By Sharad Gondaliya, CPA
If you live outside Canada, Ontario and British Columbia are the usual choices for a new corporation. Both let you own 100% of the shares and be the sole director, with no Canadian resident on the board. Both can be set up without visiting Canada. The right choice depends on where your business will actually operate.
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
Why not federal?
A federal corporation needs at least 25% resident Canadian directors, and at least one when the board has fewer than four. Most foreign founders do not have a resident Canadian to appoint. Ontario and BC, like several other provinces, have no such rule, so they are the practical choice. Read more in Ontario removed the resident director rule.
Ontario and BC side by side
| Item | Ontario | British Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Canadian director required | No | No |
| Minimum number of directors | 1 | 1 |
| Non-resident shareholders | 100% allowed | 100% allowed |
| Government incorporation fee | $300 | $350 |
| Name search for a named company | Ontario NUANS report, $25 | Name Request, $30 |
| Office requirement | Registered office address in Ontario | Registered office and records office in BC |
| Annual filing government fee | $0 | $43.39 |
| Combined general corporate tax rate, non-resident-owned | 26.5% | 27% |
| Sales tax charged to local customers | 13% HST | 5% GST, plus 7% PST on most goods and some services |
Choose Ontario when
- Your customers, staff or partners are mainly in Ontario.
- You want a Toronto address in Canada’s main financial centre.
- You prefer one harmonized sales tax instead of GST plus PST.
- You want lower setup and annual government fees.
Ontario produced 38.4% of Canada’s GDP in 2025, the largest share of any province.
Choose BC when
- Your team, warehouse or office will be in British Columbia.
- Your trade runs through Vancouver and the Pacific ports.
- Your main Canadian customers are in Western Canada.
What is the same in both provinces
- No visit to Canada is needed to incorporate.
- We register all CRA accounts: Business Number, GST/HST, payroll and corporate income tax. No SIN is needed.
- We help you open a Canadian business account without visiting Canada; the financial institution gives final approval.
- The corporation can sell to customers anywhere in Canada.
- Expanding to another province later is the same process for both, and the same as for a federal corporation.
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA. Your corporate tax and filings stay with the same CPA team after incorporation.
Our fees
| Item | Ontario | British Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Our service fee | $35.00 | $35.00 |
| Sales tax on our fee | HST 13%: $4.55 | GST 5%: $1.75 |
| Government incorporation fee (no tax) | $300.00 | $350.00 |
| Name search for a named company | $25.00 | $30.00 |
| Total for a named company | $364.55 | $416.75 |
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA. Our Ontario registered office address at 55 Queen St E, Suite 1205, Toronto is $1,000.00 per year plus $130.00 HST, if you need one.
FAQs
Can I incorporate in Ontario if my business is in BC?
Yes, but if you carry on business in BC, the Ontario corporation must also register in BC. It is usually simpler to incorporate in the province where you will operate.
Is tax lower in one province?
The difference is small: 26.5% in Ontario and 27% in BC for a non-resident-owned corporation.
Who is Open Corporation for $35?
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA. Gondaliya CPA is a CPA Ontario firm in Toronto, led by Sharad Gondaliya, CPA.
Start your corporation
Please start your incorporation at opencorporationfor35.ca or email info@opencorporationfor35.ca. For tax planning before you decide, book a free consultation at gondaliyacpa.ca/consultation. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
