How to self-publish a book in Canada

The Canadian process at a glance

1. Edit your manuscript and decide on Canadian, US or British spelling.
2. Register with ISBN Canada and assign a free ISBN to each format.
3. Design and format your book; add ISBNs to the copyright page and barcode.
4. Set up KDP, IngramSpark and Kobo Writing Life, completing the W-8BEN for US platforms.
5. Publish, then complete legal deposit with LAC (and BAnQ in Québec).
6. Register for Public Lending Right during the annual registration period.

Free ISBNs from Library and Archives Canada

Canada is one of the few countries where ISBNs are free. Register as a publisher with ISBN Canada (run by Library and Archives Canada), then assign numbers to each edition. Because they're free, there's no reason to use Amazon's free ISBN — using your own keeps your imprint on every listing.

Legal deposit: LAC and BAnQ

Under Canada's legal deposit rules, publishers must send copies of newly published books to Library and Archives Canada. The number of copies depends on the size of the print run, and digital publications are deposited electronically. If you publish in Québec, you must also deposit copies with Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ).

Public Lending Right and Access Copyright

Canada's Public Lending Right (PLR) program, administered through the Canada Council for the Arts, makes annual payments to authors whose books are held in Canadian public libraries. Registration opens once a year (usually in February), so mark your calendar. Access Copyright (and Copibec in Québec) distributes money from the copying of published works, which can be meaningful for non-fiction and educational authors.

The W-8BEN and US royalties

US platforms withhold 30% from non-US authors unless a tax treaty claim is made. Canadian residents who complete the W-8BEN correctly generally pay 0% US withholding on book royalties. Renew the form before it expires (usually after about three years).

CRA, GST/HST and your imprint

• Income tax: royalties are reported on your Canadian return; keep records of publishing expenses.
• GST/HST: registration is required once you exceed the small-supplier threshold ($30,000 in taxable revenue over four consecutive quarters). Many authors never reach it.
• Imprint name: using a business name other than your own usually requires registering it in your province.

General information only — speak to an accountant about your situation.

Province-by-province notes

• Québec: BAnQ legal deposit, French-language metadata, and Copibec for reproduction rights.
• Ontario: the Ontario Arts Council runs writing programs; check each program's rules on self-published work.
• British Columbia and Alberta: provincial arts councils and foundations offer writer support; eligibility varies.
• Atlantic Canada and the Prairies: provincial arts boards and writers' federations often run local-author programs and festivals open to independent authors.
• Business names: register trade names with your province's business registry (for example, ServiceOntario in Ontario).

Where Canadians buy books

Amazon.ca is large, but Kobo has an unusually strong position in Canada's eBook market, and Indigo is the country's biggest bookstore chain. Many Canadian authors publish wide: KDP for Amazon, Kobo Writing Life for Kobo, and IngramSpark for bookstores and libraries.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Library and Archives Canada — ISBN and legal deposit
• BAnQ — Dépôt légal
• Canada Council for the Arts — Public Lending Right
• Access Copyright
• IRS — Form W-8BEN
• Canada Revenue Agency

Rules and prices change. We review this guide regularly, but always confirm with the official source before you act. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.