Launch Your Burnaby Oil and Gas Wells Drilling Venture Today
This page gives you a practical, friendly roadmap to starting a drilling oil and gas wells business in Burnaby. Designed for new entrepreneurs, it explains the six essential requirements, what permits you’ll need, typical startup costs, and a realistic timeline to move from idea to a functioning operation under NAICS code 213111.
You’ll learn the six essential requirements: business registration, drilling and environmental permits, land access, safety and environmental plans, insurance and credentials, and financing plus equipment planning. We’ll outline where to apply, expected timelines, and typical fees, along with a clear view of startup costs and how long before your first drill site can come online.
Burnaby’s mix of urban infrastructure and province-wide industry oversight makes it a solid place to launch a BC-based drilling venture. You’ll benefit from access to skilled labor, reliable suppliers, and straightforward regulatory guidance, helping you stay compliant with NAICS 213111 while keeping costs practical and the path to your first site clear.
Requirements Overview
The most critical requirement for operating a drilling oil and gas wells business in Burnaby is Explosives License and Magazine Storage. This license is legally required to possess, handle, transport, and store blasting explosives, and you cannot legally begin blasting work without it. It is non-negotiable and must be secured before any blasting activity takes place.
Mandatory Operational Requirements: In addition to explosives licensing, you need solid health and safety practices and the right permits. Make sure you have WorkSafeBC coverage for your workers, and implement proper blasting safety procedures and training. Check for environmental permits and any Burnaby-specific land-use or blasting permits as part of your site operations. Local zoning and noise/land-use rules may apply, so verify requirements with the City of Burnaby to keep your project compliant from day one.
Business Registration & Tax: For the business side, obtain a Canada Revenue Agency Business Number (BN). If you operate under a name other than your own, register the BC Business Name for a Sole Proprietorship or Partnership. You’ll also need GST/HST registration and set up payroll deductions if you hire employees. Keeping these registrations current helps with smooth tax reporting, invoicing, and employee compliance.
Encouragement: Next steps are to confirm and start the explosives licensing process, arrange magazine storage compliance, secure WorkSafeBC coverage, and set up your BN, BC business name (if needed), and GST/HST. If you’d like, I can map a practical 60‑day plan to get compliant and ready to operate safely in Burnaby.
Detailed Requirements
Here are the specific requirements for starting a drilling oil and gas wells in Burnaby:
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Explosives License and Magazine Storage RequiredCompanies using explosives for mining/blasting must obtain federal explosives licenses, magazine storage permits, and comply with handling, transport, and security requirements. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) regulates explosives. License/permit for manufacture, storage, sale, possession. Magazine storage requirements. Blaster certification. Security screening. Annual inspections. Fireworks: separate categories. Contact NRCan Explosives: 1-855-283-8889.
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Business Number (BN) Registration RequiredA 9-digit Business Number is required for most businesses operating in Canada. It is used to interact with the Canada Revenue Agency and other federal programs. Required for GST/HST, payroll, corporation income tax, and import/export accounts. Register FREE online through Business Registration Online (BRO) at canada.ca. Takes 15-30 minutes. As of November 3, 2025, online registration is MANDATORY for new BNs - phone registration no longer available. You'll need: business name, address, owner SIN, business type, and start date. BN (9-digit number) issued INSTANTLY online. Available 21 hours/day, 7 days/week (closed 3-6am ET for maintenance).
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BC Business Name Registration (Sole Proprietorship/Partnership) RequiredRegistration of sole proprietorship or partnership business names with BC Registries Register sole proprietorship or partnership at bcregistry.gov.bc.ca. Name reservation: $30 (standard) or $100 (priority 1-2 days). Registration fee: $40. Total: ~$70. Name reserved for 56 days after approval. Registration is continuous (no renewal required). No name protection for sole proprietorships. Personal names operating under own name do not require registration. Contact BC Registries: 1-877-526-1526.
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GST/HST Registration ConditionalRequired if annual taxable revenue exceeds $30,000 (small supplier threshold). Taxi/ride-share drivers must register regardless of revenue. Businesses with gross revenues over $30,000 in any single quarter or over four consecutive quarters must register for, collect, and remit GST/HST. Small suppliers (under $30,000) may register voluntarily. Register FREE online through Business Registration Online (BRO) when your revenue exceeds $30,000 in any 4 consecutive quarters (small supplier threshold). Takes 15-30 minutes. You MUST register within 29 days of exceeding threshold and start charging GST/HST immediately on the sale that made you exceed it. Need your BN (or get one simultaneously). As of Nov 3, 2025, online registration is mandatory. Voluntary registration available anytime for input tax credits.
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Payroll Deductions Registration ConditionalRequired if you pay salaries, wages, or other remuneration to employees. Must register before first pay period. Required if you have employees. You must withhold Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Employment Insurance (EI), and income tax from employee wages and remit to CRA. Register FREE online through Business Registration Online (BRO) when you hire your first employee. Takes 15-20 minutes. You'll need your Business Number (BN) or can get one simultaneously. Payroll account (RP) added to your BN instantly. Register BEFORE your first pay date. Required to deduct CPP, EI, and income tax from employee wages. For 2025: CPP rate 5.95%, EI employee rate $1.66/$100 insurable earnings.
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WorkSafeBC Coverage and Registration ConditionalRequired if you have workers in BC. Workers compensation insurance coverage through WorkSafeBC for employers in British Columbia WorkSafeBC coverage required for most BC employers. Average base premium rate: 1.55% of assessable payroll ($1.55 per $100). Register online at worksafebc.com. Apply 30 days before starting business or hiring workers. Processing: ~10 business days. Premium rates vary by industry classification (514 classification units). COR certified employers eligible for 10% rebate. Contact: 604-276-3100 or 1-888-967-5377.
Funding & Grants
Available funding programs that may apply to your drilling oil and gas wells:
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The Ignite Program provides up to $300,000 to BC-based industry-academic teams for R&D projects in natural resources, applied science, and/or engineering. Projects must be at TRL 3 or above, have commercialization potential within 3 years, and secure 2:1 matching funds from industry or government sources. Funded by the Natural Resources …
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Under the CIIP, eligible industrial facilities reporting under the Greenhouse Gas Industrial Reporting and Control Act (GGIRCA) and emitting more than 10,000 tCO2e per year could receive a payment equal to all carbon tax paid above $30 per tCO2e, provided their emissions intensity met the world-leading benchmark for their sector. …
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The Alberta Carbon Capture Incentive Program (ACCIP) provides non-repayable grants equal to 12% of eligible capital costs for new CCUS projects, including equipment to capture, compress, transport, store or utilize carbon dioxide. The program is retroactive to January 1, 2022, meaning eligible capital costs incurred since that date qualify. Grants …
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Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) launched six prize-based challenges under the Impact Canada Initiative's Clean Technology Stream, backed by $75 million in federal funding announced in Budget 2017. The challenges—including Crush It!, Power Forward, Sky's the Limit, Charging the Future, Women in Cleantech, and the Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative—used prize-challenge methodology to …
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A $50 million federal program (Budget 2017) that funded demonstration and testing of clean technologies in oil sands extraction, LNG production, emissions detection and monitoring, heat/water recovery, and alternative low-carbon power technologies for oil and gas facilities. All funding has been allocated and the program is fully closed.
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