Ontario and federal incorporation
Business Incorporation Services in London, Ontario
A&P Accounting & Tax Experts helps London business owners incorporate in Ontario or federally and get the tax side right from the start: the share structure, the CRA business number and program accounts, and a bookkeeping file ready for the first T2 return. We handle the registration and accounting setup, and we coordinate with your lawyer when you need a shareholder agreement.
Incorporation usually comes up when a sole proprietor's profits outgrow what they need to live on, when a contractor wants a shield against business liabilities, or when partners and investors are coming on board. We see it most often with trades, consultants, health professionals and online sellers making that jump.
A corporation is easy to create and harder to unwind if it was set up badly. Choosing the wrong share classes, skipping a section 85 rollover or leaving the minute book empty can cost far more later than the setup itself.
- 5.0 stars on Google
- Downtown London office
- In person or fully online
- Open Saturdays
What we handle
Our Business Incorporation and Registration Services
Setting up a corporation is a chain of decisions and filings, and each one affects how you will be taxed for years. We take care of the registration steps and make sure the structure matches how you plan to pay yourself and grow.
Ontario or Federal Incorporation
Ontario corporations are formed under the Business Corporations Act through the Ontario Business Registry. Federal corporations are formed under the Canada Business Corporations Act through Corporations Canada and must also report to Ontario if they operate here. We help you pick the jurisdiction that fits your plans.
NUANS Name Search or Numbered Company
A named Ontario corporation needs an Ontario-biased NUANS report, a search of existing corporate names and trademarks that must be less than 90 days old when you file. A numbered company, such as 1000123456 Ontario Inc., needs no search and can still trade under a registered business name.
CRA Business Number and Program Accounts
Ontario corporations receive a nine-digit business number and an RC corporate income tax account at incorporation. We add an RT account for HST and an RP account for payroll when needed, and set up our access through Represent a Client so we can deal with the CRA for you.
Share Structure Basics
Share classes decide who controls the company, who can receive dividends and how a future sale or estate freeze will work. We design the tax side, including voting and non-voting classes and how the tax on split income rules affect family shareholders, while your lawyer drafts the legal share provisions.
Weighing the decision
Should You Incorporate Your Business?
Incorporating makes sense when the business earns more than you need to take out each year, when liability risk is real, or when growth plans need a structure that can take on partners. If you spend everything the business earns, the extra cost and paperwork often outweigh the benefit.
The biggest draw is tax deferral. Active business income kept inside a Canadian-controlled private corporation is taxed at a combined 11.2% (9% federal plus 2.2% Ontario) on the first $500,000, compared with personal rates that climb past 50% at the top bracket. Ontario cut its small business rate from 3.2% to 2.2% on July 1, 2026, so a fiscal year that straddles that date is taxed at a prorated blend of the old and new rates.
| Advantages of incorporating | Drawbacks to weigh |
|---|---|
| Profits left in the company are taxed at the 11.2% combined small business rate until you withdraw them | A T2 return and year-end financial statements every year, typically from about $1,500 in the London market |
| Limited liability for business debts and claims, beyond any personal guarantees you sign | Banks and landlords often ask owners to guarantee loans and leases personally anyway |
| Flexibility to pay yourself through salary, dividends or a mix | Money you take out is taxed again personally, so the saving is a deferral unless profits stay invested |
| Shares of a qualifying small business may be eligible for the lifetime capital gains exemption on a sale | Start-up losses stay in the corporation and cannot offset your other personal income |
| Easier to bring in partners, investors or family shareholders | Passive investment income above $50,000 a year starts to reduce the small business rate |
Our tax planning for owner-managers runs the numbers on your actual income before you commit, including the salary versus dividend mix you would use.
Wondering whether it is time to incorporate?
Call our London office with last year's net income. We will tell you whether incorporating is likely to pay off and what setup involves.
Our process
How Incorporation Works Step by Step
From choosing a name to opening the first business bank account, incorporation follows a predictable path. Here is how we take a London business from sole proprietorship to a working corporation.
Choose a Name and Jurisdiction
Decide between a named corporation, which needs a NUANS report, and a numbered one. We confirm whether Ontario or federal incorporation suits your plans.
File Articles of Incorporation
Articles set out the name, registered office address, directors, share classes and any restrictions. They are filed online through the Ontario Business Registry, and directors no longer need to be Canadian residents.
Register for CRA Accounts
With the business number issued, we add HST and payroll accounts as needed, so you can charge HST and pay yourself through payroll from day one.
Open a Business Bank Account and Set Up Books
The corporation needs its own bank account and a ledger in QuickBooks Online or Xero. Our bookkeeping services for new corporations set the chart of accounts up for the first T2.
Staying compliant
Your Obligations After Incorporating
A corporation is a separate taxpayer with its own filing calendar, and the obligations start the day the certificate is issued. Missing them leads to penalties and, in the worst case, cancellation of the corporation by the Ontario registry.
- A T2 corporate income tax return within six months of every fiscal year-end, even in a year with no income
- An Ontario annual return through the Ontario Business Registry within six months of year-end, with no government fee
- Changes to directors or the registered office reported to the registry within 15 days
- A minute book with by-laws, resolutions, registers of directors, officers and shareholders, and a register of individuals with significant control
- Paying yourself through payroll with T4 slips or by declared dividends with T5 slips, not by casual withdrawals
Withdrawals that are not salary or dividends build up a shareholder loan, which becomes personal income if it is not repaid within a year after the company's year-end. Our corporate tax return service for Ontario corporations keeps those balances in check every year.
Fees
Incorporation Costs
The government filing fees for incorporating are modest; the real cost of a corporation is the ongoing accounting. Here is what to budget for in the first year, based on current government fee schedules.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Ontario articles of incorporation (Ontario Business Registry) | $300 government fee |
| Federal articles of incorporation (Corporations Canada, online) | $200 government fee, plus Ontario registration |
| NUANS name search report | A small fee per report; none needed for a numbered company, and a federal name search ($13.80) is built into most online federal filings |
| Ontario annual return | No government fee |
| Federal annual return | $12 online |
| Minute book, by-laws and shareholder agreement | Legal fees if you use a lawyer; varies with complexity |
| First-year T2 return and financial statements | From about $1,500 in the London market |
We quote a fixed professional fee for the setup before anything is filed, and our fees and pricing for London accounting services cover the ongoing bookkeeping and T2 costs that follow.
Ready to set up your corporation the right way?
One phone call covers the name, jurisdiction and share structure questions. We quote the full setup before anything is filed.
The A&P difference
Why Incorporate With A&P
Online incorporation services can file articles in minutes, but they stop at the certificate. We stay on as the accountants who file your T2, run your payroll and plan your dividends, so the structure we design is the one we have to live with too.
Setup and Ongoing Tax in One Place
The share structure, CRA accounts, books and first T2 all come from the same team, so nothing has to be reworked a year later.
Tax-First Share Design
We think through dividends, family shareholders and a future sale before the articles are filed, not after.
Local Office, Online Option
Meet us downtown at 380 Wellington Street or sign everything electronically from Komoka, St. Thomas or Woodstock.
Trusted by London Clients
We hold a 5.0-star Google rating from 11 reviews, with clients citing clear explanations and attention to detail.
Incorporation FAQs
Business owners thinking about how to incorporate a business in Ontario usually want to know about timing, jurisdiction and what happens to their existing sole proprietorship. Here are the short answers.
How long does it take to incorporate in Ontario?
The filing itself is fast: articles of incorporation submitted online through the Ontario Business Registry are generally processed immediately, and the certificate arrives the same day. The steps around it take longer.
Gathering director and shareholder details, ordering a NUANS report for a named company, adding CRA program accounts and opening a business bank account usually stretch the whole process to somewhere between a few days and a couple of weeks.
Should I incorporate provincially or federally?
Most London businesses that operate mainly in Ontario incorporate provincially. It is simpler, and you deal with one registry.
A federal corporation gets stronger protection for its name across Canada, which matters if you plan to expand under a brand. The trade-off is extra paperwork: a federal corporation operating here still files Ontario returns through the Ontario Business Registry as well as a federal annual return with Corporations Canada.
Can I move my sole proprietorship into a corporation?
Yes. Under section 85 of the Income Tax Act, you can transfer business assets such as equipment, inventory and goodwill into your new corporation at an agreed value that defers the tax on any gain, in exchange for shares.
The election is made on Form T2057, filed jointly by you and the corporation by the earliest of your filing deadlines for that year. An HST election on Form GST44 usually lets the assets move without charging HST, and the sole proprietorship's final T2125 and HST account need to be wrapped up properly.
Do I need a lawyer to incorporate?
No, a lawyer is not legally required to incorporate in Ontario, and many single-owner corporations are set up without one. The Ontario Business Registry is designed for business owners to file directly.
A lawyer is worth it when there are several shareholders, when you need a shareholder agreement covering buyouts and disputes, or when the share structure is complex. We handle the tax design and registrations and work alongside your lawyer on the legal documents.
Keep exploring
Related Services and Areas We Serve
Incorporation is the start of an ongoing relationship with the CRA, and the services below keep the new corporation on track. We also help owners in the growing towns around London make the move to a corporation.
Corporate Tax Returns (T2)
Our T2 corporate tax returns and year-end statements pick up where incorporation leaves off.
Bookkeeping Services
Monthly bookkeeping for London corporations keeps shareholder loans, HST and payroll accounts clean from the first month.
Self-Employed Taxes
Not ready yet? Our self-employed tax returns for sole proprietors keep you compliant until incorporating makes sense.
Incorporating in Komoka
Home-based businesses west of London use our accounting services for Komoka and Middlesex Centre.
Incorporating in St. Thomas
Contractors and suppliers in Elgin County rely on our accountants serving St. Thomas businesses.
Incorporating in Woodstock
Oxford County owners work with our tax and accounting help for Woodstock, mostly online.
Start Your Corporation With a London Accountant
Tell us about your business and your plans, and we will recommend a structure, explain the costs and handle the filings. Call Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.