What is the Business Number for our Charity?

Your Business Number (BN) is the root of all your tax accounts (i.e., Charity (RR), HST, payroll, corporate tax).

When you incorporate, your BN and corporate income tax number are automatically assigned by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), making the process seamless for you.

Upon incorporation, we will send you your Business Number, with which you can immediately open a bank account (note: most major banks, including BMO, Scotiabank, and TD, offer accounts with lower monthly fees for Not-for-Profits/Charities).

If you have incorporated your not-for-profit provincially, obtaining your BN is not a complicated process. Simply call the CRA at 1-800-959-5525 and speak to a live agent who will guide you through the process. It's as easy as that.

In Canada, a Business Number (BN) is a unique 9-digit identifier the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) assigns to businesses operating there. Charities and not-for-profit organizations are also required to have a BN.

The BN is not just a requirement but an essential tool for tracking a charity's taxation and financial activity.

It is the root of all the tax accounts, including the Registered Charity Information Return (RRIF), Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST), payroll, and corporate tax accounts.

The CRA uses the BN to identify and track tax payments, refunds, and credits, ensuring that the charity complies with all tax regulations. Incorporating a not-for-profit organization or charity automatically assigns a BN by the CRA. It is not just a step in the process, but a crucial one that enables the charity to open a bank account and conduct financial transactions in the name of the charity.

Moreover, having a Business Number is not just a requirement, but a necessity for a charity to issue official donation receipts for tax purposes. Without a BN, a charity cannot issue official donation receipts, and donors cannot claim tax credits. This could lead to a loss of financial support for the charity.

A charity's Business Number is not just a number but a vital identifier for charities operating in Canada. It enables the CRA to monitor the charity's financial activities, ensure compliance with tax regulations, and allow the charity to issue official donation receipts.

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