Will it actually work?

What the spreadsheet doesn't tell you

Stats Canada says ~31% of Canadian services businesses don't make 5 years. Most that survive pay themselves less than their old job paid in Year 1, even at $80-120k revenue. This is normal. You're capitalizing the business.

Things 16-35 founders forget

• Mortgage qualification: A-lenders need 2 years of T2125/T2 income filed. Plan housing decisions before quitting if possible.
• Disability insurance: No employer LTD = self-insure at $50-150/mo for $3,000-5,000/mo benefit.
• TFSA cash buffer beats stock investments while building. Liquidity > returns.
• CRA quarterly installments bite Year 2 — set aside 25-35% of net every month.
• EI: standard EI gone the day you self-employ. Opt into EI Special Benefits ($1,123/yr 2026) if planning a kid in 2-3 years — 12-month wait period.
• Common-law trigger at 12 months affects GST credit, Canada Workers Benefit, AB child benefits.
• Daycare reality: Alberta is moving to $10/day by March 31 2026 but waitlists are 12-24 months. Realistic private space = $1,200-1,800/mo per kid.
• WCB Alberta mandatory if hiring helpers; opt-in for owner-operators in trade rate groups.

True cost of leaving your job (often $X under-counted by $5-15k/yr)

• Salary (the obvious one)
• Employer RRSP / pension match: 3-5% of salary lost
• Health/dental: $80-200/mo individual to replace
• Paid vacation: 2-3 weeks = $2-5k of value
• Sick days, mental health days
• Standard EI access (gone)
• Employer half of CPP: ~5.95% on first $71,300 — you now pay both halves
• Career velocity: promotion path foregone

This calculator gives you the honest math. The decision is yours. Most people who think about this never do it. The ones who do are usually scared the whole way.