Canadian Federal Corporations

Incorporating Federally in Canada

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Our Canada federal incorporation package is designed primarily for those who want the favorable image of having a Canadian corporation and those who wish to protect their business name across the country without having to apply for a Canadian trademark.

Note: If you are considering a federal corporation solely to secure the right to use the corporate name across Canada, a Canadian registered trademark provides much stronger protection at only slightly higher cost.

Canadian federal corporations need at least one Canadian-resident director (meaning a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who usually actually lives in Canada). This should generally be someone involved in the business, because of the potential liability that corporate directors face.

You will also need an "extra-provincial registration" in whichever province you have an office, whether the head office or a branch office. This step, which should be right after incorporation, is almost always required for federal corporations, and is charged extra to the base federal incorporation cost itself. The extra cost ranges from a low of $50 (for Ontario) to a further $450 (more or less), in provinces such as BC or Saskatchewan (because of higher filing fees).

If you reside outside of Canada you can still incorporate in Canada and we suggest obtaining a British Columbia corporation. British Columbia is a good choice for a Canadian corporation because the BC Business Corporations Act allows for non-resident directors and is generally more flexible than corporate legislation in other jurisdictions in Canada.

6 Steps to Federal Incorporation in Canada:

1. Proposed corporate name: Choose three alternate names for the corporation with first, second and third choices. Except for number name corporations (such as 453236 Canada Ltd.), a valid NUANS name search report must be obtained before an application for a federal named corporation is filed. Take some time to think here, and be sure to do your own searching for availability first, through Google and even phone directory searches. Unique, uncommon names are more likely to be approved; in the Canadian federal jurisdiction, this is critical, because the federal name examiners must look at names from all across Canada, not just one province. Common or popular words are often rejected.

   • In Canada, a three-element name is usually the safest choice: distinctive element / descriptive element / legal ending; such as Smith Enterprises Inc.

   • There are three choices of legal ending: Limited (Ltd.), Corporation (Corp.) or Incorporated (Inc.). The designations all have the same meaning: that the entity is a corporation with limited liability for its shareholders.

   • Note: You may choose a numbered name for your corporation for faster filing results. The government automatically assigns the next corporation number on filing that kind of application. Then later you can change to a named corporation, though at some extra cost.

2. People: For each person who will be a director, officer or shareholder in the corporation, supply the full name (first, middle, last -- just as printed in a person's birth certificate or valid drivers licence or passport) and full street address (not post office box). Directors and officers must be legal adults, and at least 25% of the directors must be "Canadian-resident," meaning a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who in fact usually lives in Canada (there are exceptions for those on active military or government service). One person corporations are allowed in Canada, and are very common.
3. Share structure: Decide upon a simple or complex share structure with common or preferred shares (Class "A" or "B" shares). We can help you select what are the best choices for you.
4. Province for registered office location: Provide the street address in Canada for the corporation's registered office. Post office box numbers are not allowed. We can act as registered office for the corporation, for a fee of $150 a year, plus applicable taxes and government filing fees. Please tell us you need this service, when you order your Canadian federal corporation. If you need registered office services located outside British Columbia, let us know, and we can usually refer you to a suitable provider.
5. Extra-provincial registration: Decide upon the province(s) you intend to do business in so that we can register your new federal corporation extraprovincially. This usually includes the province where the registered office is located, plus any other province where you will have any one of a physical office presence, a local agent, or even a telephone number. (Remember, the cost of this step is charged extra to the base incorporation cost.)
6. Go ahead: Lastly, confirm with us that you wish to go ahead with your incorporation. The easiest way is to fill out and send us the incorporation instructions form.

Ready to start?

Download our Incorporation Instructions form now.

How long will it take to Incorporate in Canada?

Incorporating will take one to two business days (if your name has already been pre-approved) and approximately one to two weeks if the name pre-approval hasn't already been obtained. (If the name you choose runs into trouble at the pre-approval stage, it can take another week or two to get through that stage.) The name pre-approval process usually takes about five business days. Name pre-approval is competely optional, but we recommend the procedure in order to reduce the risk of delay created when the proposed name is rejected in cases where the incorporation is filed without a name pre-approval.

Our Canadian Federal Incorporation Package includes:

• A Canadian federal corporation.
• Complete Corporate Records book with corporate tabs, certificate of incorporation, articles of incorporation, corporate by-laws, registers of shareholders and directors, share certificates, director and shareholder post-incorporation resolutions, director's consents and share subscriptions.
• Legal advice with respect to forming your federal corporation.
• Choice of corporate structures designed to suit the needs of the corporation.
• A NUANS search to ensure that you do not infringe on someone else's name from elsewhere in Canada. Infringement can result in a lawsuit against your corporation for damages or cause you to lose the right to use the name you chose for your corporation. For federal corporations, we recommend that the free federal name pre-approval be obtained (which we handle for you).

All this for Only $699.00 CAD (taxes included!).

Extras not included in the above price (but please ask):

• registered office services
• shipping corporate records book outside Canada
• ordering and shipping a corporate seal (usually not needed, but useful for some)
• extraprovincial registration, in one or more provinces in Canada
• for non-Canadians, help with filings under the Investment Canada Act

Contact Us Today to Order

Or download our Incorporation Instructions form now.