Operating in one province only, with no expansion plans?
Provincial incorporation is often simpler, and our Ontario company registration service handles that route, as do our Alberta and Quebec company registration services.
Company Registration in Canada Handled from Name Search to CRA Accounts
Bestax incorporates your business, files the ownership register the law now requires, and opens your tax accounts, so you start operating instead of chasing paperwork.
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What Our Business Incorporation Services in Canada Include
Our business incorporation services in Canada cover the whole setup, not just the certificate.
Why the full chain?
Because the certificate alone does not let you operate. A corporation without a Business Number cannot invoice properly, and one without its ownership filing is already non-compliant. We finish the job so there is no gap between incorporated and open for business.
We prepare and file your articles of incorporation
run the name search
file the ownership register
obtain your CRA Business Number
register the tax accounts your business needs on day one
How to Register a Company in Canada with Bestax
Every incorporation follows the same five steps, whether you register a company in Canada federally or provincially. Here is what we do at each one and why.
Step 1: We confirm the structure and the name
Named corporation or numbered? A numbered company skips the name search and incorporates faster, then operates under a registered trade name. A named company gets its name protected, but only after the search clears it. We check your name against existing corporations and trademarks first, because a rejected name restarts the clock.
Step 2: We draft the articles and share structure
Share classes decide who can own, vote, and receive dividends later. We set them up for where your business is going, including future investors or family members, because fixing a share structure after incorporation costs far more than designing it right.
Step 3: We file and obtain your certificate
Federal online filings are typically processed within one business day. You receive the certificate and corporate number, and the company legally exists.
Step 4: We file your ownership register on time
Since January 2024, every federal corporation must report its individuals with significant control, meaning anyone owning or controlling 25% or more, within 30 days of incorporating and within 15 days of any change. We file it with the incorporation, because this deadline is the one new owners most often miss.
Step 5: We open your CRA accounts
Business Number, corporate tax account, and GST/HST registration where it applies. GST/HST registration becomes mandatory once revenue passes $30,000, and registering early lets you recover the tax paid on startup costs, so we time it to your numbers.
Federal Incorporation Services Under the CBCA
Our federal incorporation services register your corporation under the Canada Business Corporations Act through Corporations Canada. The government filing fee is $200 online, and the corporation can carry on business in any province once it registers there.
Federal makes sense for specific reasons, not for everyone.
Your corporate name is protected across the whole country, which matters if you plan to operate or expand beyond one province.
The trade-off is ongoing filings: a $12 annual return each year on your anniversary date, ownership register updates, and extra-provincial registration in each province where you actually operate.
One rule catches non-resident founders: at least 25% of federal directors must be resident Canadians, or at least one where there are fewer than four. We check this before filing, because it decides whether federal is even available to you.
Choosing Federal or Provincial Company Incorporation in Canada
Company incorporation in Canada happens under one of two systems, and the honest answer is that neither is better for everyone.
Planning to operate nationally, protect a brand name across provinces, or raise investment?
Federal usually wins, and for Ontario businesses it can even cost less upfront, since Ontario does not charge federal corporations an initial registration fee.
We put this comparison in writing for your situation before you pay anything, because reversing the choice later means a continuance filing you should not need.
Company Formation in Canada: What Happens After the Certificate
Company formation in Canada does not end when the certificate arrives. We complete four things the certificate does not give you.
Bylaws and organizing resolutions, because directors have no formal authority until they are passed.
The minute book and share register, because banks, lenders, and future buyers all ask for them.
Share certificates issued to each founder, so ownership is documented, not assumed.
And your CRA accounts, including GST/HST registration and payroll if you are hiring, so the first invoice and the first paycheque are both legal.
Government Fees and Timelines
| Item | Fee and timing as of August 2026 | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Federal incorporation, filed online | $200, typically processed within 1 business day | The certificate is what makes the company exist |
| Named corporation name search | Built into the online filing; numbered companies skip it | A cleared name is protected Canada-wide |
| Ownership register (ISC) filing | No government fee; due within 30 days of incorporating | Late or missing filings breach the CBCA |
| Federal annual return | $12 each year on your anniversary date | Two missed years can lead to dissolution |
| Extra-provincial registration | Varies by province; free initial notice in Ontario | Required in each province where you operate |
Why Choose Bestax for Company Registration
The ownership register is filed with the incorporation, not after it.
The 30-day ISC deadline is the newest requirement and the most missed. Filing both together means you are never non-compliant, even for a day.
Share structures are designed for year five, not day one.
We ask about investors, family ownership, and eventual sale before drafting the articles, because a restructure later costs multiples of doing it right now.
Tax accounts open with the company.
Bestax is an accounting firm, so the Business Number, GST/HST, and payroll accounts are set up by the people who will file those returns. Nothing waits for a second provider.
The federal-versus-provincial call is made on your facts.
You get the comparison for your province, your growth plans, and your ownership in writing. We do not default everyone to one answer.
The fee is fixed and quoted first.
Government fees are passed through at cost, our fee is agreed before filing, and the quote lists both separately.
Reviews from Bestax Clients
I had a wonderful experiance with bestax while setting up my company. They made everything so simple and took care of all the paper work. Very efficient team for company registration in Mississauga!
Google review 1 of 4: Jason Duffy
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bestax
Numbered federal companies are usually incorporated within one to two business days. Named companies depend on the name search clearing.
You receive one fixed quote before filing. Government fees are listed separately at cost. Nothing is filed until you approve.
Yes. We check the federal director residency rule against your situation first. Where it blocks you, we recommend the right province instead.
Yes. Business Number, corporate tax, GST/HST, and payroll accounts are opened with the incorporation. The same team files those returns later.
Yes. We amend articles, correct share structures, and file missed ownership registers. You get the compliance gaps listed before any work starts.
Yes. We file extra-provincial registrations wherever your corporation operates. Each province's fee is quoted upfront.