Bluewings TaxTAX & BUSINESS SUPPORT

PREPARATION GUIDE / CANADA

Closing a Canadian business: programme-account checklist

List every registered account and outstanding filing period before closing the business. The end of trading, legal dissolution and closing CRA programme accounts are separate steps to coordinate.

Preparation resource. Editorial review: November 3, 2026. This guide helps organize records and questions; it does not determine your tax position. Use the agency instructions for the relevant year and obtain advice for your circumstances.

Records to organize

Prepare the records that relate to your situation and keep the original supporting statements. Use the same filing year or clearly labelled periods so the reviewer can follow the history.

  • Closure or sale agreements and dates
  • GST/HST and payroll account details
  • Outstanding returns, remittances and CRA correspondence

How to use these records

Coordinate final reporting periods, outstanding amounts and each programme-account closure. Legal dissolution and CRA account closure are separate processes. Retain confirmations rather than assume ending activity or closing the bank account completed the tax administration.

The question to resolve before filing

Which final filings and account-closure actions are required, and who will complete them?

Start with the facts you can support. Identify missing statements, corrections and earlier filings instead of filling a gap with an estimate that has not been discussed. Tell the team which countries, tax years and agencies are involved so the engagement can cover the right work.

A mistake to avoid

Do not assume dissolving the legal entity automatically closes every CRA programme account.

A clear handoff to your preparer

  1. Label the evidence. Keep each record with its relevant year, account or activity.
  2. List open questions. Share missing information and anything that differs from the prior return.
  3. Confirm the scope. Ask which returns, disclosures and follow-up work are included before preparation begins.

Do not enter identity numbers, account numbers, verification codes or tax-document copies in a public enquiry. Use your private client portal for requested records after onboarding.

Official starting points

Use the current agency guidance and the instructions for the applicable filing year. A source link is not confirmation that a particular rule, election or claim applies to your circumstances.

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