Educational how-to
How to incorporate a business in Ontario
This page is a public educational walkthrough. It is not a retainer, a court form, or a promise about your result. For legal advice, you should contact an appropriate Lawyer or Paralegal specializing in the area of law you need assistance with.
Choose a name and a structure
A corporation is a separate legal person. A sole proprietorship is you.
Most Ontario companies use the Business Corporations Act
File through the provincial corporate process. Federal incorporation is a different statute.
Tax accounts and licences are extra
Incorporation does not skip a municipal business licence. If someone later sues the company, they use civil or Small Claims forms, not the articles.
Official law on this site: business-law-in-ontario.
Disclaimer: Know The Law publishes legal information for the public, not legal advice. Court forms, fees and filing channels change. Read the official statute text and the official form page linked from this guide before you act. We do not represent you and we do not file documents for you. For legal advice, you should contact an appropriate Lawyer or Paralegal specializing in the area of law you need assistance with.