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Province guide · NU

Doing business inNunavut

No territorial sales tax, a payroll tax on employee pay and dedicated Nunavut business financing.

Start a business here →Grants & fundingWhat to watch in Nunavut
Sales tax5% GST only

No territorial sales tax

Workers’ compWSCC

Shared with NWT

Payroll taxTerritorial payroll tax

Deducted from employee pay

RegisterLegal Registries

Business names and corporations

Photo: Iqaluit by Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
About the province

Nunavut at a glance

CapitalIqaluit
Largest cityIqaluit
Key industries
MiningFisheriesPublic servicesInuit arts
Local business networkBaffin Regional Chamber of Commerce

Who’s who for small businessFull cabinet ↗

John MainPremierJohn MainPremier of NunavutRechie ValdezFederalRechie ValdezSecretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)
2,791Small employer businessesYukon, NWT and Nunavut combined, Dec. 2024
29.1Businesses per 1,000 adultsTerritories combined; national 32.7
12,400Private-sector jobs2024
99Goods exportersTerritories combined, 2024

Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Key Small Business Statistics 2025 (Statistics Canada Business Register). Portraits: Wikimedia Commons (John Main: Canada's Premiers, Public domain; Rechie Valdez: Patrick Doyle, CC BY 4.0).

Nunavut: Inuit-Led Growth Across the Arctic

Nunavut is Canada’s largest and youngest territory, with a population that is mostly Inuit. Small businesses supply goods and services across 25 fly-in communities.

Inuit-owned firms, contractors, retailers, outfitters and artists form the heart of the territory’s private sector.

Industries and Regional Strengths

Iqaluit is the centre for government, construction, aviation and retail. Gold and iron ore mines in the Kivalliq and Qikiqtaaluk regions create demand for suppliers. Fisheries for turbot and shrimp operate offshore, and Inuit art and crafts reach markets worldwide.

Sealift season each summer shapes inventory and construction schedules.

Opportunities for Small Businesses

Opportunities include construction, mining services, tourism, fisheries and arts. Procurement policies support Inuit-owned and Nunavut-based firms.

High costs, limited infrastructure and small markets require long planning horizons and strong community partnerships.

Discover Nunavut’s Business Community

CanadianSME shares the stories, insights and experiences of Nunavut’s entrepreneurs and business leaders. Explore small business news, founder interviews, practical resources and industry perspectives that connect and inform the territory’s business community.

Step-by-step guide

How to start a business in Nunavut

  1. 1

    Choose your business structure

    Decide between a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation. Incorporating — provincially or federally through Corporations Canada — limits personal liability and can lower tax on retained profits, but adds filing work.

    Corporations Canada ↗
  2. 2

    Register your business

    Register a business name or incorporate with Nunavut Legal Registries.

    Nunavut Legal Registries ↗
  3. 3

    Set up your tax accounts

    Get a CRA business number and GST account. Set up payroll to withhold the territorial payroll tax if you hire.

    Register for a business number ↗
  4. 4

    Get licences and permits

    Use BizPaL to see the federal, provincial and municipal permits your type of business needs, then confirm zoning and any local business licence with your city or town.

    BizPaL permit finder ↗
  5. 5

    Prepare to hire

    Open a CRA payroll account, register with WSCC for workplace insurance, and review the province’s employment standards for pay, hours and leave.

    WSCC ↗
  6. 6

    Find advice and funding

    Talk to a local small business centre, check the funding finder for programmes that fit, and build a relationship with a bank or credit union early.

    Nunavut Business Credit Corporation ↗

What to watch in Nunavut

  1. 01Government procurement favours Inuit-owned and Nunavut-based firms under NNI policy.
  2. 02Sealift schedules drive inventory timing — plan orders early.
  3. 03Staff may qualify for the northern residents deduction.

Register and stay compliant

Provincial funding and support

Federal support in Nunavut

Business networks and data

Reviewed October 2026. Rates, thresholds and programmes change — confirm with the official source before you file or apply. CanadianSME is not affiliated with these agencies.

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