Canada Corporation
Info
REV: 2020-12-15
Registration
In Canada, federal corporations are registered with Corporations Canada.
Before registration, the prospective name of a new federal corporation must be verified with a NUANS corporate name search report.
Registration (incorporation) always occurs under a specific corporate legislation. Canada offers 2 main corporate legislations:
- Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA)
- Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (CNCA)
The CNCA is similar to the CBCA and only differs in 2 major ways:
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All CNCA companies are non-stock corporations. Instead of shareholders, they have directors, officers, and members.
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All CNCA companies must prepare financial-statements/audits by a certified public accountant if the company exceeds legally-specified thresholds.
Explore:
CNCA, Problems and Solutions, Mcmillan, 2010
Federal incorporation may require extraprovincial registrations (ex. with Ontario for businesses operating in Ontario).
Maintenance
Note: The federal corporation number (ID with Corporations Canada) is different from the federal business number (ID with Canada Revenue Agency).
Annually, a federal corporation must file a corporate return with Corporations Canada.
Annually, a federal corporation must prepare financial statements (balance sheet, income statement) then file a corporate tax return with the Canada Revenue Agency.
Annually, a federal corporation must file a HST return with the CRA.
Annually or quarterly (variable), a federal corporation must file payroll deductions with the CRA.
Documents
- NUANS Report
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Articles of Incorporation
- Corporate Info Sheet
- Registered Office and Board of Directors
- Extraprovincial Registrations