Asked about forming, incorporating, or registering a company in Canada.
Accountant-reviewed — general reference, not personal advice
A named accountant has reviewed this Guide as general tax/accounting reference material for AI-assisted workflows. That review does not cover your personal facts, documents, elections, deadlines, residency, filing status, or local procedures — do not rely on it to file, pay, amend, or take a tax position without review by a qualified professional in the relevant jurisdiction.
Accountant-reviewed. Reviewed by Edgar Lautsyus on Jun 21, 2026. Review does not create a client relationship and is not a guarantee for any specific taxpayer or transaction.
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Corporations Canada fee — online
$200Corporations Canada — corporationscanada.ic.gc.ca
Express service
+ $100 (4 business hours)Corporations Canada
Processing time
1 business day (online)Corporations Canada
Annual return
$12 online / $20 paper; within 60 days of anniversaryCorporations Canada; CBCA s.263
Director residency
25% Canadian-resident (majority if <4)CBCA s.105(3)
Min share capital
NoneCBCA; OBCA; BCBCA
Ontario
$300ServiceOntario — Ontario Business Registry
British Columbia
$350BC Registry Services — bcregistry.gov.bc.ca
Alberta
Alberta incorporation fee: $283.25.Alberta Corporate Registry
Quebec
Quebec incorporation fee: $397Registraire des entreprises du Québec
Requirement
Federal corp must register in each province of businessCBCA s.15; provincial equivalent legislation
Fee range
Extra-provincial registration fees range $0 (Ontario)–$520 (NFL) per province.Provincial corporate registries
CRA Business Number
Free; online via BROCRA — Business Registration Online — canada.ca
GST/HST registration
If taxable supplies > $30,000ETA s.148
Corporate tax payment
2 months after year-end (3 months for small CCPC)ITA s.157(1); CRA — Corporate payments — canada.ca
Foreign ownership restrictions
None generally; Investment Canada Act for large/sensitiveInvestment Canada Act
Rendered from the facts database · facts last reviewed Jun 21, 2026. General reference only — confirm with a qualified professional before acting.
Reviewed against the cited tax authorities by Nathan Wiebe on 2026-06-21.
Items flagged for further clarification are tracked separately and excluded here.
This block is generated from verified skill_facts — edit the facts, not the prose.
Quick Reference
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Currency | CAD |
| Company registrar (federal) | Corporations Canada (ISED) -- corporationscanada.ic.gc.ca |
| Company registrar (provincial) | Varies by province (e.g., Ontario: ServiceOntario; BC: BC Registry Services; QC: Registraire des entreprises) |
| Key legislation | Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) -- federal; provincial equivalents (OBCA, BCBCA, etc.) |
| Typical formation time | 1 day (federal online); 1--5 days (most provinces online) |
| Corporate tax rate | 15% federal + provincial (combined ~26.5% general; ~12.2% small business on first $500K) |
| Skill version | 1.0 |
Entity Types Comparison
| Feature | Sole Proprietorship | Partnership (GP/LP) | Federal Corporation (CBCA) | Provincial Corporation | Cooperative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal personality | No | No (GP) / LP has some | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Liability | Unlimited | GP: Unlimited; LP: Limited for limited partners | Limited | Limited | Limited |
| Min. founders | 1 | 2 | 1 shareholder + 1 director | Varies by province | Per applicable Act |
| Min. share capital | N/A | N/A | No minimum | No minimum (most provinces) | Per applicable Act |
| Jurisdiction | Province of residence | Province | Canada-wide (right to carry on business nationally) | Province of incorporation (must extra-provincially register elsewhere) | Federal or provincial |
| Tax treatment | Personal | Partners taxed individually | Corporate | Corporate | Corporate (special rules) |
| Name protection | Province only | Province only | Canada-wide | Province only | Varies |
Federal vs Provincial Incorporation -- Key Decision
| Factor | Federal (CBCA) | Provincial |
|---|---|---|
| Name protection | Canada-wide | Province only |
| Right to operate | All provinces (must extra-provincially register) | Province of incorporation (must extra-provincially register in others) |
| Annual filing | With Corporations Canada + each province of registration | With provincial registry only |
| Cost | $200 + extra-provincial fees | Province-specific (e.g., Ontario $300 online) |
| Director residency | 25% Canadian-resident (or majority if <4 directors) | Varies: ON requires 25%; BC has no requirement; QC no requirement |
Recommended default: Federal incorporation for businesses operating in multiple provinces. Provincial for single-province operations.
Share classes and rights Restrictions on share transfers (if any) Number of directors (fixed or min/max range) Restrictions on business activities (if any) Provisions for financial year-end
Some municipalities require a business licence Check with local municipality
Capital Requirements
| Entity Type | Min. Share Capital | Min. Paid-Up | Payment Timing | In-Kind Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Corporation (CBCA) | No minimum | No minimum | As per share terms | Permitted (no statutory valuation requirement, but directors have fiduciary duties) |
| Ontario Corporation (OBCA) | No minimum | No minimum | As per share terms | Permitted |
| BC Corporation (BCBCA) | No minimum | No minimum | As per share terms | Permitted |
| Quebec Corporation (QBCA) | No minimum | No minimum | As per share terms | Permitted |
Canada has no minimum capital requirements for private corporation formation at any level.
Federal Incorporation Costs
| Cost Component | Amount (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Corporations Canada (online) | $200 | Standard (1 business day) |
| Express service | +$100 | 4 business hours |
| Extra-provincial registration (per province) | $0--$520 | Varies; Ontario ~$0; BC ~$350; QC ~$400 |
| NUANS name search (if named) | Included online | Separate $25 if pre-ordered |
| Total federal + 1 province | $280--$600 | Government fees only |
Provincial Incorporation Fees
| Province | Online Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | $300 | ServiceOntario |
| British Columbia | $350 | BC Registry Services |
| Alberta | $283.25 | Alberta Corporate Registry |
| Quebec | $397 | Registraire des entreprises |
Annual Maintenance Costs
| Item | Cost (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Corporations Canada annual return | $12 (online) / $20 (paper) |
| Provincial annual return | $0--$50 per province |
| Accountant fees | $1,500--$5,000/year |
| Corporate tax return (T2) | Included in accountant fees |
| Extra-provincial renewal fees | Varies by province |
Post-Formation Compliance
| Obligation | Deadline | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return (federal) | Within 60 days of anniversary date | Corporations Canada |
| Annual return (provincial) | Varies by province | Provincial registry |
| T2 corporate tax return | 6 months after fiscal year-end | CRA |
| Corporate tax payment | 2 months after year-end (3 months for small CCPC) | CRA |
| GST/HST returns | Quarterly or annually | CRA |
| Payroll remittances | Monthly or as required | CRA |
| T4/T5 information slips | By last day of February | CRA |
| Directors' register and minutes | Maintain at registered office | Internal |
| Shareholder register | Maintain at registered office | Internal |
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), TD Bank, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC (Big 5) National Bank, Desjardins (QC) (large regional) Wise Business, Airwallex (digital/international)
Foreign Founder Considerations
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Non-resident directors allowed? | Federal (CBCA): Yes, but 25% must be Canadian-resident (majority if <4). BC: No residency requirement. Ontario: 25% Canadian-resident |
| Canadian-resident requirement workaround | Some provinces (BC, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick) have no director residency requirement |
| Nominee directors | Permitted but must comply with CBCA fiduciary duties |
| Physical presence required? | No -- online filing accepted |
| Apostille requirements | Foreign documents may require authentication for banking |
| Foreign ownership restrictions | No general restrictions; Investment Canada Act review for large acquisitions or sensitive sectors |
| Social Insurance Number | Not required for incorporation; required for payroll if personally employed by the corporation |
| Non-resident tax implications | Non-resident corporations carrying on business in Canada are subject to Canadian tax on Canadian-source income |
Timeline
| Step | Duration | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Decide federal vs provincial | 1 day | Day 1 |
| Prepare articles of incorporation | 1--3 days | Day 2--4 |
| File online (federal or provincial) | 1 day | Day 3--5 |
| Certificate of Incorporation received | 1 day (federal online) | Day 3--6 |
| Extra-provincial registration(s) | 1--10 days per province | Day 4--16 |
| CRA Business Number and tax accounts | 1--5 days (online) | Day 4--11 |
| Open bank account | 1--5 days (resident) / 1--3 weeks (non-resident) | Day 5--32 |
| Ready to trade | As fast as 3--5 days (Canadian-resident, federal online) |
This skill and its outputs are provided for informational and computational purposes only and do not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Open Accountants and its contributors accept no liability for any errors, omissions, or outcomes arising from the use of this skill. All outputs must be reviewed and signed off by a qualified professional before acting upon.
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Review status
Accountant-reviewed
Reviewed by a named licensed practitioner against the stated sources, as general reference material.
Accountant-reviewed · Guide version 10
Reviewed by Edgar Lautsyus · 21 June 2026
A named accountant reviewed this complete Guide version within the stated scope. It is not a guarantee.
View review record →Other Canada computations in the OpenAccountants Tax Library.
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