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Step 1 of 13

Choose your structure and business name

Decide how the business is set up and what it is called.

Time
1–2 hours
Cost
Free
Manitoba Companies Office — business names ↗

Choose your structure and business name: step-by-step guide

Screenshots use a made-up example business. Official sites change, so yours may look slightly different.

  1. Manitoba choose your business structure page with the sole proprietorship section and the personal liability point highlighted
    1. Read Manitoba's guide to business structures. A sole proprietorship is the simplest way to start, but the owner is personally liable for all business debts.
  2. Manitoba Companies Office business names page with the link to information on choosing a business name highlighted
    2. Read the Companies Office guidelines for choosing a business name before you request a name reservation.

Screenshots captured 2026-10-18. See something different? Report a problem

Structure

Start as a sole proprietorship. It is the cheapest and simplest option, and you can incorporate later if the business grows.

The trade-off is that you are personally liable for the business. Manitoba's own guidance says the owner is personally liable for all business debts. Insurance (step 7) is how you manage that risk.

Name

  • If you trade under just your own first and last name (for example "Jane Smith"), you do not have to register a business name.
  • If you use any other name, for example "Jane's Gift Shop", you must register it in the next step.

Checking the name

The Manitoba Companies Office publishes guidelines for choosing a business name. In the next step you ask it to reserve the name, and it tells you whether the name is available. Read the guidelines first so your request is not rejected, because each request has a fee.

Keep it practical

Choose a name you are comfortable seeing on a bank statement, a licence and a shipping label.

Your checklist