Only $39.99 to Incorporate a Company in Canada

Most company structures in Canada are:

1. Sole Proprietorship: This is an unincorporated company with just one owner. There is no distinction between the business and the owner. The owner is completely in charge of making decisions and receives all earnings and losses. You also take up the business's risks and you are personally responsible for all business operations and debts.

2. Partnership: A partnership is established when several individuals, corporations, trusts, or partnerships collaborate to contribute resources and expertise to the business. This is done through a formal agreement that specifies how tasks, profits, and losses will be shared.

3. Corporation: A corporation is an independent legal entity that gives shareholders and owners limited liability protection, shielding them from personal accountability for the company's liabilities. In Canada, a corporation is vested with the same legal capacities as a natural person, enabling it to possess property, engage in business activities, borrow and lend money, initiate legal actions, and be subject to legal actions. The corporation's shareholders do not hold ownership of the business or its assets, and are typically not personally accountable for its debts, except in certain exceptional cases. Corporations offer limited liability and ease of asset transfer. As a distinct legal entity, a corporation is obligated to pay taxes on its earnings. It is the most preferred business structure in Canada.

Federal Incorporation is registering your company under the laws and regulations of the federal government, giving the company an ability to operate across all Canadian provinces and territories.

By incorporating, you create a new legal entity called a corporation. In Canada, a corporation has the same rights as a person.

Any business and non-profits operating in Canada can incorporate federally.

Federal Incorporation gives you the right to use your name across Canada, it offers limited liability to shareholders, you get tax benefits due to lower corporate tax rates and incorporating federally also gives you a better access to capital and grants.

A person must be at least 18 years old to be an incorporator / director / shareholder of a corporation in Canada.

Yes, non-residents can become directors of a corporation. However, at least 25% of the directors must be a Canadian resident.

Numbered name: A numbered name is basically a number assigned to your corporation by Corporations Canada as your corporate name. (For example, 12345678 Inc.) The number is assigned automatically and you do get an option to choose the number of your preference.

Word Name: A word name can include letters, symbols and numbers. Your proposed name must be distinctive and must not cause confusion with other names or trademarks. Also, the proposed name must not contain prohibited terms.

A corporate body can hold shares in a corporation; however, it can not act as a director of the corporation as the directors’ need be individuals.

A corporation must have at least one director and shareholder. There is no limit on how many directors you can appoint to a corporation. However, you need to set a limit for maximum numbers of directors allowed prior incorporating your corporation.

An individual with significant control is someone who owns or controls a corporation.

• This individual:
• owns, controls or directs 25% or more of shares individually, jointly or in concert with one or more individuals
• has control in fact over a corporation without owning any shares
• has a combination of shares and control in fact

Registration is different from incorporation. A corporation may incorporate only once, but it may register to carry on business in any number of jurisdictions. You must register your corporation in every province and territory where you will conduct business.

Your company's registered office address must be an address where you can receive official documents of your corporation. It should not be a P.O. Box address.

The registered office address, even if it is also a residential address, is corporate information that is publicly available.

The corporate information that is made publicly available is as follows:

Corporation Number, Business Number, Corporate Name, Status, Registered Office Address, Director Names and Addresses, Names and addresses of Individuals with significant control and filling history.

Corporations Canada assign a unique number to each corporation that is used to identify a corporation. It remains the same throughout the corporation's lifetime and is visible on a company's legal documents. It includes corporation's basic information such as its name and details of the operating agreement.

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) assigns a unique number referred as Business Number to all organizations operating as businesses. The business number acts as a unique identifier for federal and provincial tax purposes and enables the business to access government programs and services.

A corporation key is a password issued by Corporations Canada. The corporation number along with a corporation key allows you to complete online transactions for your corporation. A corporation key is mandatory to file an annual return and individuals with significant control information for businesses incorporated under the CBCA. Corporation Key can be found on the 'Corporate Information Sheet'.

Some of the important compliances of a federal corporation is to submit an annual return to Corporations Canada and Corporation’s Tax Return to Canada Revenue Agency. Other compliances include keeping Corporate Records, preparing Financial Statements, holding Shareholders’ Meetings, Appointing Auditors, etc.

We need One photo ID, One proof of address and a selfie test for each director and shareholder of the company for verification.
For more information, please see our ID guide here: Click Here

Corporations Canada usually take 1 to 2 working days to process a Federal Incorporation application. It may take more time in some cases depending on Corporations Canada’s processing.

All company formation documents will be sent to you via email. This includes Certificate of Incorporation, Articles of Incorporation, Initial Registered Office Address and First Board of Directors, Corporate Information Sheet and Extra-provincial Registration (if applicable).

Payment made to us for Federal Incorporation is non-refundable or transferrable and you will have to make the payment and apply again if your application is rejected.