Becoming an Independent Delivery Entrepreneur in Quebec: Ready in 48 Hours
To become an independent delivery entrepreneur in Quebec, the business corporation is not optional: Intelcom lists "Have a certificate of incorporation" among the published requirements of its program. Prepare the corporation ($497 all-in), the NEQ, GST/QST and commercial insurance before applying — Intelcom advertises a start "in as little as 24 hours" after application.
The delivery driver's older sibling is the incorporated truck driver ("Driver Inc.") — same habits, same tax risks, heavier vehicles. Economic activity code (CAE) to declare with the Registrar for parcel delivery: 4842 (courier service) — see our CAE code lookup tool.
Why is incorporation a prerequisite for delivering parcels?
Because the companies that hire drivers put it in writing. Intelcom's Independent Delivery Entrepreneur program publishes its admission requirements, and "Have a certificate of incorporation" appears there in black and white: without a business corporation, your application does not clear the compliance documents stage. The corporation is not a tax choice here — it's an onboarding prerequisite.
Intelcom's published program requirements:
- Have a certificate of incorporation — the legal entity, before anything else;
- A full Canadian driver's licence — meaning not probationary; no higher licence class is required;
- A vehicle with at least 280 cubic feet of load capacity;
- Valid insurance — the program's English-language version specifies: commercial general liability and cargo insurance;
- Be able to lift 25 kg, a smartphone and a data plan of 3 GB or more.
Admission follows six steps: online application, compliance documents (including proof of incorporation and insurance certificates), contract signature, online training, recruiting drivers, then delivery — at an advertised pace of 110 to 150 deliveries per driver per day, 7 days a week. The "as little as 24 hours" start only holds if the file is already complete: this whole guide is designed to prepare it before you apply.
Amazon Flex, Intelcom or Amazon DSP: the three tiers to tell apart
Three programs, three profiles. Amazon Flex is an individual's side income, no corporation needed. The Intelcom program is the accessible entry point into the trade: one vehicle, but a mandatory corporation. Amazon DSP is a fleet SME project. Choosing your tier before investing avoids two classic mistakes: incorporating for nothing, or applying without a corporation.
| Amazon Flex | Intelcom (IDC) | Amazon DSP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporation required? | No — individual via the app | Yes — certificate of incorporation required | Yes — "create your business entity" is official step No. 1 |
| Vehicle | Your personal car | 1 vehicle of at least 280 cu ft | 5 vehicles at launch, 20-40 at maturity |
| Scale | Individual side income | 110-150 deliveries/day/driver, 7 days a week | 40-100 employees |
| Startup capital | — | Vehicle + insurance | "As low as CA$15,000" per Amazon (starting fleet of 5 vehicles) |
| Start-up time | Sign-up via the app | "In as little as 24 hours" after application | 2 weeks of mandatory training |
On the revenue side, let's be honest: Amazon presents for its DSPs a "potential" annual revenue of $1 million to $4 million and a "potential" profit of $75,000 to $175,000 — projections for fleets of 20 to 40 vehicles, accompanied by official disclaimers. Nothing comparable is published for the Intelcom program, and no one should promise you a figure.
What about "FedEx routes"? American guides touting the purchase of FedEx Ground routes do not apply here: FedEx merged its Canadian Ground unit into Express and converted its contractors to an employee model starting in 2024. The contractor model survives in the United States only — but its lesson still holds: in the parcel industry, the contractor is incorporated.
Licence, vehicle and the transportation commission: what the rules say
Good news: for a standard delivery van, the SAAQ's class 5 licence is enough — it covers a 2-axle vehicle with a net weight under 4,500 kg. And under 4,500 kg of GVWR, there's no registration in the heavy vehicle registry, nor a file with the Commission des transports du Québec.
Two concepts not to confuse, because they use the same number:
- Class 5 (licence) targets the vehicle's net weight: under 4,500 kg, 2 axles;
- The "heavy vehicle" threshold (PEVL/CTQ) targets the GVWR — the gross vehicle weight rating shown by the manufacturer on the vehicle's compliance label, including maximum load. At 4,500 kg of GVWR or more, the act on heavy vehicle owners and operators applies.
Common vans generally stay under this threshold, but certain extended configurations exceed it: check the GVWR on the label of your vehicle. Finally, declare the real use — commercial delivery — to the SAAQ and to your insurer.
What insurance does a delivery company need?
Your personal auto insurance policy does not cover commercial delivery: in the event of an accident during a route, the claim can be denied. You need a commercial auto policy with delivery use declared, to which the company that hires you adds its own requirements: commercial general liability insurance and cargo insurance, supported by certificates.
Three practical points:
- The certificates are onboarding documents: they are requested at the compliance documents stage, along with the certificate of incorporation. Have them issued in the corporation's name, not your own;
- The required amounts are not published. Your broker will confirm them based on the proposed contract — be wary of sites that state precise amounts;
- The declared use must match reality: an undeclared delivery use is enough on its own to jeopardize a claim.
GST/QST and PSB risk: the incorporated delivery driver's taxes
Two tax matters to settle right from the start: registering for the taxes, because a full-time delivery driver crosses the $30,000 threshold within the first year; and the risk of being classified as a personal services business (PSB), because an incorporated driver with a single company hiring them, at an imposed pace, matches the profile the CRA has been watching since 2022.
GST/QST: register right from the start. Registering for the GST and QST files becomes mandatory beyond $30,000 of taxable supplies over a calendar quarter or the four preceding quarters — at 110-150 deliveries a day, the threshold falls within the first year. Registering as soon as you incorporate lets you recover the ITCs and ITRs on fuel, rental and maintenance. The full process is in our GST/QST tax numbers guide, with amounts to charge in our GST/QST calculator; the Complete package at $697 includes these registrations.
PSB: the downside of mandatory incorporation. Incorporating because the company that hires you requires it does not change your real status. A single client, an assigned territory, an imposed pace and app control: these are the markers of disguised employment, and a PSB reclassification means a higher tax rate and the loss of most deductions — retroactively. The full mechanism is explained in our incorporated consultant guide, and the parallel in the transportation sector, in our Driver Inc. guide. And to know when incorporation truly pays off: When should you incorporate in Quebec?
Ready in 48 hours: the preparation sequence
Order matters: the corporation first, because everything else — taxes, insurance, application — is done in its name. The sequence follows the steps to create a business in Quebec.
- Day 0 — Incorporate the business corporation. Articles, certificate of incorporation, registration with the REQ and NEQ obtained along the way for a Quebec corporation. 2026 government fees: $397 (priority processing with the Registrar: $595.50). With Incorp-Québec, the Essential package at $497 all-in covers the government fees, the articles, the initial declaration and the numbered company — the format the companies that hire drivers ask for. Details in our incorporation costs guide and on the incorporating in Quebec online page.
- Day 0-1 — The tax numbers. GST/QST registration (mandatory in practice: the $30,000 threshold will be exceeded) and source deductions if you plan to hire drivers. The Complete package at $697 includes these registrations and express service.
- Day 1 — Insurance in the corporation's name. Commercial auto policy with delivery use declared, commercial general liability insurance and cargo insurance: request the certificates — these are the documents to upload. While you're at it, open the business bank account with the certificate and the NEQ.
- Day 1-2 — The application. Online form, upload of the certificate of incorporation and proof of insurance, contract signature, online training. Intelcom advertises a possible start "in as little as 24 hours" after application.
- Next — CNESST once you hire your first driver. Mandatory registration within 60 days of your first hired driver's first day of work (it can be done up to 30 days in advance). The principal is not automatically covered: optional personal protection exists ($33,600 to $103,000 in 2026).
Along the way: the vehicle's GVWR checked on the compliance label (under 4,500 kg: no PEVL/CTQ), a full, non-probationary class 5 licence.
Your delivery corporation, ready before you apply — $497 all-in
A form of about 20 minutes, articles prepared and verified, filed directly with the Registrar, the NEQ along the way. The Complete package at $697 adds the GST/QST and source deductions registrations — which a full-time delivery driver will need to do anyway.
The mistakes that cost you
- Driving with personal insurance. Delivery use is not covered by a personal policy: a claim can be denied, and the company that hires you requires commercial liability and cargo insurance anyway right from onboarding.
- Ignoring the PSB risk. A single company hiring you, an imposed pace and territory, the corporation's app control: the exact profile the CRA has been watching since 2022. In the event of reclassification: a higher tax rate and lost deductions, retroactively. FedEx itself used to publish a PSB warning for its contractors.
- Confusing the three tiers. Flex (individual, no corporation) is not Intelcom's IDC (mandatory corporation, 1 vehicle), which is not Amazon DSP (fleet SME, 40-100 employees, 2 weeks of training). And American guides about "FedEx routes" no longer apply in Canada since 2024.
- Underestimating the economics of the parcel. No per-parcel rate is officially published. A journalistic investigation (Pivot, September 2025) reports about $1.80 per parcel paid through "broker" intermediaries, minus a commission of about 20%, and a van rental of about $70 a day — thin margins at 110-150 daily stops. These are press figures, not a rate schedule: the signed contract is authoritative, not the promises.
- Forgetting the CNESST when you hire your first driver. Registration must be done within 60 days of the first day worked, or late fees apply. And the principal is not covered without optional personal protection.
FAQ — Becoming an independent delivery entrepreneur in Quebec
Do you really need to be incorporated to deliver for Intelcom?
Yes. "Have a certificate of incorporation" appears in the published requirements of Intelcom's Independent Delivery Entrepreneur program, alongside a full Canadian driver's licence, a vehicle of at least 280 cu ft and valid insurance. The certificate is uploaded at the compliance documents stage.
Can I deliver for Amazon without a corporation?
Yes, through Amazon Flex: a program for individuals who deliver with their own car as independent contractors, with no corporation required. The Amazon DSP program, on the other hand, requires you to create a business entity: it's a fleet SME project, not a side income.
What driver's licence do I need?
A full Canadian driver's licence (not a probationary one). Class 5 is enough: it covers a 2-axle vehicle with a net weight under 4,500 kg, which includes typical delivery vans.
Do I need to register with the Commission des transports (PEVL)?
No, if the vehicle's GVWR — the weight shown by the manufacturer on the compliance label — is under 4,500 kg. From 4,500 kg of GVWR, registration with the heavy vehicle owners and operators registry applies. GVWR is not the same as the class 5 net weight: two distinct concepts.
Is my personal auto insurance enough?
No. Commercial delivery use requires a commercial auto policy, without which a claim can be denied. Intelcom also requires commercial general liability insurance and cargo insurance. The required amounts are not published: confirm them with a broker before applying.
How soon can you start delivering?
Intelcom advertises a start "in as little as 24 hours" after receiving the application. That timeline assumes a complete file: corporation formed, NEQ, insurance certificates in the corporation's name. Hence the value of preparing everything before applying.
How much is a delivery driver paid per parcel?
No official rate is published. A journalistic investigation (Pivot, 2025) reports about $1.80 per parcel paid to the driver through intermediaries, minus a commission of about 20%, with van rental billed by the day. These are press figures, not a rate schedule: only the signed contract is authoritative.
When do I need to register for GST/QST?
Registration becomes mandatory as soon as your taxable supplies exceed $30,000 over a calendar quarter or over the four preceding quarters — a full-time delivery driver crosses that threshold within the first year. In practice, you register right from the start to recover the ITCs and ITRs on fuel, rental and maintenance.
What if I hire drivers?
Registration with the CNESST is mandatory within 60 days of your first driver's first day of work (it can be done up to 30 days in advance). The incorporated principal is not automatically covered: they can take out optional personal protection ($33,600 to $103,000 in 2026).
How much does the corporation cost, and its upkeep?
2026 government fees: $397 for the certificate of incorporation, then $106 in annual rights to the Registrar (not required in the year following registration) — our guide to the Quebec Enterprise Register covers these obligations in detail. With Incorp-Québec: $497 all-in, or $697 with an official name, GST/QST and source deductions registrations, and express service.
Ready to prepare your file?
Intelcom's "24-hour" window only benefits complete files: corporation, NEQ, taxes, certificates. The business corporation is the legal structure the program requires — you might as well set it up correctly before applying.
Your delivery driver incorporation — $497 all-in
A form of about 20 minutes, articles of incorporation, initial declaration with the REQ and government fees included. The Complete package at $697 adds the GST/QST and source deductions registrations — useful from the very first year of delivery.
Incorp-Québec is a document preparation service: our role is to prepare and file your corporation's incorporation documents. The Intelcom, Dragonfly and Amazon brands are mentioned for informational purposes only; their requirements and programs can change without notice — verify them at the source before applying. Nothing in this guide guarantees you will get a contract or any level of income. For advice on your tax situation (particularly PSB risk), consult a tax specialist.