Entity Formation in Canada

Ready for a permanent Canadian presence? We help you incorporate the right way, federally or provincially, and stay alongside you for the accounting, payroll, and compliance that follow. Independent advice, including telling you when it is too early.

  • Independent advice
  • Vetted partners
  • Honest timing

What incorporating in Canada means

A Canadian corporation is the standard vehicle for a permanent business presence. You can incorporate federally under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) or provincially. Canada has no LLCs; the vehicle is a corporation. When you form one, you become the legal employer and operator in Canada, with full control and no per-employee EOR fees, in exchange for the setup time and the ongoing obligations.

01

Your own company

Your own corporation makes you the legal employer and operator in Canada, with full control of employment terms and a local brand presence.

02

Lower cost at scale

No per-employee EOR fees. For permanent, proven headcount, owning the entity is more cost-effective than ongoing EOR arrangements.

03

Setup takes time

Incorporation typically takes one to three weeks, and you cannot employ anyone until it completes. Timing the move matters, which is why many companies bridge with an EOR first.

How incorporating in Canada works, step by step

From structuring the company to operating it compliantly.

01 — Structure & prepare

We confirm incorporation is right for you, then prepare the articles of incorporation, run the NUANS name search, and arrange your registered Canadian office address.

02 — Capital & notarisation

Articles are filed with Corporations Canada (federal) or the provincial registry, largely online. Canada sets no minimum share capital, so there is no deposit to make before you can incorporate.

03 — Register the company

Corporate tax, payroll, and GST/HST accounts are set up with the CRA, so you can operate and employ compliantly.

04 — Operate & stay compliant

Business bank account, then ongoing accounting, payroll, filings, and annual reporting, all of which we can run for you.

What incorporating in Canada costs

Two kinds of cost: the one-off formation, and the ongoing operating obligations. Canada’s formation cost is low; the real commitment is the ongoing compliance. We give you a clear figure before you commit.

Share capital & formation

Canada sets no minimum share capital, so there is nothing to deposit before you incorporate. The government filing fee is modest: $200 for federal incorporation under the CBCA, or roughly $265 to $450 provincially, plus a NUANS name search of about $14.

Corporate tax

9% federal small-business rate on the first $500,000 of active business income for a Canadian-controlled private corporation, plus a provincial rate of roughly 0% to 3.2%. Income above the limit, or non-qualifying income, is taxed at the higher general rate.

GST/HST

GST is 5% federally; HST provinces charge 13% to 15% combined, and others add a separate PST or QST. Registration is required once taxable revenue passes $30,000, with periodic returns once trading.

Ongoing obligations

Accounting, monthly payroll (income tax, CPP, and EI), GST/HST and corporate tax filings, and annual reporting, all of which we can manage for you.

Why form your Canadian corporation through Bradford Jacobs

Why companies incorporate in Canada through us rather than a one-off formation agent.

We advise you on the best time to incorporate

We are independent: we assess what you actually need, place you with the right vetted partner, secure pricing you will not get going direct, and stay on your side to escalate or renegotiate. You get advice, not a product pitch.

  • Independent advice
  • Vetted partners only
  • On your side at renewal

End-to-end, not just the paperwork

We do not disappear after registration. We stay on for the accounting, payroll, and compliance, so your corporation runs, not just exists.

  • Beyond registration
  • Ongoing compliance
  • One team throughout

The right specialists, in place

Notary, tax, and accounting partners we have vetted and worked with, coordinated for you, so the process moves and nothing gets missed.

  • Vetted specialists
  • Coordinated for you
  • Nothing gets missed

Two decades of formations

Two decades forming and running entities across global markets, with the local knowledge to keep you compliant and out of the common traps.

  • Incorporations
  • Legal & tax partners
  • Traps avoided

We run it after you form it

Incorporation is the start, not the finish. We stay on for accounting, payroll, tax filings, and annual accounts, so your corporation operates from day one without you building a local finance function.

  • Full back office
  • Accounting & payroll
  • Annual accounts

The incorporation trap nobody flags

A growing business hits a good quarter and someone says, let us just set up a proper Canadian company. It sounds responsible. It usually is not, yet. Here is what people expect against what happens in practice.

Employment & payroll obligations

Expectation: it takes a few weeks and is just admin. Reality: incorporation itself can be quick, but a registered Canadian office, director obligations (the CBCA requires at least 25% resident-Canadian directors), and extra-provincial registration where you operate all apply, and you cannot legally employ anyone until payroll accounts are live.

Tax, filing & reporting obligations

Expectation: we can always reverse it. Reality: dissolving a corporation needs a shareholder resolution, creditor notification, and a winding-up period. And once it exists, the obligations do not stop: annual returns, monthly payroll filings, corporate tax (T2) and GST/HST returns, and director liability. None of this is a reason not to incorporate. It is a reason to do it at the right time, with the right partners already in place.

What we handle for your corporation

Beyond incorporation, we can run the full back office for your corporation.

Compliant payroll

Compliant Canadian payroll and employment administration, issued and maintained for you.

Payroll & filings

Monthly payroll run, with income tax, CPP, and EI calculated, withheld, and filed each month.

Statutory benefits

All statutory benefits administered: annual leave, sick pay, parental leave, notice and severance.

Compliance & support

Ongoing HR compliance and a single point of contact, for the life of the engagement.

Your questions answered

Straight answers on incorporating and running a corporation in Canada.

How long does it take to incorporate in Canada?

Usually one to three weeks once documents, share capital, and the registered address are in place, longer with any complication. You cannot legally employ anyone until registration completes, which is why timing matters and why many companies bridge with an EOR first.

Canada sets no minimum share capital, so there is nothing to deposit before you incorporate. The government filing fee is small ($200 federally, $265 to $450 provincially). The real cost is the ongoing accounting and compliance, which we can run for you.

Mostly. A provincial corporation in most provinces has no director-residency requirement and can be fully owned and directed by non-residents; a federal CBCA corporation requires at least 25% of directors to be resident Canadians. You will need a registered Canadian office, which we arrange.

Incorporate when you have permanent, proven headcount and want full control, and the per-head savings justify the ongoing costs. Use EOR while you are still validating the market or need people working quickly. Most companies start with EOR and incorporate later. We advise on the crossover.

Accounting, monthly payroll (income tax, CPP, and EI), corporate tax (T2) and GST/HST filings, and annual returns to Corporations Canada or the provincial registry. We can run all of it so the entity stays compliant without you building a local finance function.

Yes, and it is how most companies use us. Beyond incorporation we provide ongoing accounting, payroll, and compliance, so your Canadian corporation operates smoothly from day one without hiring locally for back office.

Ready to form your company in Canada?

Tell us your plans for Canada and we will tell you honestly whether now is the time to incorporate, then handle it end to end if it is, usually scoped within a day. No formation-mill upsell, just the right call.

Tax, company, and labour data verified June 2026 (CRA, Corporations Canada, PwC). Figures change; we confirm the current position when we scope your formation.