How much does it cost to incorporate in Ontario?

What are the government fees?

Filing articles of incorporation for an Ontario business corporation costs $300, according to Ontario’s service standards and fees page. A federal corporation costs $200 to incorporate online through Corporations Canada, as listed on its fees page. Government fees can change, so check the official page before you file.

Cost	Ontario (OBCA)	Federal (CBCA)
Articles of incorporation, online	$300	$200
Name search for a word name	Ontario-biased NUANS report, bought separately	Built into Corporations Canada’s online application
Registering in Ontario	Not needed	Ontario registration, no Ontario fee
Annual return	No fee	$12 online
Changing the name later	$150 (articles of amendment)	$200 (articles of amendment)

Do I have to pay for a name search?

Only if you want a word name for an Ontario corporation. A company with a name like “Northbeam Analytics Inc.” needs a NUANS report, a search of existing corporate names and trademarks, bought separately. Prices vary by provider. Ontario’s filing instructions require an Ontario NUANS report dated no more than 90 days before you file. For a federal corporation, Corporations Canada says its name search is built into the application, so you don’t order a separate report.

A numbered company skips the name search, because the government assigns the name. That saves money and time, and you can register a business name or change to a word name later.

What does it cost to keep the company running?

Both kinds of corporation file an annual return. Ontario charges nothing for it; the federal fee is $12 online. The real ongoing costs are usually accounting and tax: a corporation files its own T2 tax return each year, separate from your personal return. See what annual filings does an Ontario corporation have?

If the company operates under a name other than its legal name, registering that business name in Ontario costs $60 and lasts five years.

What about legal fees?

Government fees pay for the filing. They don’t cover the work that makes the company usable: by-laws, organizational resolutions, issuing the founders’ shares, a securities register, a register of individuals with significant control and a minute book. Online filings often stop at the articles, and the missing pieces tend to surface when an investor reviews the company. See do I need a lawyer to incorporate?

Our incorporation fixed fee starts at $600 for a federal or Ontario corporation with up to three shareholders and one class of shares, including the founder share issuance and a digital minute book. Government fees and any NUANS search are charged at cost on top. The founder pack adds a shareholder agreement and founder vesting with IP assignments. Our legal budget planner shows what a first year typically includes.

Is federal cheaper, then?

The filing fee is lower, but a federal corporation that carries on business in Ontario also registers here, pays $12 a year for its annual return and files its significant control information with Corporations Canada. At least 25% of its directors must be resident Canadians. Cost is rarely the deciding factor; see should I incorporate federally or in Ontario? or try the federal or Ontario tool.

This guide is general information about Ontario and Canadian law, not legal advice for your situation. To talk through setting up your company, book a free 15-minute consult.