Options for your organization
Compare federal corporations, provincial non-profits and societies for your intended activities.
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FEDERAL & PROVINCIAL NON-PROFIT INCORPORATION
Incorporate a non-profit federally under the CNCA or in your province, prepare your purposes and director details, and plan your organization's next steps.
TEN NON-PROFIT REGISTRATION OPTIONS
Compare federal and provincial options for your organization. Confirm the intended activities, registered office and governance requirements before choosing a service.
Choose a legal home for your organization’s purpose.
For organizations incorporating in Ontario
Build your organization under Ontario’s ONCA.
Get support with incorporation under Ontario’s Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010. Prepare your name, purposes, registered office and director details. Consider membership and governance provisions, and review any additional requirements for charitable purposes.
For organizations choosing federal incorporation
Create a federal not-for-profit corporation.
Request incorporation support under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. Provide your proposed name, purposes, membership provisions and required office and director information. Review provincial registrations wherever the organization will carry on activities.
For organizations starting in Alberta
Choose the Alberta structure that fits.
Explore incorporation as an Alberta society or non-profit company. These structures have different rules, including limits on the activities a society may undertake. Confirm your purposes and planned operations before preparing the appropriate application.
For organizations incorporating in B.C.
Prepare your B.C. society registration.
Get support with society incorporation in British Columbia. Prepare the organization’s purposes, proposed name, constitution, bylaws and required office and director information. Review the applicable society requirements and any separate charity registration plans.
For organizations starting in Quebec
Establish your Quebec non-profit legal entity.
Request support to constitute a Quebec non-profit legal person, commonly called an OBNL or OSBL. Prepare the purposes, compliant name and required applicant and office details. Plan for the initial declaration and subsequent registry obligations.
For organizations starting in New Brunswick
Prepare a New Brunswick not-for-profit filing.
Get support with incorporation of a not-for-profit company under New Brunswick’s Companies Act. Provide the proposed name, purposes and required founding details. Review the organization’s governing documents and continuing corporate registry obligations.
For organizations starting in Saskatchewan
Create your Saskatchewan non-profit corporation.
Request support with provincial non-profit incorporation. Prepare the name reservation, purposes, registered office and required director and incorporator information. Review membership provisions and the ongoing filings that apply to the organization.
For organizations starting in Manitoba
Prepare your Manitoba non-profit incorporation.
Get support with the provincial filing for a Manitoba non-profit corporation. Provide the proposed name, purposes, registered office and required founding details. Confirm the applicable incorporation documents and plan the organization’s governance records.
For organizations starting in Nova Scotia
Explore incorporation for your Nova Scotia group.
Request support with the appropriate provincial non-profit route, including society incorporation. Define your purposes and prepare the name and governing documents required for the chosen structure. Confirm requirements with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies.
For organizations in Newfoundland & Labrador
Prepare incorporation without share capital.
Get support with non-profit incorporation in Newfoundland and Labrador. Prepare the organization’s name, aims, registered office and required people details for the applicable filing. Review the governing provisions and continuing corporate registry responsibilities.
Not sure which jurisdiction fits? Tell us your organization’s purpose, planned activities and where it will operate.
Discuss your non-profit plans ↗REGISTER A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION IN CANADA
Incorporating a non-profit corporation or society creates a legal entity for your organization. The right route depends on its purposes, activities, governance and the jurisdictions where it will operate.
Choose federal incorporation or a provincial service below. Incorporation is separate from CRA registered charity status and does not, by itself, establish income tax exemption or authorize official donation receipts.
WHY CHOOSE NUANS PRE-SEARCH
Non-profit incorporation requirements vary by jurisdiction and structure. NUANS Pre-Search brings federal and provincial services together so you can choose a relevant filing and prepare your organization’s information.
Questions? Speak with our teamCompare federal corporations, provincial non-profits and societies for your intended activities.
Prepare the proposed name, purposes, registered office and director or incorporator details.
Ask our team about service requirements, supporting information or an existing application.
HOW YOUR NON-PROFIT REGISTRATION WORKS
Select the jurisdiction, prepare the incorporation details and review the registration documents and responsibilities that follow.
Select a federal or provincial service based on the organization’s purposes, structure and planned operations.
View non-profit services ↗Provide the proposed name, purposes, registered office and required people details. Confirm membership and other provisions requested for the filing.
Name and governance requirements vary by jurisdictionReview the issued documents, establish the required governance records and identify any tax, charity or extra-provincial registrations needed.
Charity registration is a separate CRA process
WHAT YOU NEED FOR NON-PROFIT REGISTRATION
Gather these essentials before applying. The selected jurisdiction may require additional provisions, consents, name approval or governing documents.
Name & purposes
Your proposed organization name and a clear statement of the purposes it will pursue.
Jurisdiction & office
The incorporation jurisdiction, registered office address and locations of planned activities.
Directors & incorporators
Required names, addresses and consents, with eligibility checked under the applicable law.
Membership & governance
Proposed membership arrangements, bylaws or constitution details, and provisions required for your structure.
CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE
See what customers across Canada say about working with us, then talk to our team about your plans.
Read what business owners, founders and organizations say about working with NP, then speak with our team about the right service for you.
CANADIAN NON-PROFIT INCORPORATION GUIDE
Plan for incorporation, tax status and governance as separate decisions when setting up your organization.
A non-profit corporation or society is a legal structure. Registered charity status is a separate designation granted by the CRA to organizations that meet its requirements, including charitable purposes and activities.
If charitable registration is part of your plan, review the CRA’s requirements before finalizing your purposes and governing documents. Incorporation alone does not authorize official donation receipts.
Discuss your organization’s purposes ↗Federal incorporation creates a corporation under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. Provincial routes use the applicable provincial legislation, with different naming, governance and filing requirements.
Consider where the organization will operate and the rules its board will follow. Federal incorporation does not replace required provincial or territorial registrations.
Explore federal incorporation ↗The available structures vary by province. Alberta offers society and non-profit company options, while a society is a common non-profit structure in British Columbia and Nova Scotia.
Choose a structure suited to the intended purposes and activities, including any ongoing business operations. Similar labels do not mean the same rules apply in every province.
Compare provincial options ↗The board must organize the corporation or society and follow its governing law and documents. This can include adopting bylaws, maintaining member and director records, holding meetings and preparing financial information.
Registry filings and CRA returns are separate obligations. Confirm which annual returns, tax filings and other registrations apply, and keep addresses and director information current.
Explore corporate filing support ↗FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Direct answers about incorporation, charity status, eligibility, required information and ongoing responsibilities in Canada.
Tell our team your organization’s purpose, planned activities and preferred registration jurisdiction.
Contact our team ↗Incorporation creates a legal entity separate from its members under the applicable federal or provincial law. It provides a formal governance structure but does not automatically grant charity status, tax exemption or eligibility for grants.
Eligible incorporators can form a non-profit corporation or society for purposes permitted by the chosen jurisdiction. Requirements for incorporators, directors, addresses and governing documents vary, so confirm the rules before selecting the structure.
The choice depends on your organization’s purposes, planned locations and preferred governing framework. A federal not-for-profit must still meet applicable provincial or territorial registration requirements where it carries on activities.
A registered charity has CRA approval for charitable status, while non-profit incorporation is a separate legal process. For income tax purposes, an NPO must meet specific statutory conditions and is distinct from a charity, whether or not that charity is registered.
No, incorporation alone does not authorize official donation tax receipts. The organization must be a registered charity or another qualified donee authorized under the Income Tax Act before issuing them.
Prepare the proposed name, purposes, incorporation jurisdiction, registered office and required incorporator and director details. Depending on the structure, you may also need name approval, membership provisions, a constitution, bylaws and provisions for distributing remaining assets on dissolution.
The minimum number and eligibility rules depend on the governing law and, in some cases, the organization’s classification. Ontario ONCA corporations require at least three directors, while federal soliciting corporations have specific board requirements beyond those for non-soliciting corporations.
Yes, a non-profit can generally receive revenue and pay reasonable compensation for legitimate work, subject to its governing law and documents. Business activities, private benefits and how surplus funds are used can affect tax status or charity compliance.
No, incorporation by itself does not establish exemption from income tax, GST/HST or other taxes. NPO treatment depends on the organization’s purposes and actual operations, and applicable CRA returns may still be required.
The organization must meet its governing law’s requirements for records, meetings, financial information and registry filings, while keeping key details current. CRA obligations are separate and may include a T2 return, a T1044 NPO information return or, for a registered charity, a T3010 return as applicable.
Non-compliance can lead to registry enforcement, dissolution or tax-related penalties, depending on the obligation breached. Directors should monitor filing duties and governance requirements because incorporation does not remove their statutory responsibilities.