Articles and incorporation filing
We prepare and submit your federal or Ontario incorporation application, including the required name search. Your certificate and articles document the corporation you have formed.
Incorporate your business online in Canada.
Federal or Ontario incorporation, with your documents, minute book, and annual filings handled.
$500 first year, then $300/year
Federal incorporation, including the government fee and name search · $600 in Ontario
- Required name searches included
- Digital minute book and annual returns
- Optional Toronto registered office
“Great seamless experience! The team was supportive and did everything possible to reduce any risks. I've gone through the incorporation process several times with different vendors and Ribbon set the bar.”
Mehdi Rahman
CEO, Innovative Global Talent Platforms
More than a registration
Incorporate your business. Give it an address, too.
One team for your registration and your business mail. Add a Toronto address and manage incoming mail online, wherever you work.
- Registered office use for eligible corporations
- A business mailing address for your website and invoices
- Online mail management, with scanning and forwarding available
$45/month · optional, billed separately
Explore the registered office serviceRegistered office use is available to Ontario corporations and federal corporations with an Ontario headquarters. Other eligible businesses can use the mailing address service.
app.ribbonbusiness.com/mailroom
What's included
What is included in your incorporation service?
Digital minute book
Keep your corporate documents, registers, and resolutions together in your Ribbon workspace, with access when your accountant or bank needs them.
CRA Business Number
Your corporation’s Business Number is part of setup. GST/HST and payroll are separate program accounts, with their own registration requirements.
Annual returns and resolutions
Essentials includes annual corporate return filing and resolutions after incorporation, so the service continues beyond your first filing.
Corporate changes
Officer, director, and address updates are included in Essentials. Any government filing fees are additional.
People to help you get started
Get support with your incorporation details and corporate paperwork. You can also add bookkeeping and tax through Complete.
Choose your route
Federal or Ontario incorporation?
Both create a separate corporation. An Ontario corporation can also expand into other provinces, subject to their registration rules. The choice affects your registry, name approval, director requirements, and ongoing filings.
Federal incorporation
Available through Ribbon across Canada except Quebec. Federal corporate-name review applies nationally; it is not trademark registration.
Ordinarily, 25% of directors must be resident Canadians, or at least one when there are fewer than four directors.
Register in the provinces or territories where your business activities require it. Ribbon handles the Ontario registration step. Outside Ontario, this is included with Complete; Essentials customers arrange it themselves.
Ontario incorporation
Form a corporation under Ontario law with an Ontario registered office. Ontario has no general Canadian-resident director requirement.
Choose a numbered corporation or a named company with an Ontario NUANS report. Keep Ontario registry filings and corporate records current after formation.
Planning to operate elsewhere later? You can register an Ontario corporation in another province when required; federal incorporation is not a prerequisite for expansion.
Compare the federal director requirements and our Ontario incorporation guide.
Before you decide
Is incorporating right for your business?
Incorporation suits plenty of businesses and not all of them. Here is what you gain and what you take on, so you can weigh both.
What you gain
Limited liability
The corporation is a separate legal person, so its debts and obligations are generally its own rather than yours. Personal guarantees and director liabilities remain real exceptions.
Corporate tax rates
Profits kept in the corporation are taxed at corporate rates, which can affect when income reaches your personal return. Speak with an accountant about your own situation.
Your name in the registry
Incorporating records your corporate name with the registry that approved it. That is a registry record, not trademark registration.
Ownership you can transfer
The corporation continues separately from its owners, and shares can be issued or transferred as ownership changes.
What you take on
A second tax return
A corporation files its own T2 corporate return on top of your personal return. Bookkeeping and corporate tax are not part of Essentials; they come with Complete.
Filings that cannot lapse
Annual returns, registers, and resolutions have to stay current. A corporation can be dissolved by the registry when filings are missed.
Higher cost to start and run
Both the government fee and the ongoing service cost more than registering a sole proprietorship.
Money you cannot simply take
Funds in the corporation are not automatically yours. Paying yourself means salary or dividends, each with its own filing requirements.
If the ongoing work outweighs the benefits for now, registering a sole proprietorship in Ontario is the simpler starting point, and you can incorporate later.
Understand the costs
How much does incorporation cost?
Two numbers matter: what it costs to get incorporated, and what it costs to keep the corporation compliant after that.
Your first year
- Federal
- $500
- Ontario
- $600
Ribbon Essentials plus the government incorporation fee, with your required name search included.
Every year after
$300a year
Essentials continues with your annual return filing, resolutions, digital minute book, and officer, director, and address updates. Government filing fees are additional.
Here is what makes up the first-year figure.
| Cost | Federal | Ontario |
|---|---|---|
| Ribbon Essentials | $300/year | $300/year |
| Government online incorporation fee | $200 | $300 |
| Name search | Included in Ribbon’s service fee | Included in Ribbon’s service fee |
| First year total | $500 | $600 |
| Provincial registration | Requirements and fees depend on where you operate | No extra-provincial registration needed to operate in Ontario |
Applicable taxes, additional registry fees, and selected services are extra. Complete is $275/month and includes bookkeeping and tax.
How it works
How to incorporate with Ribbon
- 01
Choose your corporation
Tell us where you will operate, who will own and direct the business, and whether you want a named or numbered company.
- 02
Prepare and approve the filing
Provide your registered office and ownership details. Review the incorporation information and applicable charges before filing.
- 03
Receive your documents and keep them current
Your certificate of incorporation, articles, and post-incorporation resolutions arrive in your digital minute book, alongside your director, officer, and share registers. Your corporation’s Business Number is part of setup, and your first annual return deadline is tracked from your incorporation date.
Choose your support
Choose incorporation with the support you need
Essentials covers formation and ongoing corporate compliance. Complete adds bookkeeping and tax. Government fees are additional.
Essentials
$25/mo
Billed as $300 yearly
For entrepreneurs who want clean incorporation and corporate compliance.
- Business formation
- Digital minute book
- Annual returns & resolutions
- Officer, director and address updates
Complete
$275/mo
Billed monthly
For businesses who want bookkeeping and taxes fully handled.
- Includes everything in Essentials plus:
- Monthly bookkeeping
- QuickBooks Essentials subscription
- GST/HST and PST filings
- Corporate (T2) or Personal (T1) tax filing
Government fees not included.
Can I add a registered office address when I incorporate?
Yes. Ribbon’s Toronto address service is available separately for $45/month, with online mail management. Registered office use is available to Ontario corporations and federal corporations whose registered-office province is Ontario. Eligible corporations elsewhere can use the business mailing address without making it their registered office.
Can I incorporate in Ontario online?
Yes. Ribbon offers both Ontario provincial incorporation and federal incorporation for businesses based in Ontario. The routes have different filing fees, director-residency rules, and ongoing registry requirements.
Can Ribbon incorporate a business in BC or another province?
We offer federal incorporation across Canada except Quebec. We do not form BC, Alberta, or other provincial corporations outside Ontario. For a federal corporation operating outside Ontario, Ribbon handles extra-provincial registration on Complete; Essentials customers arrange that step themselves. Government fees are additional.
How much does it cost to incorporate with Ribbon?
Essentials costs $300 per year, billed annually, plus government fees. The online government incorporation fee is $200 federally or $300 in Ontario. Required name searches, including an Ontario NUANS report for a named corporation, are included in Ribbon’s service fee. Additional provincial registrations, applicable taxes, and other selected services can affect your cost.
Should I choose a named or numbered corporation?
A numbered corporation receives its name from the registry. A named corporation uses an approved word name. Federal online incorporation includes the government name search; a named Ontario corporation needs an Ontario-biased or weighted NUANS report. Neither route replaces trademark protection.
How long does incorporation take?
Timing depends on complete information, name approval, the filing route, and registry processing. Corporations Canada lists one business day for standard online incorporation after submission. Preparation and any provincial registration are additional steps; confirm the expected timing with us for your application.
Do I need a Canadian-resident director?
For an ordinary federal business corporation, at least 25% of directors must be resident Canadians; if there are fewer than four directors, at least one must be. Ontario corporations have no general Canadian-resident director requirement. Special rules can apply to regulated businesses.
Is bookkeeping or my corporate tax return included?
Essentials covers incorporation and corporate compliance. Monthly bookkeeping and corporate tax filing are part of Complete at $275 per month. A registry annual return and a CRA corporate income tax return are separate filings.
Can an existing corporation use Ribbon?
Yes. Our corporate compliance service supports existing federal corporations across Canada except Quebec, and Ontario provincial corporations. You do not need to incorporate again.
Keep exploring
The right support for your next step
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