Incorporate in Ontario

You can think of it as two levels of government that do the same thing. The federal government incorporates companies through Corporations Canada and the Ontario government incorporates companies through the Ministry of Government Services.

There are a few differences to consider:

(1) name protection – you may get more name protection across Canada with a federal company. Keep in mind if you’re really concerned about your brand, you should look into a trademark (which can be done with a federal or provincial company).

(2) extra provincial registration – if you need to register as an extra provincial corporation in another province, it may be easier to effect the registration if you’re starting off with a federal company.

(3) portability – if you may be moving out of Ontario, we sometimes recommend a federal company because it’s more easily “transportable” – meaning that you just change the registered office address and file the extra provincial registration in the province where you’ll be moving.

That being said, 80% of our companies are Ontario companies, they’re quicker and easier to do.

The government filing fee for an Ontario company is $100 more than for a federal company. We pass this savings on to you. However, you shouldn’t let that cost difference govern your decision. Keep in mind that, unlike an Ontario corporation, there’s an additional annual filing for a federal corporation (called an annual return) which is separate and apart from your tax return and there is a $20 cost to file the return. This annual filing offsets the initial cost savings over time.

We usually talk to clients about two main tax advantages:

(1) the small business deduction – this effectively lowers your corporate tax rate to about 12.5% on the first $500,000 that your company makes each year. It’s available on your active business income only (not income from passive investments) and is available to Canadian Controlled Private Companies (referred to as CCPC’s). Keep in mind that this is a deferral only meaning that once you pull money out of your company it becomes your personal income and is taxed at the marginal tax rates on your T1 return. To the extent that you can leave the earnings in the company, the deferral “lives” and you can use the additional money to grow and invest in your business.

(2) the lifetime capital gains exemption – if you sell your shares down the road, you may be able to take approx. $800,000 off the table tax free. The exemption is available for qualifying small business corporation shares and there are a few criteria you’ll need to meet.

There may be other tax benefits and you can always consult an accountant. If you need a referral to an accountant in your area, just let us know.

At law, a corporation is considered a separate legal person and can enter into contracts, borrow money and own property. As the theory goes, if your corporation is a party to a contract, the corporation alone should be liable for a breach of that contract. Or, if your corporation borrows money, it alone should be responsible to repay the loan. So, the concept of limited liability means that you personally are separate from your company and are not generally responsible for its debts, obligations or liabilities.

Limited liability is a general rule and there are definitely exceptions in the real world. For example, if your company borrows money from a bank, the financial institution usually requires that you personally guarantee repayment of the loan. Or, if your company wants to lease commercial space, the landlord may ask that you personally guarantee payment of the rent. There are ways to minimize personal guarantees, but it’s important to be aware that the limited liability protection of a corporation is not absolute.

You should also be aware that directors of a company have personal responsibility for certain debts and liabilities of the company. Specifically, if your company owes money for taxes or employee deductions to the government, you as a director can be held personally liable for these amounts.

Shareholders own the company (receive dividends or build equity if things go well), the shareholders elect the directors to manage the business and affairs of the company (the people who sit around the board room table discussing the bigger picture), and the directors in turn appoint officers to run the day to day business (the people on the street carrying out the marching orders). In smaller privately held companies (the one that you’ll first incorporate), the same person can wear all 3 hats.  So, when you’re first starting up, you could be the sole director, officer and shareholder.

From a legal perspective in Ontario, there is no difference. They all take you to the same place –– an incorporated company. You’re allowed to choose your legal ending which basically involves 6 choices (Inc. or incorporated), (Ltd. or Limited) or (Corp. or Corporation). FYI – Inc. seems to be the most popular nowadays.

For Ontario corporations, the entire process can be completed within 2-3 business hours. That’s because the incorporation documents are filed automatically. For federal corporations, the process takes a bit longer. The reason is that the application goes in front of an examiner who will review the application and in particular the NUANS name search to make sure there are no conflicting names out there. Assuming there are no issues with your chosen name, federal companies are usually completed in a day or two.