Incorporate a Business in Montreal for $35
Incorporate your Montreal business in Quebec for $35.00, HST included, with the $397 Registraire des entreprises du Québec fee on its own line at cost. There is no Gondaliya CPA office in Quebec: Montreal files are handled remotely by our Ottawa office, and a CPA checks your French-language name, your head office address and your share structure before anything is filed. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
Quebec Incorporation for Montreal Owners, Handled Remotely by a CPA
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA. We prepare and file your Quebec incorporation under the Business Corporations Act (Quebec) for a professional fee of $35.00, HST included. The Registraire des entreprises du Québec charges $397 for the certificate of constitution at regular treatment, billed separately at cost, so a Quebec corporation costs $432.00 in total. There is no Gondaliya CPA office in Montreal or anywhere in Quebec, so the work is done remotely by phone, email and secure file transfer from our Ottawa office. A CPA reviews your name, share structure and year end before anything is filed. Call 647-212-9559.
Two points to settle first. A Quebec corporation must keep its head office in Quebec, and you supply that address, usually your premises or your home in Montreal. And under the Charter of the French language, the corporation’s name must be in French. A version in another language may be added to the articles, but it can only be used in Quebec alongside the French name.
Montreal Business Statistics
Every figure below carries its source and year. Statistics Canada supplies the census counts, the Institut de la statistique du Québec publishes current estimates, and the Ville de Montréal publishes business counts for the island.
| Statistic | Figure | Source and year |
|---|---|---|
| Population, City of Montreal | 1,762,949 in 2021, up 3.4% from 1,704,694 in 2016 | Statistics Canada, 2021 Census, via Ville de Montréal |
| Population, Montreal census metropolitan area | 4,291,732, the second largest in Canada | Statistics Canada, 2021 Census |
| Estimated population, island of Montreal | 2,172,259 | Institut de la statistique du Québec, 2025 |
| Business establishments on the island | About 64,000 | Ville de Montréal, using the Statistics Canada Business Register, 2022 and 2024 |
| Aerospace | Canada’s largest aerospace hub, with 75% of Canadian aerospace R&D done in Greater Montreal | Montréal International, 2026 |
| Mila, Quebec AI institute | More than 1,300 researchers, professors, students and partners | Gouvernement du Québec, 2026 |
| Port of Montreal cargo | 34.3 million tonnes and 1.52 million containers (TEU) | Montreal Port Authority, 2025 preliminary figures |
| Quebec small business tax rate | 2.2% provincial, 11.2% combined with the 9% federal rate | Revenu Québec, taxation years beginning after 29 April 2026 |
Why Montreal Business Owners Incorporate
Montreal is Canada’s aerospace capital and one of its largest technology centres. Montréal International says three quarters of Canadian aerospace research and development is done in Greater Montreal, and Mila brings together more than 1,300 artificial intelligence researchers and partners. Engineers, developers and consultants working for those companies are often paid as incorporated contractors, and start-ups need share classes ready for investors.
The port and trade bring importers and distributors. The Port of Montreal handled 34.3 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, and an importer needs a business number, a Quebec enterprise number and an import-export account before the first shipment.
The tax rules changed in 2026. Quebec raised its small business deduction, so a qualifying corporation now pays 2.2 percent provincially on its first $500,000 of active business income, for 11.2 percent combined with the federal rate, for taxation years beginning after 29 April 2026. Quebec also requires 5,500 paid hours of work in the corporation, counting associated corporations, for the full deduction, and the deduction phases out entirely at 5,000 hours. A one-person corporation should plan for that before incorporating.
Montreal has no general municipal business licence. What it has instead is the borough’s occupancy permit for commercial premises, provincial permits for food and alcohol, and some of the strictest short-term rental rules in Canada.
Municipal Permits in Montreal
The City of Montreal does not issue a general business licence. Instead, the borough issues an occupancy permit (permis d’occupation, formerly certificat d’occupation) for commercial, industrial or professional premises, and specific activities need provincial permits.
| Business type | Municipal licence required | Issuing body | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office, shop or workshop in commercial premises | Yes, borough occupancy permit | Your borough | Required before opening, and again if the operator, floor area or activity changes; fees vary by borough |
| Exterior sign | Yes, sign permit | Your borough | The occupancy permit must be issued first |
| Restaurant, take-out or food store | Yes, food permit | Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ) | The City of Montreal inspects food premises as MAPAQ’s agent |
| Bar or restaurant serving alcohol | Yes, alcohol permit | Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux | Separate from the food permit |
| Short-term rental of a principal residence | Yes, City operating permit and provincial registration number | Ville de Montréal and the Ministère du Tourisme | Allowed only from 10 June to 10 September; some boroughs ban it entirely |
| Home-based consultant, accountant or software firm | No occupancy permit for a home office in most cases | Your borough | Zoning still governs what may run from a dwelling; check with your borough |
A borough occupancy permit and a Quebec or federal corporation are separate things, and one never replaces the other. The corporation is created under the Business Corporations Act (Quebec) through the Registraire des entreprises, or under the Canada Business Corporations Act through Corporations Canada. The occupancy permit is the borough’s confirmation that your activity is allowed in those premises.
The order matters. The occupancy permit is issued to the operator, and a new one is needed when the operator changes. Incorporate before you sign the lease and apply in the corporation’s name, and check zoning with the borough before signing anything.
Since 10 June 2025, short-term rentals of a principal residence in Montreal are allowed only from 10 June to 10 September, with an annual City permit, and the provincial registration number must appear on every listing. A corporation cannot hold a principal residence, so a short-term rental is rarely a reason to incorporate in Montreal.
For free start-up help, the PME MTL network has six hubs across the island. PME MTL Centre-Ville is at 630 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Suite 700 (514-879-0555), and Futurpreneur offers start-up loans of up to $75,000 with mentoring for founders aged 18 to 39.
Montreal Files Are Handled by Our Ottawa Office
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
Gondaliya CPA, Ottawa, 2090 Neepawa Ave, Unit A314, Ottawa, Ontario K2A 3L6. Phone 647-212-9559. Open 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday.
We do not have an office in Montreal or anywhere in Quebec, and we cannot provide a Quebec head office address. You supply the head office address in Quebec, and we prepare and file everything else by email and electronically with the Registraire.
Our Services for Montreal Businesses
Our professional fees include HST. Government fees are separate, itemised and charged at cost with no mark-up.
Incorporation Services in Montreal
Incorporate in Canada for just $35, HST included, with a CPA review before filing.
NUANS Name Search and Report in Montreal ($25)
A $25 NUANS report, checked by a CPA before you incorporate.
Address Service for $75
A registered office address that keeps your home address private.
Annual Return Filing in Montreal
Federal and Ontario annual returns filed on time to keep your corporation active.
Corporate Tax Filing in Montreal (From $300)
Your T2 corporate tax return, prepared by a CPA, from $300.
Payroll Service in Montreal
Payroll and CRA source deductions for owners and staff.
Incorporate in Ontario
Ontario incorporation for $35 plus the $300 government fee, often processed the same day.
Federal Incorporation
Federal incorporation for $35 plus the $200 government fee, with your name protected across Canada.
Holding Company Setup in Montreal
A holding company for $35, structured by a CPA for tax-efficient dividends.
Industries That Incorporate Most in Montreal
These are the groups we see most often from Montreal, and what each has to settle when it incorporates.
| Industry | Why it incorporates here | Our matching page |
|---|---|---|
| Engineers and aerospace contractors | Aerospace firms often pay incorporated contractors, and the 5,500-hour rule decides the small business rate | Engineers |
| IT consultants and AI start-ups | Mila and the start-up community, where investors expect settled share classes | IT consultants and software developers |
| Distributors and importers | Port access, a Quebec enterprise number and an import-export account before the first shipment | Import and export businesses |
| Restaurants and food businesses | A MAPAQ food permit, a borough occupancy permit and, for alcohol, a Régie permit | Restaurants and food trucks |
| E-commerce sellers | QST and GST registration, and a French name for a Quebec corporation | E-commerce and Amazon sellers |
| Newcomers and international graduates | No director residency rule under Quebec law | Immigrants and newcomers |
Free Montreal Incorporation Consultation
Case Studies: Montreal Incorporations
Montreal Software Consultant – The 5,500-Hour Rule
The problem: A software consultant working alone wanted to incorporate to pay the small business rate.
What we did: We explained that a Quebec corporation with fewer than 5,500 paid hours a year loses Quebec’s small business deduction, and compared the result with staying a sole proprietor before filing.
The result:
- Honest comparison first
- Quebec articles filed
- Year end chosen for the plan
Saint-Laurent Distributor – French Name
The problem: A distributor wanted to keep an English trading name for customers outside Quebec.
What we did: We filed the articles with a French name and an English version entered in the articles, used in Quebec only alongside the French name.
The result:
- Charter-compliant name
- English version in the articles
- GST and QST registered
Plateau Café – Permit in the Company’s Name
The problem: A café owner was about to sign a lease in their own name.
What we did: We incorporated first, so the lease, the borough occupancy permit and the MAPAQ food permit were all in the corporation’s name from day one.
The result:
- Corporation before the lease
- Permits in the company’s name
- No second application
What It Costs to Incorporate in Montreal
Our fee is the same everywhere. Quebec government fees are charged by the Registraire des entreprises du Québec and shown on their own lines at cost. See the full fee table or every 2026 government registry fee.
| Item | Amount | HST | Total | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incorporation prepared and filed | $35.00 | Included | $35.00 | Open Corporation for $35, a department of Gondaliya CPA |
| Quebec certificate of constitution, regular treatment | $397.00 | None | $397.00 | Registraire des entreprises du Québec |
| Priority treatment, optional | $595.50 in place of $397.00 | None | $595.50 | Registraire des entreprises du Québec |
| Name reservation, optional | $27.00 | None | $27.00 | Registraire des entreprises du Québec |
| Annual updating declaration, including the annual registration fee | $106.00 | None | $106.00 | Registraire des entreprises du Québec |
A Quebec corporation costs $432.00 in total at regular treatment. A federal corporation operating in Montreal pays $200 to Corporations Canada and then $397 to register in Quebec, so incorporating in Quebec is usually cheaper for a Montreal business. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
The same checks run on every file. In Montreal the answers usually turn on the French name, the 5,500-hour rule and the head office.
Quebec or federal
A federal corporation still registers in Quebec for $397 and needs 25 percent resident Canadian directors. A Quebec corporation has no director residency rule.
French-language name
The name must comply with the Charter of the French language. We check it before filing, or use a designating number instead.
Head office
It must be in Quebec, and it is public on the enterprise register. We confirm the address you will use before drafting.
Share structure
One class suits a solo consultant. Two founders, or an investor later, need classes set at the start.
The 5,500-hour rule
Without 5,500 paid hours a year, Quebec’s small business deduction is reduced, and it is gone at 5,000 hours. We model this before you incorporate.
GST and QST
Registration for both at the $30,000 threshold, or earlier to recover tax on start-up costs. Revenu Québec administers both in Quebec.
A Montreal example. A Montreal aerospace engineer was offered a contract through an agency that would only pay a corporation. Working alone, their corporation would not reach 5,500 paid hours, so it would pay the general Quebec rate rather than 2.2 percent. We showed the numbers, and the engineer incorporated anyway for the liability protection and the agency requirement, with a salary and dividend plan built around the higher rate.
Why Choose Open Corporation for $35 in Montreal?
Our Official Partners
Montreal Incorporation FAQs
Do I need a City of Montreal business licence as well as a corporation?
Should a Montreal business incorporate federally or in Quebec?
Does my Quebec corporation need a French name?
What is the Quebec small business tax rate in 2026?
Is there free start-up help in Montreal?
Is there a Gondaliya CPA office in Montreal?
What is the annual updating declaration?
Do I have to register for GST and QST?
Does a Quebec corporation need a head office in Quebec?
Can I get my Quebec corporation faster?
Meet the CPAs Behind Your Montreal Incorporation
A Chartered Professional Accountant reviews your shares, name and registered office before anything is filed.
What Our Clients Say
These Google reviews belong to Gondaliya CPA Professional Corporation and cover every service the firm provides. See all reviews. These reviews come from clients across the firm, not from a Montreal office.
Why Owners Trust 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. See incorporation services at Gondaliya CPA.
Start Your Quebec Incorporation From Montreal
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA. Complete the intake form with your Montreal head office address and proposed French name, and a CPA will confirm your share structure, your year end and how the 5,500-hour rule affects you. Our fee is $35.00 with HST included, and the $397 Registraire fee is shown separately at cost. Send payment by Interac e-Transfer to info@gondaliyacpa.ca with the security question set to “Not Applicable”, as auto-deposit is enabled. Card is also accepted. Questions first? Call 647-212-9559, 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday.
Where to Go Next
Incorporate in Quebec
The QBCA filing, the $397 fee and the annual updating declaration.
Ottawa incorporation services
Our Ottawa office, which handles Montreal files.
Federal incorporation
CBCA filing, the $200 fee and the resident director rule.
Which province should I incorporate in?
How Quebec compares with Ontario and federal incorporation.
Gondaliya CPA online incorporation services
The parent firm’s remote incorporation and accounting services.
Holding company in Canada
When a holding company earns its place.
All service areas · All incorporation and corporate filing services
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.
