Business Licensing

Overview 

The Consumer Affairs Office issues the following licences:

General Business Licence

1. Real Estate Agent Licence
2. Employment Agency Licence
3. Collection Agency/Vendor/Direct Seller Licence
4. Pawnbrokers and Second-Hand Dealers Licence

Fee Schedule

Check out the fee schedule to find out applicable fees related to your application: Business Licence Fee Schedule

General Business Licensing

Consumer Affairs issues licences to businesses that wish to operate Nunavut-wide and outside of municipal boundaries. Businesses who wish to operate within a municipal boundary must apply for a business licence from the respective hamlet/municipality. 

The Business Licence Act applies to all businesses that are carried out in Nunavut. 

Exceptions under the legislation include the following but are not limited to:

• Businesses licensed under another Act, except a business licensed under the Wildlife Act;
• the occupation of farmers, ranchers, trappers, farm labourers, domestic servants or unskilled labourers;
• the business of operating taxis in a municipality;
• the business of renting motor vehicles in a municipality;
• a business carried on by a person in the course of exercising his or her rights under a permit, licence or lease issued under an Act of Canada governing the administration of lands in the Nunavut belonging to the Crown;
• the business of publishing and distributing a newspaper or a magazine.

Business Licence Forms

Applicants are required to submit the following forms to apply for a business licence:

• Business Licence Application Form
• WSCC Certificate (if applicable)
• Surety Bond

Real Estate Agent Licensing

Real Estate Agents, Salespersons and Agencies are licensed in Nunavut through Consumer Affairs under the Real Estate Agents' Licensing Act.

Eligibility criteria under the legislation include the following:

For individuals

1. has attained the age of 19 years,
2. is a resident of Nunavut, and
3. has the prescribed education, training and examination qualifications of agents.

For Corporations or Partnerships

1. is registered under the laws of Nunavut, and 
2. has designated a representative that must be:
   1. be licensed as a salesperson;
   2. have the prescribed education, training and examination
      qualifications required of agents;
   3. in the case of a corporation, be a member of the board of directors
      of the corporation or an officer or manager of the corporation; or
      in the case of a partnership, be a partner or an officer or manager
      of the partnership.

Real Estate Agent Forms

To apply for a licence, applicants must submit the following requirements:

• Real Estate and Salesperson Application Form 
• Real Estate Agents Audit Report form
• *Written declaration made by an agent or the representative of an
  agent that the applicant, if granted a licence, is to act as a
  salesperson of the agent; 
• Surety bond

*Representatives or agents applying for a licence as a salesperson do not have to submit a written declaration.

Forms can be requested by contacting Consumer Affairs.

Employment Agency Licensing

Employment Agencies that are in the business of procuring a person for employment or employment for a person are licensed in Nunavut through Consumer Affairs under the Employment Agencies Act.

Eligibility Criteria for applicants include the following:

• If registered under the Companies Act or the Partnership Act, an applicant must be a resident of the Territories and shall have a permanent place of business in the Territories;
• A personal applicant for a licence or renewal shall be at least 19 years of age.

Applicants may request for the Employment Agency Application Form from Consumer Affairs.

Collection Agency, Vendor, Direct Seller Licensing

Vendors, direct sellers and collection agents and agencies are licensed under the Nunavut Consumer Protection Act. Requirements for each respective licence are provided below and can be requested from Consumer Affairs:

Collection Agents/Agency

• Application form 
• Extra Territorial Certificate of Compliance from Legal Registries
• Surety Bond 
• List of Collectors
• List of clients whom they make collections in Nunavut
• Copy of certificate of Compliance from the Workers Compensation Board
• List of Directors/Officers

Vendor

• Application form 
• Surety bond
• List of Direct Sellers 

Direct Seller

• Application form 
• Extra Territorial Certificate of Compliance from Legal Registries
• Surety Bond 
• List of Sellers 
• Application Form
• Record of Pawned Goods
• Record of Sale of Pawned Goods
• Record of Purchase and Sale of Second-Hand Goods

Pawnbrokers and Second-Hand Dealers Licensing

Pawnbrokers, pawners and second-hand dealers are licensed by Consumer Affairs under the Nunavut Pawnbrokers and Second-Hand Dealers Act.

Applicants may request the following forms from Consumer Affairs:

Consumer Affairs  
Department of Community and Government Services 
PO Box 440, 3090 6th St 
Baker Lake, Nunavut 
X0C 0A0 

Telephone: 1-866-223-8139 
Fax: 867-793-3321 
Email: [email protected]