FAQs

A preliminary search determines if a business name is available prior to ordering the Nuans report. This will identify any conflicts with your proposed business name against existing small businesses, corporations or trademarks within the database.

• removes the potential of requiring multiple Nuans report ordering.

• provides support to red flag existing businesses, corporations or trademarks that may have similar names to your proposed name

• assists to avoid your business infringing on other businesses right to an existing business name (if you do infringe on an existing corporate or trademark name, the owner of that business may have the ability to make you change your business name)

The Nuans report is a 7-page report that provides a listing of similar small businesses, corporations and trademarks to your proposed name. The Nuans database will accept any name you submit. There are millions of businesses already established in Canada.

The Nuans report is required whenever you are incorporating a business. The report is specific to the jurisdiction which you are incorporating within.

Once the Nuans report is completed, our team reviews the completed report for any business name conflicts. There may be additional conflicts within the report that did not appear during the preliminary search.

As a profit corporation in the Province of Ontario there are words or wordings not permitted by the Business Corporations Act. They are as follows:

• Obscene word or wording

• Co-op, co-operative or any variation

• Housing

• Association

• Any wording that might be confusing with a government institution

• Engineering, Engineers (unless written consent from association)

• College, University, Institute (unless written consent from Ministry of Education)

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is a new system introduced in Ontario as of October 19, 2021. Previously, businesses were able to provide their own wording related to the business activity or description. The NAICS codes bring clarity and commonality to the different industries or business types across Ontario. This coding is in partnership with many jurisdictions throughout Canada, United States and Mexico.

This may sound complicated but it is actually fairly simple. We provide a listing of business industries or activities that you can scroll through to find listed business activity that matches your specific business. When you find a match,, you simply click on it to update.

Sometimes there is a further layering or determination that is required beyond what you have provided and we may email you a more specific listing to select from.

Once your industry has been determined, there will be a 6 digit code that you can use any time you are requested to provide your NAICS Code moving forward. If you have already established your NAICS code in a previous filing, you simply provide the 6 digits and move forward with the application.

To prepare for filing an Initial Return, have the following information ready:

1. Corporate name and Ontario Corporation Number (OCN) Administrative information (not shown on public record): • Contact information: name, email address

2. The date of the corporation’s incorporation or amalgamation, whichever is the most recent

3. Director information: the names and addresses for service of the corporation’s directors; the date on which each director became a director and, where applicable, the date on which a director ceased to be a director; if the corporation is a corporation with share capital or is a co-operative, an indication as to whether each director is or is not a resident Canadian

4. The offices that are recognized by the OBR are but not limited to: President, Secretary, Treasurer, General Manager, Chair, Vice Chair, Vice President. If one individual holds multiple positions (for example, if one individual is both the president and secretary of the corporation), the name of that individual must be reported twice, i.e. once for each position

5. Address of the corporation’s head or registered office

6. Name and address for service of the officer, director or other authorized individual verifying the information.

As of May 15, 2021, there has been a change to Annual Filings under the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA) for every Ontario Incorporation (both Profit and Not For Profit).

Historically, the corporation would file an Annual Return as part of the corporate tax return filing each year through the Canada Revenue Agency. This requirement has been terminated by the federal government and in its place, the Annual Return is to be filed with the Province of Ontario.

This provides the opportunity for the corporate records listed with The Ministry of Government And Consumer Services (MGCS) to be up-to-date each year starting October 18, 2021.

The Annual Return in Ontario is to be filed within 6 months after the completion of the fiscal year end.

The information required is as follows:

• The Corporate Name

• The Ontario Corporate Number (OCN)

• Company Key (Optional)

• Year of the Annual Return

• Official Email address (this email address should remain viable for communication indefinitely

• NAICS Code (selection if not yet provided or NAICS Code if already listed)

• Name of Person Authorizing the filing

If the business has any new information including the registered office address, change in directors either adding, removing, ceasing or modifying, these details can be updated by filing a Change notice. (See filing Notice of Change)

If the corporate details remain the same, you can simply select that there are no changes and skip to the Name of Person Authorizing the filing.

The Province of Ontario, like all jurisdictions that have the Annual Return requirement, takes the deficiency very seriously.

Failing to file a required Annual Return could lead to the corporation being cancelled for non-compliance by the Province of Ontario. It is very important as you celebrate another year of accomplishment with your business, that you take a few minutes to file the mandatory Annual Return in Ontario.

We will also send a reminder email notification of your Annual Return requirement each year as a friendly reminder on the date of your fiscal year end.

The Corporation Profile Report (CPR) contains information on Ontario corporations or Extra-Provincial corporations carrying on business in Ontario. It is based on information that has been filed by the corporation and stored on the Ontario Business Information System (ONBIS). The Corporation Profile Report displays information on the Public Record for the subject corporation as of the date the report was ordered. For Ontario corporations, all active directors and officers of the subject corporation are listed. Some historical information such as amalgamating corporations, where the subject corporation is the result of an amalgamation, and name history are included in the Corporation Profile Report.

This form is used for existing Ontario corporations (named or numbered) that will be making the following changes:

• Corporate Address Change/Registered Office

• Directors/officers address change

• Add a new director (legal name, address and citizenship required)

• Remove current director

• Modify/change a current directors/officers address or position

Ontario Corporation

When you change your existing corporation, you must update the corporate record to reflect the change or changes with the corporate registry.

In Ontario, it is mandatory to update the corporate record within 15 days of the change. If the record is not updated, you may miss important and sometimes legal correspondence.

What can be updated?

All information related to the corporation, excluding corporate name changes, structure changes such as classes of shares and the minimum and the maximum number of directors for the corporation.

What happens to the previous record of information?

The historic address or details of the corporation remains by searching historical or archived information on the corporation. By completing a change, in doing so, the previous information doesn't disappear.

How long does it take to process?

The processing time is usually the same business day with an email confirmation once the file has been updated.

Do the Articles of Incorporation change?

The Articles of Incorporation remain unchanged throughout the lifetime of the corporation. Each change you submit is a secondary filing to the original Articles of Incorporation.