Ontario · National Capital Region
Ottawa's economy is anchored by the federal government, but its private sector has grown into one of Canada's most significant tech clusters. CorpStart files your OBCA corporation (Articles, By-law, and Minute Book) typically within one to two business hours.
Numbered corporation
$299
+ $300 Ontario gov fee
$599 total
Many Ottawa businesses provide services to federal departments, Crown corporations, or allied governments. Incorporation is not a blanket legal requirement to bid: a sole proprietor can obtain a Procurement Business Number and compete. What incorporation changes is practical. Individual solicitations and prime contractors set their own terms, and those often ask for a corporate entity, insurance the corporation carries, and evidence of how the business is governed. An Ontario corporation filed through CorpStart gives you organizational resolutions and a minute book, which is the documentation those requirements are usually asking for. Read the solicitation before assuming either way.
Nearby communities (Kanata, Nepean, Orleans, Barrhaven, Stittsville) are all in Ontario, so one Ontario corporation covers your operations across every one of them. You do not re-incorporate city by city.
Municipal licensing is a separate question from corporate registration, and the two get confused constantly. Depending on what you do, a municipality may still require its own business licence, and the fee is set by each municipality. Carrying on business outside Ontario is different again, and needs extra-provincial registration in that province.
Three steps: no lawyers, no registry line-ups, no guesswork.
Answer our questionnaire
Tell us your corporation name preference, share structure, directors, and Ottawa registered office address. Takes about 15 minutes. We flag issues before you pay.
We prepare and file
CorpStart prepares your Articles of Incorporation, By-law No. 1, and Organizational Resolutions, then files directly with the Ontario Business Registry. Most filings go out the same day.
Receive your Minute Book
Your Certificate of Incorporation, Articles, By-law, and complete digital Minute Book arrive by email. Your bank, accountant, and clients will recognise every document.
No hidden extras. The government fee is collected at cost and shown separately at checkout.
Most popular
Numbered Corporation
e.g., 1234567 Ontario Inc. Fastest option, no name search required.
$299
+ $300 Ontario gov fee = $599 total
Named corporation
Named Corporation
e.g., Acme Holdings Inc. Choose your corporate name, includes NUANS pre-search.
$299
+ $300 Ontario gov fee, NUANS search included = $599 total
Do I need an Ontario corporation or a federal corporation to do business with the federal government in Ottawa?
Either an Ontario or federal corporation is acceptable for federal procurement, and so, for many solicitations, is a sole proprietorship holding a Procurement Business Number. Incorporation is not the gate; what a given solicitation asks for is. An Ontario corporation is faster and cheaper to set up; a federal corporation gives you name protection across Canada. Neither removes extra-provincial registration: a federal corporation still registers in every province where it carries on business, Ontario included, so expanding means the same provincial filings either way. Most Ottawa government suppliers start with an Ontario corporation and add registrations province by province as they actually expand.
Can a non-Canadian resident incorporate an Ontario corporation for Ottawa-based government work?
Yes. Since Ontario repealed its director residency requirement in July 2021, non-residents can be sole directors and incorporate an Ontario corporation without any Canadian address requirement for directors. No lawyer or Canadian agent is required for the incorporation itself.
How long does it take to get my corporation number for an Ottawa business?
Ontario online incorporations are processed immediately by the Ontario Business Registry. CorpStart typically submits within one to two business hours of your order, and you'll receive your certificate of incorporation, corporation number, and complete digital minute book by email the same business day.
I am in Ottawa but I also work in Gatineau. Does my Ontario corporation cover that?
Not by itself. Gatineau is in Quebec, and crossing the river crosses a provincial border: the Ontario Business Corporations Act stops at it. Your Ontario corporation keeps its legal existence everywhere, but carrying on business in Quebec means registering there with the Registraire des entreprises, which brings a Quebec NEQ, an annual updating declaration with its own fee, and French-language obligations that apply to a business dealing with Quebec consumers. Invoicing the occasional Gatineau client from an Ottawa office is a different situation from having premises or staff there, and the line between them is a judgement call worth putting to an adviser rather than guessing at.
Learn more about Ontario incorporation
Full OBCA overview, what's included, and Ontario vs federal comparison.
The process is the same province-wide, but the tax angle and pitfalls differ by line of work and situation. Explore the guide that fits you.
Incorporate in Ottawa today
$299 service fee + $300 Ontario gov fee. Submitted to the Ontario Business Registry within one to two business hours. No lawyers, no delays.
Start my corporationCorpStart is a document preparation service, not a law firm. The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed Ontario lawyer.