A startup lawyer for founders anywhere in Canada.
We’re a Toronto firm working remotely with founders across Canada, from the night before incorporation to the first raise. We advise on Ontario and federal law, which covers much of what an early-stage company needs: federal incorporation, the prospectus exemptions behind a SAFE round, federal privacy law, trademarks and contracts. Every piece of work has a fixed fee, agreed in writing before we start.
A free 15-minute call. You’ll know the fixed fee before any work starts.
What we help with
- IncorporationA federal (CBCA) corporation whose name can be used across Canada, with founder shares issued and a minute book that will survive an investor’s diligence. Ontario incorporation too, if it suits you better. From $600
- Extra-Provincial RegistrationA federal corporation registers in each province where it carries on business. Our incorporation work covers registering in Ontario, and we tell you when another province’s registration needs local counsel.
- Shareholder AgreementWho decides what, what happens if a founder leaves, and how shares can be sold, agreed while everyone still gets along. From $1,320
- Founder Vesting and IP AssignmentVesting so a departing founder doesn’t keep equity they didn’t earn, and the IP you built before incorporating assigned to the company. From $920
- SAFE RoundYour pre-seed or seed round on SAFEs. The accredited investor definition comes from National Instrument 45-106, used across Canada, and we flag where an investor’s province needs its own filing. From $2,600
- SaaS or Master Services AgreementA customer contract that holds up when an enterprise buyer sends it through procurement. From $920
- Terms of ServiceRules for your app, platform or store that match how it actually works. From $500
- Privacy PolicyWritten to PIPEDA, the federal law that covers most private sector startups outside Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta, with Quebec’s Law 25 requirements if you have Quebec users. From $500
- AI Product TermsIf your product uses AI: who owns inputs and outputs, and whether you train on customer data. From $760
- Contractor AgreementFor freelancers and dev shops, with a written IP assignment so the work belongs to the company. From $450
- Trademark Search and FilingYour company or product name, protected across Canada with a federal registration. From $920
- Employment AgreementFor hires in Ontario, written to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act. Employees in other provinces are covered by that province’s employment law, so we bring in local counsel. From $640
Prices shown are starting prices in Canadian dollars for the base scope of each item and may vary based on complexity. Government filing fees are extra. Your fee is fixed and agreed in writing before we begin. See every price on our Fees page.
Which law we advise on
Federal law, anywhere in Canada.
Federal incorporation under the CBCA, federal privacy law (PIPEDA), trademarks and copyright, and the Competition Act apply wherever you’re based.
Ontario law.
Ontario corporations, hiring in Ontario, Ontario securities filings, and contracts written under Ontario law.
Another province’s law.
Brooke Ash is licensed by the Law Society of Ontario. When a matter turns on another province’s law, such as hiring employees in British Columbia or a securities filing in Quebec, we say so up front and bring in local counsel.
Remote by default.
We work by video call, email and e-signature, so where you’re based in Canada doesn’t change how we work together.
Where founders usually start
- Step
Start the company properly.
A federal corporation can use its name across Canada, which suits founders who expect to operate in more than one province. At least 25% of its directors must be resident Canadians, and it registers in each province where it carries on business.
- Step
Put ownership in writing.
A shareholder agreement with vesting, and IP assignments from every founder and contractor, so the company owns what it builds.
- Step
Get ready to sell and raise.
Customer terms and a privacy policy written to PIPEDA, with Law 25 in mind if you have Quebec users, then a SAFE round on the prospectus exemptions investors across Canada expect.
Brooke & For Founders Law brought sharp legal judgment to every stage of building DMP, from our SAFE deal suite and shareholder agreement to IP assignment, privacy compliance and our terms of service. Her ability to move fast without cutting corners gave us the confidence to build on solid legal ground. We couldn’t have gotten here without her.
Questions
How much does a startup lawyer cost in Canada?
We publish fixed fees: incorporation from $600, a shareholder agreement from $1,320, a SAFE round from $2,600, a contractor agreement from $450, with government filing fees extra. Your exact fee is agreed in writing before any work starts, wherever you are in Canada.
Can a Toronto lawyer help a startup in another province?
Yes, for much of what an early-stage company needs. We advise on Ontario and federal law, which covers federal incorporation, PIPEDA, trademarks, the Competition Act and contracts written under Ontario law. Brooke Ash is licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, so where a matter turns on another province’s law, we say so and work with local counsel.
Should I incorporate federally or in my province?
A federal corporation can use its name across Canada, but at least 25% of its directors must be resident Canadians, or at least one if the board has fewer than four, and it registers in each province where it carries on business. We incorporate federally and in Ontario. If incorporating in another province suits you better, that’s that province’s law, and we’ll point you to local counsel.
What is extra-provincial registration?
Registering a corporation in a province other than the one whose law created it, so it can carry on business there. Even a federal corporation registers in each province where it carries on business. In Ontario that’s free and due within 60 days after it starts carrying on business here; other provinces set their own process and fees.
Do SAFE rules change from province to province?
A SAFE is a security, so each one needs a prospectus exemption. The accredited investor definition comes from National Instrument 45-106, which is used across Canada, but if investors live in other provinces, those provinces’ rules apply too and filings may be needed there. We check where each investor lives before the round closes.
Which privacy law applies to my startup?
PIPEDA governs most private sector startups outside Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta, which have their own private sector laws. Quebec’s law, as amended by Law 25, can reach startups based elsewhere that have Quebec users. Federal Bill C-36 would replace PIPEDA’s private sector rules, but it isn’t law yet.
Do we need to meet in person?
No. We work remotely with founders across Canada by video call, email and e-signature. The first step is a free 15-minute call.
What happens on the free consult?
Fifteen minutes on what you’re building and where you are. We tell you what your company needs now, what can wait, and what it would cost, before any work starts.
General information, not legal advice.
Read next
- Guide Should I incorporate federally or in Ontario?
- Guide What is extra-provincial registration?
- Guide Can a non-resident be a director of an Ontario company?
- Guide How do SAFEs work in Canada?
- Guide What is an accredited investor in Canada?
- Guide What does PIPEDA require of a small business?
- Guide Does Quebec's Law 25 apply to my startup if we're not in Quebec?
- Guide How do I register a trademark in Canada?
- Insight Legal help for AI and SaaS startups, stage by stage: what to do yourself and what to hand off
- Insight Canada's privacy law in 2026: Bill C-27 is gone, Bill C-36 is new, and PIPEDA still applies
- Free tool, 1 minute Federal or Ontario? Five questions to see which way the rules lean for your incorporation.
- Free tool, 1 minute SAFE and Share Filing Checker Check whether a share or SAFE sale needs a report filed with the OSC within 10 days.
- Free tool, 2 minutes Legal Health Check About ten questions for your kind of business, a score out of 100, and the gaps to close first.
- Free tool, 2 minutes Legal Budget Planner Pick what you need this year and see starting prices, with bundles applied.
Startup Lawyer in Toronto AI and SaaS Startups All Free Tools Fixed Fees
Tell us what you’re building, wherever you are in Canada, on a free 15-minute call. Book a Free Consult