Founder guides. Plain answers first.
Each guide answers one question you’re likely asking right now, in plain language, with sources. General information, not legal advice.
Starting up
- Are directors personally liable for company debts in Ontario? Guide
- Business name registration vs trademark: does registering my business name protect it? Guide
- Can a corporation have only one director? Guide
- Can a non-resident be a director of an Ontario company? Guide
- Can I give shares to an advisor? Guide
- Can I incorporate before I have a business name? Guide
- Can I use my home address as my corporation's registered office? Guide
- Do I need a lawyer to incorporate in Ontario? Guide
- Do I need a shareholder agreement? Guide
- How do I add a cofounder to my corporation? Guide
- How do I incorporate in Ontario? Guide
- How do I remove a director from my Ontario corporation? Guide
- How does founder vesting work? Guide
- How many shares should a startup issue to its founders? Guide
- How much does it cost to incorporate in Ontario? Guide
- How should cofounders split equity? Guide
- Shareholder agreement vs unanimous shareholder agreement: what's the difference? Guide
- Should I incorporate federally or in Ontario? Guide
- Should I incorporate or stay a sole proprietor? Guide
- Should I set up a holding company for my startup shares? Guide
- What annual filings does an Ontario corporation have? Guide
- What duties does a director owe the company? Guide
- What happens if a cofounder leaves without vesting? Guide
- What is a minute book and do I need one? Guide
- What is a numbered company? Guide
- What is a register of individuals with significant control? Guide
- What is extra-provincial registration? Guide
- What is the difference between a director and an officer? Guide
- What is the difference between a shareholder resolution and a directors' resolution? Guide
Raising
- Can I raise money from friends and family in Ontario? Guide
- How do SAFEs work in Canada? Guide
- SAFE vs convertible note: what's the difference in Canada? Guide
- What are preferred shares in a startup? Guide
- What are pro rata rights? Guide
- What do investors check in due diligence? Guide
- What is a cap table and how do I keep one? Guide
- What is a CCPC and why does it matter for my startup? Guide
- What is a discount rate on a SAFE? Guide
- What is a lead investor? Guide
- What is a liquidation preference? Guide
- What is a side letter in a startup investment? Guide
- What is a term sheet? Guide
- What is a valuation cap on a SAFE? Guide
- What is an accredited investor in Canada? Guide
- What is an option pool shuffle? Guide
- What is dilution and how does it affect founders? Guide
- What is the difference between a post-money and pre-money SAFE? Guide
- What is the private issuer exemption in Ontario? Guide
- When do I need a priced round instead of a SAFE? Guide
IP
- Do I need to register copyright in Canada? Guide
- Does my company own what its employees create? Guide
- How do I protect trade secrets in Canada? Guide
- How do I register a trademark in Canada? Guide
- Is an NDA enforceable in Canada? Guide
- NDA vs confidentiality clause: do I need a separate NDA if my contract has one? Guide
- Trademark vs copyright vs patent: which protects what for a Canadian startup? Guide
- What is the difference between a licence and an assignment of IP? Guide
- Who owns code a contractor writes? Guide
AI and SaaS
- Are clickwrap agreements enforceable in Canada? Guide
- Are electronic signatures legally binding in Ontario? Guide
- Can I put customer logos on my website? Guide
- Do I have to tell people my product uses AI? Guide
- Do I need an NDA before a demo or investor pitch? Guide
- Do I need terms of service for my website or app? Guide
- Does my startup need an AI use policy for employees? Guide
- Is my company liable for what its AI chatbot tells customers? Guide
- Terms of service vs privacy policy: what's the difference, and do I need both? Guide
- What consumer protection rules apply to online terms in Ontario? Guide
- What contracts does my SaaS or app startup need? Guide
- What goes in a SaaS customer agreement? Guide
- What is a force majeure clause? Guide
- What is a limitation of liability clause? Guide
- What is an indemnity clause? Guide
- What is the difference between an MSA and a statement of work? Guide
- What should a SaaS service level agreement include? Guide
- What should a software development agreement include? Guide
- What should my AI product terms of service cover? Guide
- What should my API terms of use cover? Guide
- What's the difference between terms of service, terms of use and terms and conditions? Guide
Privacy
- Can I store Canadian customer data in the US? Guide
- Can I use a privacy policy generator or template in Canada? Guide
- Do I need a cookie banner in Canada? Guide
- Do I need a privacy policy in Canada? Guide
- Does CASL apply to my SaaS onboarding and marketing emails? Guide
- Does my app need a privacy policy? Guide
- Does my company need a privacy officer? Guide
- Does my Shopify or online store need a privacy policy in Canada? Guide
- Does PIPEDA apply to employee information in Ontario? Guide
- Does Quebec's Law 25 apply to my startup if we're not in Quebec? Guide
- How long do I have to respond to a privacy access request in Canada? Guide
- Is it legal to record calls or use an AI notetaker in Canada? Guide
- PIPEDA vs PHIPA: which privacy law applies to my business? Guide
- What does PIPEDA require of a small business? Guide
- What is a data processing agreement and do I need one? Guide
- What must a privacy policy include in Canada? Guide
- When do I have to report a privacy breach in Canada? Guide
Health and wellness
- Can a health professional practise through a corporation in Ontario? Guide
- Do I need a licence to sell supplements in Canada? Guide
- Does PHIPA apply to my health or wellness app? Guide
- What can an unregulated wellness practitioner legally do in Ontario? Guide
- What health claims can a wellness business make in its advertising? Guide
- What privacy rules apply to a wellness clinic? Guide
- What should a medical director agreement cover in Ontario? Guide
- Who can own a med spa in Ontario? Guide
- Who can perform Botox and filler injections in Ontario? Guide
Hiring
- Can I hire an unpaid intern in Ontario? Guide
- Do I have to pay overtime to software developers in Ontario? Guide
- How do I set up an employee option plan? Guide
- How does a probationary period work in Ontario? Guide
- How much notice do I have to give when ending employment in Ontario? Guide
- Should I hire an employee or a contractor? Guide
- What must a termination clause say in Ontario? Guide
- What workplace policies does an Ontario employer need? Guide
Creative
- Can I sell my YouTube channel in Canada? Guide
- Can I use copyrighted music in my videos? Guide
- Do I need permission to use someone's photo or likeness in my content? Guide
- Should I incorporate as a content creator in Canada? Guide
- What is fair dealing in Canada? Guide
- What should a brand deal contract include? Guide
Fees
- Can I have a lawyer on an ongoing basis? Guide
- How much does a lawyer charge for a privacy policy and terms of service? Guide
- How much does a lawyer charge to review a contract in Ontario? Guide
- How much does a SAFE round cost in legal fees in Canada? Guide
- How much does a shareholder agreement cost in Ontario? Guide
- How much does a startup lawyer cost in Toronto? Guide
- How much does a trademark cost in Canada? Guide
- What do your fixed fees cover? Guide