Short answer
A Canadian corporation is formed federally under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) or provincially, for example under Ontario's Business Corporations Act (OBCA) or British Columbia's Business Corporations Act (BCA). The CBCA requires at least 25% resident Canadian directors; Ontario removed its residency rule on 5 July 2021 and BC has none. Federal corporations file individuals with significant control with Corporations Canada, which has published them since 22 January 2024. For iGaming, AGCO registration in Ontario does not require a Canadian entity.
Canada company formation at a glance
- Entity type
- Corporation (Inc., Ltd., Corp.), federal or provincial
- Governing law
- CBCA (federal), OBCA (Ontario), BCA (British Columbia), or another provincial act
- Registry
- Corporations Canada (federal); Ontario Business Registry; BC Registries
- Minimum capital
- None
- Shareholders
- One or more, any nationality or residence
- Directors
- At least one (more for distributing corporations)
- Local resident requirement
- CBCA: at least 25% resident Canadians (at least one if fewer than four directors). Ontario: none since 5 July 2021. BC: none
- Registered office
- Address in the province of incorporation (CBCA: the province named in the articles)
- Corporate tax
- Federal 15% general rate plus provincial (Ontario 11.5% = 26.5%; BC 12% = 27%)
- UBO register
- ISC register kept by the corporation; CBCA corporations also file it with Corporations Canada (public since 22 January 2024)
- Accounts/audit
- Annual financial statements and tax return; non-distributing corporations can waive the audit with unanimous shareholder consent
- Time to incorporate
- Online filing usually takes days once a name is cleared (indicative)
What the gambling regulator expects of the company
- There is no federal gambling license: under Criminal Code s.207 each province conducts and manages gambling, so the company is registered province by province.
- Ontario: operators register with the AGCO (CAD 100,000 per gaming site per year) and sign an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario; operators are not required to be established in Canada.
- The AGCO reviews the applicant entity and its owners: entity and personal disclosure forms, constituting documents, ownership charts, financial statements and tax returns, plus criminal checks for people not resident in Canada.
- Alberta (regulated market from 13 July 2026): AGLC registration followed by separate commercial onboarding with the Alberta iGaming Corporation; AGLC registration alone does not authorize gaming.
- Kahnawake: the KGC accepts a legally registered company from any jurisdiction, hosted at Mohawk Internet Technologies; a Canadian corporation is not required and the permit does not open the regulated provinces.
- Gaming-related suppliers (platforms, studios, aggregators) register with the AGCO separately; a Canadian entity is a commercial choice, not a condition.
License fees, process and documents: Canada gambling license.
Which Canada entity to use
| Vehicle | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Federal CBCA corporation | Groups operating across several provinces or wanting national name protection | Online filing fee about CAD 200; must register extra-provincially where it carries on business; resident-director rule applies. |
| Ontario OBCA corporation | Operations, staff or suppliers centered in Ontario | Filing fee about CAD 300; no resident-director rule since 2021; private ISC register since 2023. |
| British Columbia BCA company | Operations in BC or a BC-based team | Filing fee about CAD 350 plus name approval; no resident-director rule. BCLC holds the provincial igaming monopoly. |
| Foreign company (no Canadian entity) | Licensed operators entering Ontario directly from Malta, Gibraltar or elsewhere | Ontario does not require a Canadian entity for AGCO registration; extra-provincial registration may still be needed if business is carried on in a province. |
How to incorporate in Canada
- Week 1
Choose the jurisdiction
Federal, Ontario or BC, based on where staff, directors and operations will be.
- Week 1
Name search
NUANS report or provincial name approval, or use a numbered company.
- Week 1–2
File articles
Articles of incorporation, registered office and first directors filed online.
- Week 2
Organize the corporation
By-laws, share issuance, minute book, securities register and ISC register.
- Weeks 2–4
Tax and extra-provincial registration
CRA business number, GST/HST, payroll accounts, and extra-provincial registration where required.
- Weeks 2–8
Banking and Investment Canada
Open a bank account; a non-Canadian starting a new Canadian business files an Investment Canada Act notification within 30 days.
- Parallel
Gaming registration
AGCO application, iGO onboarding, or AGLC registration for the operating entity.
Documents you will need
- NUANS name search report or provincial name approval
- Articles of incorporation
- Notice of registered office and first directors
- Passports and addresses of directors
- Shareholder details and ISC information (name, address, citizenship, tax residence, how control is held)
- By-laws, share subscriptions and directors' resolutions
- Corporate documents of any corporate shareholder
- For the AGCO: entity disclosure, personal disclosure forms and ownership chart
Tax
- Federal corporate tax
- 15% general rate (lower small-business rate only for Canadian-controlled private corporations)
- Provincial corporate tax
- Ontario 11.5% (26.5% combined); BC 12% (27% combined)
- Dividends to non-residents
- 25% withholding, reduced under tax treaties
- Ontario igaming
- No separate gambling tax; iGaming Ontario keeps 20% of gaming revenue
Annual upkeep
Annual return
CBCA: filed within 60 days of the incorporation anniversary, with ISC information. Provinces have their own annual returns.
ISC register
Kept current; CBCA corporations report changes to Corporations Canada within 15 days.
Corporate tax return
T2 return within six months of year end, plus provincial filings where required.
GST/HST and payroll
Periodic returns and remittances once registered.
Gaming
Annual AGCO registration fee per site, monthly iGO settlement, and AML reporting to FINTRAC.
Banking and payments
Canadian banks will open accounts for foreign-owned corporations, but expect in-person or video identification of directors and owners and close review of gambling activity. AGCO-registered operators generally bank in Canada; offshore-licensed businesses targeting unregulated provinces often find accounts refused.
How we prepare the underwriting file: payments and banking.
Mistakes to avoid
- Choosing a CBCA corporation without enough resident Canadian directors.
- Assuming a Canadian company is needed for Ontario: the AGCO registers foreign operators.
- Forgetting extra-provincial registration where the corporation carries on business outside its home province.
- Missing the 15-day ISC update deadline after ownership changes; penalties for directors are significant.
- Expecting a Kahnawake permit held by a Canadian company to authorize Ontario, Alberta, BC or Quebec.
Canada compared
| Canada | Anjouan | Nevis | Costa Rica | Cyprus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual vehicle | Corporation (CBCA, OBCA, BCA) | IBC | Corporation or LLC | S.A. or S.R.L. | Private Ltd (Cap. 113) |
| Minimum capital | None | None published | None | None | €500,000 paid-up (licensee) |
| Local requirement | CBCA 25% resident directors; ON/BC none | Agent only | Agent + Reporting Officer | Resident agent, office | No resident director; CY office |
| Corporate tax | 26.5% (ON) · 27% (BC) | 0% (IBC) | 0% if non-resident | 30% local; Law 9050 | 15% CIT |
| Time | Days (online) | ≈ 1 week | A few days | 1–2 weeks + permit | 1–4 weeks |
Every formation jurisdiction side by side: company formation for gambling licenses. Licenses compared: gambling license jurisdictions. How we work: gambling consulting services.
What we do
Before you incorporate
We check that the entity, ownership chain and tax position will pass the regulator and the bank, and model the year-one cost.
Formation and registered office
We prepare the documents and coordinate incorporation, registered office and tax registration through licensed local agents and counsel.
Banking
We prepare the underwriting file and introduce banks, EMIs and PSPs that work with gambling businesses in Canada.
The license
We prepare and file the Canada gambling license and stay on for renewals and reporting.
Canada company formation — FAQs
Do I need a Canadian company to get an Ontario igaming registration?
No. Operators are not required to have a business established in Canada; foreign companies register with the AGCO and sign the iGaming Ontario operating agreement. Many groups still form a Canadian subsidiary for staff, banking or suppliers.
Do Canadian corporations need resident Canadian directors?
Federal CBCA corporations need at least 25% resident Canadian directors, or at least one if there are fewer than four. Ontario removed its requirement on 5 July 2021 and British Columbia has none.
Federal or provincial incorporation?
Federal incorporation suits groups active in several provinces but brings the resident-director rule and extra-provincial registrations. An Ontario or BC corporation is simpler when activity is concentrated in that province.
Is beneficial ownership public in Canada?
For CBCA corporations, yes: Corporations Canada has published individuals with significant control since 22 January 2024. Ontario corporations keep a private ISC register.
What is the corporate tax rate?
The general combined rate is about 26.5% in Ontario and 27% in British Columbia (15% federal plus the provincial rate).
Does Kahnawake require a Canadian company?
No. The KGC accepts a legally registered company from any jurisdiction. See our Kahnawake guide.
Sources
Checked against the sources below on 9 October 2026. Registry fees, tax rates and filing rules change; confirm with us before you incorporate.
- Corporations Canada — individuals with significant control
- Norton Rose Fulbright — CBCA ISC public disclosure
- McMillan — Ontario repeals resident director requirement
- AGCO — apply to become an igaming operator
- ABA Business Law Today — Legal igaming comes to Ontario
- Criminal Code s.207 — Justice Laws
- Kahnawake Gaming Commission
Set up the right Canada company the first time
An entity that the regulator, the bank and the tax authority will all accept. We screen the structure first, then incorporate, open accounts and file the license.
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