Incorporation & Corporate Maintenance Services
Endeavor Law provides incorporation (both British Columbia and Federal); registered and records office services and extra-provincial agent services - understanding that incorporation is often the starting point for business and that business owners and entrepreneurs need to start off on a solid foundation in order to obtain, to the greatest extent possible, the advantages of incorporation while managing the concurrent costs.
Simply put, it is almost always more expensive to fix an improperly and/or poorly formed, maintained or structured corporation than it is to do it right the first time. In fact, Corporate law compliance issues can deny an entrepreneur liability protection, compromise tax planning or undercut goodwill value intended by incorporating in the first place. The advice and services of a corporate lawyer and professional accountant may cost a little more at the start; but will likely save a lot of money, time and disappointment on your way to building a successful, profitable business.
Unlike do-it-yourself or web based services, Endeavor Law provides legal advice and legal guidance throughout the process, a complete package of corporate records that not only establishes the new company or corporation, but ensures initial compliance with the applicable law; and, if required, registered and records office services to keep the new company or corporation in good standing.
British Columbia Incorporation
After deciding whether incorporation is the right structure or not for any business, the next question is whether to incorporate Federally (under the Canada Business Corporations Act) or provincially (under applicable provincial legislation) and then, if provincially, which province. Some forms of business must be incorporated federally (for example, railways or telecommunications); some professional businesses must be incorporated provincially (for example, doctors and lawyers) and some businesses may choose the jurisdiction based on the scope of their intended business and the relevant advantages offered by incorporating in a particular jurisdiction. By far, most businesses are formed under provincial legislation.
One unique advantage of British Columbia incorporation is that, unlike Federal corporations and corporations incorporated under many other provincial legislation in Canada, a B.C. company does not have any director residency requirements (ie. other Canadian jurisdictions may require a board of directors that has a majority of Canadian residents and/or at least one director resident in the jurisdiction.
Companies are incorporated in B.C. according to the provisions of the British Columbia Business Corporations Act. Incorporation requires a name approval and reservation process (unless a "numbered company" will be used); preparation and execution of an Incorporation Agreement identifying the "incorporators" of the company and adopting Articles; completion and filing of an Incorporation Application and Notice of Articles; and the preparation of the required initial organizational resolutions, registers and other documents of the initial shareholders and directors.
British Columbia incorporation & initial organization packages start from $499 (Filing fees & taxes extra)
Federal (Canada) Incorporation
It is sometimes preferred that a business with Canadian national ambitions, international exposure or dealings with U.S. investors (who may be more familiar with the structures and terminology used under Canada's federal statute) seek Federal, as opposed to provincial, incorporation. Some other forms of business must be incorporated federally (for example, railways or telecommunications).
One unique advantage of Federal incorporation is that, constitutionally, a Federally incorporated corporation is entitled to do business in each province and territory of Canada under its Federally incorporated name. However, it must be understood that this does not mean that a Federally incorporated corporation is entitled to do business in each province and territory of Canada period. Provincial laws may still apply that require a Federally incorporated corporation to extra-provincially register in that province resulting in additional filings and costs. For this reason a Federal incorporation is not the automatic choice of a business that intends to operate in multiple provinces in Canada.
Corporations are incorporated Federally according to the provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act. Incorporation requires a NUANs search and/or name pre-approval process (unless a "numbered company" will be used); preparation and execution of Articles of Incorporation and adoption of By-laws; completion and filing of the Articles of Incorporation; and the preparation of the required initial organizational resolutions, registers and other documents of the initial shareholders and directors including the new determination of "individual shareholders with significant control and preparation of the required ISC Register and related filing.
Federal (CBCA) incorporation & initial organization packages start from $529 (Filing fees & taxes extra)
Registered & Records Office Services
British Columbia companies must have a Registered and Records Office Address (delivery and mailing) as part of their record at the Corporate Registry. A company's Registered Office is the location where legal documents can be served. A Registered Office delivery address must be for a location in B.C. that is accessible to the public between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on regular business days for the service of documents. The Registered Office mailing address is the address where the Corporate Registry will send important information to the company. A company's Records Office is the location where all the records for the company are kept. The Records Office delivery address must be for a location in B.C. that is accessible to the public between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on regular business days for the inspection of records. The mailing addresses, if different from the delivery addresses, must be a postal address in British Columbia. These addresses are public information.
Federal corporations must have a Registered Office Address as part of their record at the Corporations Canada. A corporation's Registered Office is the location in a province or territory within Canada, designated in the Articles of Incorporation, where legal documents can be served during normal business hours. Federal corporations must also keep prescribed records at its Registered Office or such other place designated by the directors of the corporation. The Registered Office address is public information. Our annual service now includes the newly mandated ISC registry confirmation and filing.
In order to keep either a B.C. company or Federal corporation in good standing, such company/ corporation must file with the applicable registry an Annual Report and pay a filing fee within a prescribed period of time. B.C. companies and Federal corporations must also attend to certain prescribed annual business such as financial statements, auditors and shareholder meetings. The failure to attend to Annual Reports and/or prescribed annual business can result in a company/ corporation being the subject of involuntary dissolution proceedings initiated by the applicable registry, shareholder legal claims, extended director liabilities and/or loss of corporate assets.
Annual Registered & Records office services $329 (Flat fee - filing fees & taxes extra)
Annual corporate maintenance packages start from $89 (Filing fees & taxes extra)
BC Extra-Provincial Registration
If your company or corporation will "carry-on business" in a Canadian province or territory other than your company's or corporation's jurisdiction of incorporation (including if you incorporate federally but carry on business in British Columbia), applicable legislation may require registration in each province/territory where business activity occurs. Generally, a company is deemed to be “carrying on business” in the province if it holds title or interest in land, maintains an office, warehouse, place of business or telephone, or has a resident agent or representative, or it is otherwise carrying on business in that province.
Registration requires a name approval and reservation process, identification and appointment of an Attorney resident in B.C. and the completion and filing of a Registration Statement. In order to keep extra-provincial registration in good standing a company or corporation must file with the B.C. Corporate Registrar an Annual Report and pay a filing fee within a prescribed period of time.
British Columbia extra-provincial registration packages start from $249 (Filing fees & taxes extra)
British Columbia annual extra-provincial maintenance package $49 (Flat fee - filing fees & taxes extra)