Medicine
Home and Cottage Inspectors
Immigration Consultant
Internet Service Provider
Loan Brokers
Mortgage Brokers
Mutual Fund Dealer
Paralegal Service
Private Lenders
Private School
Security Guard, Private Investigator, Security Alarm Monitoring Station
Taxi/Limousine Service
Telephone Debit Cards
Tourist Establishment
Translation/Interpretation
Truck Rental Business
Video Rental/Sales

Summary

3. The Canada Firearms Centre (CAFC)

The Canadian Firearms Program offers a variety of resources and online services for your business. If you have any questions regarding firearms and your business, please contact The Canada Firearms Centre (CAFC).

For further information:
please call 1-800-731-4000 (toll-free)
visit the Web site:
The Canada Firearms Centre (CAFC)
http://www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca/default_e.asp

Firearms Act and Regulations
http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/pol-leg/FireArmsAct_e.asp

4. Car Rental Agency

Licencing may be required through the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO).

For further information:
please call MTO at (416) 235-4686 or 1-800-268-4686
visit the Web site http://www.mto.gov.on.ca

5. Credit Negotiation Business

Information regarding licencing can be obtained by contacting the Registration and Licensing Section for collections, repossessions and credit reporting of the Ministry of Government Services (MGS) (which administers the Collection Agencies Act).

For further information:
please call MGS at (416) 326-6203 or 1-800-889-9768
see the document Regulated Business Practices / Consumer Complaints
visit the Web site http://www.cbs.gov.on.ca

6. Day Care

Licencing may be required through the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS).

For further information:
please call the MCYS at (416) 325-5666 or 1-888-789-4199
see the document How to Start an Early Childhood Centre in Ontario
visit the Web site http://www.children.gov.on.ca

7. Disc Jockeys

It may be important to contact a lawyer regarding contractual issues. Royalties are handled by the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).

For further information:
Please call SOCAN at (416) 445-8700 or 1-800-557-6226

Information regarding Duplication Licence Fees (Master rights for recording tapes) may be obtained by contacting the Audio Video Licensing Agency (AVLA).

For further information:
please call AVLA at (416) 922-8727

8. Driving School

Licencing is done through the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO).

For further information:
please call MTO at 1-800-387-7736 or (416) 246-7166
visit the Web site http://www.mto.gov.on.ca

The Ontario Safety League has some information published on the subject of Driving Schools

For further information:
visit the Web site http://www.osl.org

The Driving School Association of Ontario (DSAO) may have additional information.

For further information:
please call DSAO at (416) 247-2278

9. Employment Agency

All Employment Agencies should be familiar with the Employment Standards Act.

For further information:
see the document Employment Regulations Info-Guide

The Employment Standards Act, 2000 included a provision for the repeal of the Employment Agencies Act. This provision has been proclaimed into force (April 2001). This means that employment agencies in Ontario are no longer required to obtain a licence to operate and current licence holders do not have to apply for a renewal of their existing licence.

For further information on the repeal of the Employment Agencies Act, contact the Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL), Employment Practices Branch.

For further information:
please call MOL at (416) 326-7160 or 1-800-531-5551

10. Estheticians/Beauticians

The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) should be contacted to determine any regulations presently governing this trade.

For further information:
please call at (416) 326-5656

The Canadian Cosmetics Careers Association may be able to provide additional information

For further information:
please call CCCA at (416) 410-9175

11. Freight Forwarding Business

The Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) may have information on any licencing required.

For further information:
please call CIFFA at (416) 234-5100 or 1-800-282-4332
visit the Web site http://www.ciffa.com

12. General Contractor

General contractors who wish to sign contracts away from their principal place of business may be required to register under The Ministry of Government Services (MGS) Consumer Protection Act .

For further information:
please call MGS at 416-326-8611 or 1-800-889-9768
see the document How to Start a Construction Business in Ontario

13. Holistic Medicine

Licencing may be required by the Ministry of Health (MOH) under the Regulated Health Professions Act.

For further information:
please call MOH at (416) 327-8894 or 1-800-268-1154
see the document How to Start an Alternative and Complementary Healthcare Business in Ontario

14. Home and Cottage Inspectors

Licencing may be required through the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI).

For further information:
please call OAHI to 1-888-744-6244
visit the Web site http://www.oahi.com

15. Immigration Consultant

Licencing may be required by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

For further information:
please call CIC at (416) 973-4444 or 1-888-242-2100

The Organization of Professional Immigration Consultants (OPIC) may be able to provide additional information.

For further information:
please call OPIC at (416) 483-7044

16. Internet Service Provider

Licencing may be required through Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

For further information:
please call CRTC at 1-877-249-2782 or (819) 997-0313
visit the Web site http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/welcome.htm

General information and a voluntary code of conduct can be found through the Canadian Association of Internet Providers (CAIP). Visit their Web site at http://www.caip.ca.

There is a variety of Internet-related information published on Strategis at http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/en/h_sf04966e.html.

17. Loan Brokers

The Ministry of Government Services (MGS), Marketplace Standards and Services Branch, regulates loan brokers, under the Loan Brokers Act.

For further information:
please call MGS at 416-326-8611

18. Mortgage Brokers

Mortgage brokers are regulated by the Ontario Ministry of Finance (MOF), Financial Services Commission, under the Mortgage Brokers Act.

For further information:
please call the MOF at 416-250-0900 or 1-800-236-0501

19. Mutual Fund Dealer

Licencing may be required through the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC).

For further information:
visit Web site at http://www.osc.gov.on.ca

The Mutual Fund Dealers Association may have additional information.

For further information:
visit the Web site at http://www.mfda.ca

20. Paralegal Service

Licencing may be required from the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG).

For further information:
please call MAG at (416) 326-2220

The Paralegal Society of Ontario (PSO) may have information on any specific federal or provincial legislation that regulates paralegals.

For further information:
visit the Web site at http://www.paralegalsociety.on.ca

21. Private Lenders

Private Lenders active only in Ontario are regulated by the Ontario Ministry of Finance (MOF).

For further information:
Please call the MOF at 1-800-263-7965 or (905) 433-6000

Private Lenders active across Canada are regulated by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI).

For further information:
visit the Web site at http://www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca

22. Private School

The Ontairo Ministry of Education (ME) regulates private schools.

For further information:
visit the Web site http://www.edu.gov.on.ca

The Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS), Day Nurseries Act, regulates care for children.

For further information:
please call MCSS at (416) 325-0652 or 1-888-789-4199
see the document How to Start an Early Childhood Centre in Ontario

For information on teaching certificate/ ECE certificate equivalency, call the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario (AECEO).

For further information:
visit the Web site http://www.cfc-efc.ca/aeceo

Registration may be required under the Private Vocational Schools Act, administered by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

For further information:
visit the Web site http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/private.html

23. Security Guard, Private Investigator, Security Alarm Monitoring Station

Private Investigators, Security Guards and Security Alarm Monitoring Stations may require licensing through the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Private Investigators and Security Guards Branch (MPSS).

For further information:
please call (416) 326-0050

24. Taxi/Limousine Service

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) administers a variety of legislation related to the transportation of goods and passengers, including the Motor Vehicle Transport Act.

For further information:
please call MTO at 1-800-387-7736 or (416) 246-7166
visit the Web site http://www.mto.gov.on.ca

25. Telephone Debit Cards

Licencing may be required through the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

For further information:
please call CRTC at 1-877-249-2782 or (819) 997-0313
visit the Web site http://www.crtc.gc.ca

You may wish to contact local telephone companies for information.

You may also wish to contact the Ministry of Government Services in regard to Prepaid Services Marketplace Standards and Services Branch (MGS).

For further information:
please call MGS at 1-800-889-9768
see the document Regulated Business Practices / Consumer Complaints

26. Tourist Establishment

Licencing may be required the Ministry of Tourism (MOT).

For further information:
please call MOT at (416) 326-9326
see the documents:
Tourism Business Info-Guide
How to Start a Bed and Breakfast in Ontario

Liquor licence regulations can be obtained by contacting the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

For further information:
please call AGCO at 1-800-522-2876
visit the Web site http://www.agco.on.ca
see the document Application for a New Liquor Licence

The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) may have additional information that may be helpful to those in this industry.

For further information:
please call TICO at 1-888-451-8426
visit the Web site http://www.tico.on.ca
see the document Travel Industry Act

27. Translation/Interpretation

The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO) offers certification and professional recognition to its members who pass its certification examination.

For further information:
please call ATIO at (613) 241-2846
visit the Web site at http://www.atio.on.ca

The title of "certified translator" may only be used in Ontario by translators who have passed the standardized national certification examination administered by the Canadian Translators and Interpreters Council (CTIC) through ATIO and its other partners.

For further information:
please call the CTIC (613) 562-0379

28. Truck Rental Business

The Commercial Vehicle Operator Registration (CVOR) is regulated by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO), Carrier Safety Information

For further information:
please call MTO at 1-800-387-7736 or (416) 246-7166

29. Video Rental/Sales

Businesses selling or renting videos directly to the public (including by vending machines) require a Film Exchange Retail Licence. Businesses distributing videos to other retailers require a Distributor's Licence. Licencing is done through the Ministry of Government Services (MGS), Theatres Branch.

For further information:
please call the MGS at (416) 314-3626 or 1-800-268-6024

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this document is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. Users concerned about the reliability of the information should consult directly with the source, or seek legal counsel.

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