Ontario vs Alberta vs British Columbia incorporation: which province suits your corporation
Incorporate in Ontario, Alberta or British Columbia for $35.00, HST included, with the registry fee shown separately at cost. A CPA confirms the province before we file. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA. Questions first? Call 647-212-9559, 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday.
We prepare and file your Articles of Incorporation in Ontario under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), in Alberta under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta), or in British Columbia under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), for $35.00, HST included. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA. The government fee is separate and charged at cost because we do not mark it up: $300.00 to the Ontario Business Registry, $291.75 to Alberta Corporate Registry through a registry agent who adds its own service fee, or $350.00 to BC Registries plus a $30.00 Name Request for a named company. This page compares the three provinces line by line, including where each is the wrong answer.
The short answer
Ontario suits a corporation whose customers, premises and directors sit in Ontario. The registry fee is $300.00, the Initial Return and Annual Return both cost $0.00, and articles filed online through the Ontario Business Registry are processed immediately. Our Ontario incorporation service sets out the steps.
British Columbia suits a company carrying on business in BC, at $350.00 for the Incorporation Application, $30.00 for a Name Request if the company is named, and $43.39 a year for the annual report. Our British Columbia incorporation service covers BC Registries in full.
Alberta suits an owner with an Alberta address and an Alberta agent for service. It is the only one of the three where you cannot file directly with the province: every filing goes through an authorized registry agent, who collects the $291.75 government fee and charges its own service fee on top.
Incorporating where you carry on business is usually cheaper than incorporating elsewhere and registering back, since extraprovincial registration in British Columbia alone is $350.00. None of the three requires a Canadian resident director, and our fee is $35.00, HST included, in all three.
Price, line by line
Option A is Ontario under the OBCA, Option B Alberta under the ABCA, Option C British Columbia under the BCBCA, all filed by us for the same fee.
| Item | Ontario (OBCA) | Alberta (ABCA) | British Columbia (BCBCA) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our fee to prepare and file the articles | $35.00, HST included | $35.00, HST included | $35.00, HST included | $0.00. Identical in all three |
| Government incorporation fee | $300.00 to the Ontario Business Registry. No HST on registry fees | $291.75 to Alberta Corporate Registry, collected by the registry agent | $350.00 to BC Registries. No GST on registry fees | Alberta is lowest, before the agent’s fee |
| Registry agent service fee | $0.00. You file directly with the ministry | Set by each agent and charged as its own line | $0.00. You file directly with BC Registries | Only Alberta has a second, private charge |
| Name search or approval, named company | $25.00 NUANS report, HST included, ordered by us | Alberta NUANS report, priced by the agent and quoted before filing | $30.00 Name Request to BC Registries | Each province uses a different name check |
| Priority name review | Not offered | Ask the agent | $100.00 on top of the $30.00 | Only BC publishes a priority option |
| Total, numbered corporation | $335.00 | $326.75, plus the agent’s service fee | $385.00 | Ontario is $50.00 below BC |
| Total, named corporation | $360.00 | $326.75, plus the agent’s fee and the NUANS report | $415.00 | Ontario is $55.00 below BC |
| Annual filing, a corporate filing and not a tax return | $0.00 Annual Return, within 6 months after the fiscal year end | $53.05 annual return, plus the agent’s fee, in the anniversary month | $43.39 annual report, within 2 months after each anniversary | Ontario is the only one with no yearly fee |
| First filing after incorporation | $0.00 Initial Return, within 60 days | No separate initial return | No separate initial return | $0.00 either way |
| Change of directors | $0.00 Notice of Change, within 15 days | Charged through the agent | $20.00 Notice of Change of Directors | Ontario charges nothing |
| Certificate of status | $26.00 | Charged through the agent | Ask BC Registries | Ontario publishes its figure |
| Corporation profile or search | $8.00 Corporation Profile Report | Charged through the agent | Ask BC Registries | Ontario publishes its figure |
| Registering in a western province later | $350.00 to register in BC as an extraprovincial company | No additional registration fee in BC, Manitoba or Saskatchewan under the New West Partnership | No additional registration fee in Alberta, Manitoba or Saskatchewan under the New West Partnership | Alberta and BC companies move west for free |
| Restoration after being struck | Ask a CPA before filing | Charged through the agent | $350.00, plus the missed annual reports | BC publishes its figure |
| Minute book, first-year bookkeeping | Quoted on request | Quoted on request | Quoted on request | Same service, same fee, whichever province |
| First T2 corporate return | From $300 | From $300 | From $300 | The T2 is federal and identical |
| Ongoing subscription | $0.00. None | $0.00. None | $0.00. None | $0.00 |
Government fees read from the Ontario Business Registry, Alberta registry fee listings and BC Registries price lists, last checked on 16 October 2026. Fees change, and we re-check this table every quarter. Our own fees also appear on our pricing page and on Gondaliya CPA’s incorporation cost page.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Ontario (OBCA) | Alberta (ABCA) | British Columbia (BCBCA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price of the service | $35.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 |
| HST included | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Government fee handling | Own line at cost, $300.00 | Government fee and agent fee on separate lines, at cost | Own line at cost, $350.00 plus $30.00 if named |
| Articles filed | With the Ontario Business Registry | Through an authorized Alberta registry agent | With BC Registries |
| Share structure advice | A CPA reviews classes and holders before filing | A CPA reviews classes and holders before filing | A CPA reviews classes and holders before filing |
| Sales tax | HST at 13 percent | GST at 5 percent, no provincial sales tax | GST, plus a separate PST registration with BC |
| CRA business number, HST or GST, payroll | Yes, quoted on request | Yes, quoted on request | Yes, quoted on request. PST registered separately |
| First T2 corporate return | From $300 | From $300 | From $300 |
| Annual filing reminder | Yes. $0.00, within 6 months after year end | Yes. Anniversary month | Yes. Within 2 months after the anniversary |
| Someone with a CPA licence accountable | Yes. CPA Ontario firm registration 61330051 | Yes. CPA Ontario firm registration 61330051 | Yes. CPA Ontario firm registration 61330051 |
| Physical offices | 13 across Ontario | None in Alberta. You supply the Alberta address | None in BC. You supply the BC address |
| Support hours | 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday | 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday | 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday |
| Money-back guarantee and fee matching | 30 days and 60 days | 30 days and 60 days | 30 days and 60 days |
| Statute | Business Corporations Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. B.16 | Business Corporations Act, RSA 2000, c. B-9 | Business Corporations Act, SBC 2002, c. 57 |
| Director residency | None, since 5 July 2021 | None | None |
| Minimum directors | 1, or 3 for an offering corporation | 1 | 1, or 3 for a public company |
| Registered office | Physical address in Ontario. A post office box alone is not accepted | Physical location in Alberta, a records address and an agent for service | Registered office and records office in British Columbia |
| Registry processing | Immediate online | Through the agent | Incorporated when the application is filed, after any Name Request is approved |
| Transparency register | Register of individuals with significant control since 1 January 2023 | Ask a CPA before filing | Transparency register of significant individuals required |
| Ongoing subscription required | No | No | No |
Government fees read from the Ontario Business Registry, Alberta registry fee listings and BC Registries price lists, last checked on 16 October 2026. Fees change, and we re-check this table every quarter.
Where each option wins
Ontario is the cheapest of the three to keep alive. The Initial Return, the Annual Return and a Notice of Change are all $0.00, and online articles are processed immediately.
Alberta has the lowest government incorporation fee, $291.75, and no provincial sales tax. An Alberta corporation also registers in British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan with no additional registration fee under the New West Partnership. Our Alberta incorporation service explains the agent model.
British Columbia publishes every number before you commit. The $350.00 Incorporation Application, the $30.00 Name Request, the $43.39 annual report and the $20.00 director change all sit on the government’s own fee schedule, so a named BC company totals $415.00 with our fee included.
A BC company gets the same New West Partnership benefit as Alberta, and its annual report date is tied to the incorporation anniversary, so it never moves with the fiscal year.
Where we win
The government fee handling row. We show $300.00, $291.75 or $350.00 on their own lines at cost, and in Alberta the agent’s fee as a separate line, so the province is decided on the registry’s number, not ours.
The name search row. British Columbia’s $30.00 Name Request is a government charge, Ontario’s NUANS report is $25.00 with us, and an Alberta NUANS report is quoted before you pay.
The annual filing row. Three provinces, three deadlines: six months after the fiscal year end in Ontario, the anniversary month in Alberta, and two months after the anniversary in British Columbia. We remind you of whichever applies.
The accountability row. CPA Ontario firm registration number 61330051, 13 Ontario offices and a phone answered until 8:30 PM seven days a week, whichever province is on the certificate.
Who should choose which
| Situation | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A consultant, trade or clinic with customers and premises only in Ontario | Ontario (OBCA) | $335.00 all in for a numbered corporation, a $0.00 annual return, and immediate online processing |
| A business operating from a BC address, with BC staff or a BC lease | British Columbia (BCBCA) | Incorporating where you carry on business avoids the $350.00 extraprovincial registration |
| An owner who wants to trade across the western provinces from day one | Alberta or British Columbia | Both register in the other New West Partnership provinces with no additional registration fee |
| An owner who needs the exact total in writing before paying | British Columbia (BCBCA) | Every BC figure is published by the registry, so the named total of $415.00 is fixed. Alberta’s agent fee varies |
| A newcomer or non-resident founder with no Canadian resident director | Any of the three | None of Ontario, Alberta or British Columbia imposes a director residency requirement |
| A business that will trade in several provinces within a year | Federal incorporation instead | A federal corporation protects one name across Canada for a $200.00 government fee, and provincial registration is still required where you carry on business |
| A doctor, dentist or lawyer forming a professional corporation | The province of the governing college | The college approves the corporation and issues the certificate of authorization. See our professional corporation guide |
| Two or more shareholders, or shares already promised to an investor | A lawyer first, then any of the three | A shareholder agreement is a legal document. We are a CPA firm and we do not draft one |
What a CPA checks before you incorporate
Three provinces, three different recurring obligations, and one tax return that does not change. That is the shape of this decision, so we begin with what each province will ask of you every year.
Ontario ties its Annual Return to the fiscal year end, six months after it, with an Initial Return within 60 days of incorporation. Alberta runs its annual return on the incorporation anniversary and requires an agent for service who has consented in writing. British Columbia requires an annual report within two months after each anniversary and a transparency register kept from day one. Picking the province means picking which of those you will remember.
Sales tax separates them next. Ontario charges 13 percent HST. Alberta has GST at 5 percent and no provincial sales tax. British Columbia adds a separate PST registration with the BC Ministry of Finance that depends on what you sell. The $30,000 small supplier threshold is federal and applies in all three, as our GST/HST registration guide explains.
None of the three changes the tax structure work, which is where most of the value sits. The share classes drafted into the articles before filing. Whether a spouse or adult child can hold shares, and whether section 120.4 of the Income Tax Act lets a dividend reach them. Your first fiscal year end within 53 weeks of incorporation. Salary against dividends. Whether the $500,000 small business deduction is shared with an associated corporation. Whether a holding company yet earns a second T2. And whether a section 85 election should move an existing business in.
Case studies
An Ontario clinic weighing Alberta
The situation: A physiotherapy owner with premises in Mississauga had read that Alberta was cheaper and asked whether to incorporate there.
What we did: We compared the totals and the yearly filings, and incorporated in Ontario, where the clinic actually operates.
The result:
- Corporation filed for $335.00 in total
- No extraprovincial registration needed
- $0.00 annual return each year
A Vancouver retailer
The situation: A retailer with a Vancouver lease wanted a named company and had been quoted for an Ontario corporation.
What we did: We filed a $30.00 Name Request and a BC Incorporation Application, and set up GST and PST before the first sale.
The result:
- Named BC company filed for $415.00
- GST and PST registered separately
- Annual report date confirmed in writing
A Calgary contractor working across the west
The situation: A contractor based in Calgary expected jobs in Saskatchewan and BC within the year.
What we did: We prepared the Alberta articles for filing through a registry agent, with the agent’s fee shown as its own line, and set out the New West Partnership registrations.
The result:
- Alberta corporation at $326.75 plus the agent’s fee
- Western registrations with no additional registration fee
- GST registered, no provincial sales tax
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to incorporate in Ontario, Alberta or British Columbia?
Alberta has the lowest government fee at $291.75, but every Alberta filing also carries a registry agent’s service fee. Ontario is $300.00 with no agent, and British Columbia is $350.00, plus $30.00 for a named company. With our $35.00 fee, HST included, a numbered corporation totals $335.00 in Ontario, $385.00 in BC, and $326.75 plus the agent’s fee in Alberta.
Why does Alberta add a registry agent fee?
Alberta has no direct government filing channel for corporations, so articles are filed through authorized registry agents. The agent collects the government fee set by the province and charges a service fee it sets itself. Ask any agent to itemize the two separately, as we do.
Do I need a Canadian resident director in any of these provinces?
No. None of Ontario, Alberta or British Columbia imposes a director residency requirement. Ontario removed its 25 percent resident Canadian rule on 5 July 2021. The federal Canada Business Corporations Act still requires 25 percent resident Canadian directors.
How much is the annual filing in each province?
The Ontario Annual Return costs $0.00 and is due within six months after the fiscal year end. The Alberta annual return has a $53.05 government fee plus the agent’s fee, in the anniversary month. The British Columbia annual report costs $43.39, within two months after each anniversary. None of these is a tax return or replaces the federal T2.
Can I incorporate in Alberta or British Columbia if I live in Ontario?
Yes, but each requires a presence in that province. Alberta needs a registered office, a records address and an agent for service in Alberta, and British Columbia needs a registered office and a records office in BC. If you then carry on business in Ontario, an Ontario Initial Return is also due within 60 days, at $0.00.
Which province is fastest to incorporate in?
Ontario is fastest, because articles filed online through the Ontario Business Registry are processed immediately. In British Columbia the company is incorporated when the application is filed, after any Name Request is approved, and a $100.00 priority option speeds up the name review. Alberta depends on the registry agent.
Book a free consultation call
Still choosing a province? Tell us where you will trade on a free call, and a CPA will confirm the province before anything is filed.
Why owners trust the filing to us
Gondaliya CPA Professional Corporation is registered with CPA Ontario under firm registration number 61330051. Our clients have left us 1,300+ five-star Google reviews, and we work from 13 Ontario offices, open 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday. We back every filing with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 60-day fee-matching policy, and we are a Xero Partner Award Winner 2026. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
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Still deciding?
Send the intake form with where you will trade, who your directors are and who holds the shares, and we will confirm the province, the name and the year end before filing. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
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No legal advice
Gondaliya CPA Professional Corporation is a firm of Chartered Professional Accountants licensed by CPA Ontario, firm registration number 61330051. It is not a law firm. We prepare and file corporate documents and we provide accounting and tax advice. Nothing on this page is legal advice, and reading it creates no solicitor and client relationship. For legal advice, including advice on a shareholder agreement before you sign it, consult a lawyer licensed in the province where your corporation carries on business.
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
