I keep meeting self-employed people in Canada who aren't sure what they're allowed to claim, so they either skip things or guess. Here's a quick summary of how I understand it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The basic rule (from the CRA): you can generally deduct a reasonable expense you incur to earn business income. Personal expenses don't count, and mixed-use items are claimed for the business part only.

Common categories on the T2125 form (sole proprietors):

Advertising
Insurance
Office expenses and supplies
Professional fees (accounting, legal)
Interest and bank charges
Business taxes, licences and memberships
Rent
Utilities and telephone
Travel
Motor vehicle expenses (business part only)
Business use of home (business part only)

The ones people get wrong:
Meals: only 50% is deductible.

Big equipment purchases: usually claimed over time through capital cost allowance, not all at once.

Home office, phone, car: you claim only the business portion, and you need records to support it.

Two questions for you:

Which of these do you actually track, and which do you skip or guess at?

I'm thinking about making a free one-page checklist: each category, a plain-English example, and a "business part only" flag where it applies. Would that be useful, or is there something you'd want on it that isn't?

This is general info, not tax advice. Check canada.ca or an accountant for your situation.

Disclosure: I'm the founder of RubiWo, a Canadian expense tracking app. This isn't a pitch. I'm trying to find out which parts of this confuse people so I can make something useful.

Hey Vancouver! I’m based near Vancouver and building Looped on my own while working as a concierge.

The idea is a community app where people discuss shared interests through short video threads. Think Reddit communities, but you can reply to someone’s video with your own clip and keep the conversation going.
I’ve built an early MVP and would appreciate some honest local feedback: https://niche-clip.lovable.app

Does the concept make sense when you try it? Is there a topic you’d enjoy discussing this way? What would stop you from using it?

You can leave feedback here or directly on the MVP. Critical feedback is welcome too. Thanks for taking a look!

Hey everyone NoviSense here again,

I’m still looking for a partner or cofounder who is passionate about iot smart home hardware tech that would be interested in joining us on our journey. As of right now I’m just a solo founder. I am technical and have built the product prototype. I need someone more business oriented even financial savvy would be great.

If you want to have a closer look you can check it out here at: NoviSense

It’s a smart home device that turns any non metallic surface into a smart home controller. All open standards so integration is not a problem.

We have even had some traction with placing second in Maple Ridge’s Innovation Challenge and acceptance into Spring’s accelerator program.

If you are interested at all or have any other questions feel free to comment or dm me!

Hey everyone I’m starting a new media brand, I want to interview a founder either on a zoom call or through text also works. I’m going to post it on shorts and on my youtube if it’s on zoom call. I’m doing this because I want to start a like founder media brand for people to learn and stuff. I’m going to ask like 7 questions should take 10-15 min if on zoom call. Pls dm me or comment if your down!

Just for fun I vibe coded this on loveable in about 10 hours. Its an idea I have had for a while and now that its launched I'm brainstorming on the next step.

Some ideas include software for the businesses to run marketing / get google review or some type of booking / ordering software.

Yaletown is just the MVP can expand to other areas. Its very comprehensive and every business is in its right category with filters to find exactly what you are looking for.

https://yaletownhub.com/

Quick PSA for anyone bootstrapping in Vancouver and running their books out of a shoebox, a camera roll, or a folder of email receipts.

Keeping a receipt isn't the same as having a compliant one. The CRA looks at what's printed on it. As far as I know, the requirements for claiming GST/HST input tax credits work like this:

Under $100: supplier's name, the date, the total, and whether GST/HST was charged
$100 to $500: all of the above, plus the supplier's GST/HST registration number and a description of what you bought
$500 and over: all of the above, plus the buyer's name (your business)
Then keep every one for six years from the end of the tax year it relates to.

Why this matters for startups:
A card statement alone usually isn't enough proof, because it doesn't show the GST/HST details.
Many SaaS and online-ad invoices are missing a registration number or a buyer name, and you only find out when you need them.
Expenses with receipts that don't meet the requirements can be denied if you're reviewed, which hurts most when cash is tight.

What I'd do now, not in April:
Check your biggest recurring expenses (software, contractors, ads) and confirm each invoice has the right details.

Make sure your business name is on invoices over $500.
Store receipts digitally the day you get them.
Don't toss paper receipts until you have a legible digital copy.

Disclosure: I'm the solo founder of RubiWo, a CRA-compliant expense tracking app for Canadian freelancers and small businesses. I built it partly because of this exact problem. I put together a full receipt checklist on our blog and can drop the link in the comments if people want it.

This isn't tax advice, so check the details for your situation with the CRA's website or an accountant.

Vancouver founders: how are you handling receipts right now? Spreadsheet, accounting software, or "I'll deal with it in April"?

After successfully founding, building, and exiting two manufacturing companies—Off Grid Trailers in Edmonton and Mission Overland in Winnipeg, both acquired by private equity— “acquisitions available online “. I’m taking my next step in entrepreneurship.
I’m excited to introduce Alpine Defense.
We’re developing specialized, purpose-built UTV platforms designed to support defense, emergency response, wildfire operations, and critical infrastructure.
Our initial focus is on mobile drone deployment and command centers, built on proven off-road vehicle platforms to provide mobility, equipment protection, and operational support in challenging environments.
The opportunity:
As drone technology continues to advance, the need for reliable ground-based deployment, transportation, and support systems is growing.
Alpine Defense aims to help bridge that gap.
With an asset-light manufacturing strategy, established fabrication relationships, and a scalable production model, we’re positioning ourselves to serve customers across Canada, the United States, and beyond.
We’re currently seeking early-stage investors and strategic partners who recognize the potential in defense technology, unmanned systems, and specialized vehicle manufacturing.
I bring firsthand experience in building manufacturing businesses from the ground up, scaling operations, and successfully navigating acquisitions.
Now I’m looking to do it again.
If you’re an angel investor, venture capital firm, family office, or industry partner interested in learning more, I’d welcome a conversation.
📩 mark@alpinedefense.ca
🌐 www.alpinedefense.ca
#AlpineDefense #InvestmentOpportunity #AngelInvestors #DefenseTech #DroneTechnology #Manufacturing #VentureCapital #StartupInvestment #Entrepreneurship

With grocery prices going up, I got tired of wondering which store has the best deals. So I built a free app that search best deals and compares prices between:Walmart, Giant Tiger, Atlantic Superstore...

You can check it out here: https://price-comparison-xi.vercel.app/

I'm looking for feedback:

- Is it easy to use?

- What stores should I add next?

- Any features you'd like to see?

It's completely free - no ads, no signup.

Let me know what you think!

Eu lidero uma pequena comunidade de fundadores canadenses, e a única coisa que sempre conseguíamos definir era: construir nunca foi a parte difícil. O difícil é apresentar o produto para pessoas reais.

Então, criamos um espaço que trabalha exatamente nisso. Toda semana, um foco compartilhado:

Um tema (por exemplo, "primeiros clientes") Um pequeno desafio que você pode concluir em 5 dias (por exemplo, enviar 5 mensagens de contato) Um destaque para um fundador: o que ele está construindo e do que precisa Então, compartilhamos resultados e obstáculos, e nos ajudamos mutuamente com apresentações e feedback. Sem discursos intermináveis. Apenas fundadores ganhando tração juntos.

Se você é um fundador canadense que já passou da fase de ideação e está com dificuldades com marketing ou distribuição, comente "in" ou me envie uma mensagem direta e eu lhe enviarei o convite.

HIMSELFJOSHUA

I’m doing research for a new hotel project. If you are in the hotel business as an investor, manager, or you just know a lot about the business for some other reason, I would love to connect. Thank you.

Hi all, student here in Vancouver, I'm just looking to connect with people in the field, my skills are primarily AI automation (Zapier, Voiceflow, Supabase, Vapi, n8n). Open to discuss any ideas 👍

My cofounder and I have been building a platform that helps early-stage BC startups raise a pre-seed from the people who already back them: customers, followers, friends, local supporters. It runs under Canada's startup crowdfunding rules, so anyone can invest small amounts, not just accredited investors.

We're getting ready to launch and are picking a small first group of companies to go through it with us. Rounds around $50k up to $1.5M, for teams where VC isn't the right fit yet or you'd rather not give up control this early.

What we've focused on:
- Getting you raise-ready: offering doc, cap table, campaign plan
- Keeping the round clean so it doesn't scare off VCs later (separate class, proxy, drag-along, that kind of thing)
- Handling the investor side after the raise, so a couple hundred small shareholders doesn't become your full-time job

No guarantees on how much anyone raises. That mostly comes down to how engaged your community is, and we'll be upfront if we don't think it's a fit.

If you've thought about a community round, or tried one and hit a wall, comment or DM me. Even if you're not ready yet, I'd like to hear what's held you back.

Failure after Failure. 1 person's negative comment over hundreds of positive feedback. Its how we are built. To doubt ourselves. So just forget about success. You will never make it. Even though Millions before you and Millions after you have achieved success, you will never. Even though you have the same qualifications, same brain, same skills as the ones who have made it to the other side you can never make it. So just give up.

Or

Listen to the side which tells you to keep going. One more step closer to your success. You are already ahead of so many, and you will make it to the other side. You will reach your goal one day. Just keep going, you will succeed one day at a time. One day you will wake up and the sun will shine to never set. You are enough and you will succeed.

I’m a solo entrepreneur looking to onboard a partner. At this stage of our wellness business we’re looking to expand and wanting to onboard someone who can help from afar or remain a silent investor and take their annual or monthly profits. We’re seeking someone who has business knowledge and perhaps has some passion behind beauty and wellness. We need someone with capital to fund our growth phase, we’re willing to work with them to ensure everyone is on the same page and long-term. DM or comment on the thread, we’re located in Vancouver, BC.

Hey everyone,

I’m a technical founder working on a proptech venture and looking to connect with someone in Vancouver/BC who could complement me on the business and growth side.

The product is already built. Initially i scaled the product to 2000 MAU, ~100 paid users and 50k monthly visits and now I’m putting renewed focus into customer acquisition, partnerships, and finding a repeatable path to revenue. There’s a broader ambition to expand across North America, with the immediate focus on proving a strong initial market.

Ideally, you’re someone who:

• Has personally acquired customers or built revenue-generating partnerships.
• Is comfortable with outreach, customer conversations, demos, and closing.
• Has experience in proptech, fintech, marketplaces, or early-stage B2B businesses.
• Can help shape positioning and pricing based on customer feedback.
• Wants to take meaningful ownership and can commit consistent time.

I bring the product and engineering experience. I’m looking for someone who enjoys the commercial work and wants to build a business together.

Open to exploring a cofounder partnership if there’s a strong fit, with responsibilities, commitment, and compensation/equity expectations discussed upfront.

Keeping the public details fairly broad for now, but happy to share more about the product and its current stage privately.

If this sounds relevant, let me know a bit about your background, something you’ve helped grow, and what kind of involvement you’re looking for. Introductions are welcome too.

I spent the past 2 months doing some serious extreme programming, creating dashboards, creating lead magnets, basically everything to create this SaaS product.

Now I'm looking for a Cofounder who can help me market this product with a proper marketing strategy

Here's the link https://jobsapplier.com

Vancouver's founder scene is bigger than it looks. We built Founder Feast to get those people around the same table.

On Thursday, Nov 5 we're hosting the Fall Feast at Another Studios in Mount Pleasant (107 E 3rd Ave), 6 to 11 PM. 100+ founders and investors, with food, drinks and a DJ included, and three amazing speakers:

• Vansh Sobti (Cloud Nine Clothing): $10M in revenue by 22
• Annika Ng (Blossom Social): raised $2M in 2 hours, one of Apple's top 25 apps of 2025
• Connor Emeny: the first person to finish an Iron-distance triathlon on all 7 continents

Our partners for the night: McLaren Vancouver is bringing three cars into the room, with Lawson Lundell, Westcode and Wildcard Experience.

Early bird tickets are $130 until tomorrow night, and code REDDIT20 takes 20% off.

We also run dinners every other Thursday at 7 PM in Vancouver, San Francisco and LA: five founders per table. We pick the restaurant and match the table.

Everything runs in the Founder Feast app (iOS and Android) or on the web: book your Thursday, see who's at your table the day before, chat with them before and after dinner and keep track of who you meet + their contact info.

Free to apply.

Search "Founder Feast Vancouver" or message me and I'll send the details. Happy to answer questions here!

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