Annual Return Filing in
Canada
Keep your corporation in good standing year after year. An annual return is a mandatory compliance filing that all Canadian corporations must complete with their provincial or federal registry every year to confirm their directors, officers, and registered office information is accurate and up to date. Missing your annual return deadline can result in your corporation being placed in default, losing its good standing, and in serious cases being administratively dissolved – without prior warning in some jurisdictions. File your annual return with Incorp Master Canada – fast, accurate, and 100% online.
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Just 4 Steps to File Your Annual Return
Fast, Simple & Hassle – Free Process
01
Confirm Your Jurisdiction and Deadline
Identify the province or federal jurisdiction where your corporation is registered and confirm your annual return filing deadline - which varies by jurisdiction.
02
Submit Your Corporate Details
Provide your corporation name, corporation number, registered office address, fiscal year end, NAICS code where required, and the names and addresses of all current directors and officers.
03
We File Your Annual Return
Incorp Master Canada prepares and submits your annual return with the relevant provincial or federal government authority on your behalf.
04
Receive Your Filing Confirmation
Receive your annual return filing confirmation directly to your email, confirming your corporation is in good standing and compliant with its annual filing obligations.
Annual Return Filing by Jurisdiction
Annual return requirements, deadlines, and fees vary by province and at the federal level. Select your jurisdiction below.
Ontario Annual Return
The Ontario Annual Return is a mandatory yearly filing required for all corporations incorporated under the Ontario Business Corporations Act or the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act. The Annual Return must be filed within six months after the end of the corporation’s fiscal year end – not from the date of incorporation. For example, a corporation with a March 31 fiscal year end must file its Annual Return by September 30 of the same year. The Province of Ontario does not send reminders when the Annual Return is due – the responsibility to track and file on time falls entirely on the corporation. The filing requires the corporation’s legal name, Ontario Corporation Number, Company Key, registered office address, NAICS code, and the names and addresses of all current directors and officers. Failure to file can result in the corporation being dissolved by the Ontario government.
Alberta Annual Return
The Alberta Annual Return is a mandatory yearly filing required for all corporations incorporated under the Alberta Business Corporations Act and all extra-provincial corporations registered in Alberta. The Annual Return is due by the last day of the month following the corporation’s anniversary month of incorporation. For example, a corporation incorporated in June must file its Annual Return by July 31 each year. There is no government fee for filing the Alberta Annual Return. The Alberta Corporate Registry sends a reminder notice to the corporation’s registered office approximately one month before the anniversary date. Failure to file the Alberta Annual Return can result in the dissolution of the corporation by the Alberta Corporate Registry.
British Columbia Annual Return
The British Columbia Annual Return, officially called the Annual Report by BC Registry Services, is a mandatory yearly filing required for all corporations incorporated under the BC Business Corporations Act. The Annual Report must be filed within two months following the anniversary date of the corporation’s incorporation each year. For example, a corporation incorporated on April 5 must file its Annual Report by June 5 each year. A government fee applies for filing the BC Annual Report through BC Registry Services. If a corporation fails to file its Annual Report in each of two consecutive years, the BC Corporate Registry may dissolve the corporation. Corporations that are not in good standing due to a missed Annual Report may face restrictions on their ability to conduct certain business activities.
Federal Annual Return
The Federal Annual Return is a mandatory yearly filing required for all corporations incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act, filed with Corporations Canada through the Online Filing Centre. The Federal Annual Return is due within 60 days following the corporation’s anniversary date – the date it was incorporated, amalgamated, or continued under the CBCA. No annual return is required for the year in which the corporation was first incorporated. The government fee for filing the Federal Annual Return online is $12 per year. As of January 22, 2024, federal corporations must also file their Individuals with Significant Control (ISC) information at the same time as their annual return. Failure to file the Federal Annual Return within 60 days of the anniversary date can result in the administrative dissolution of the corporation by Corporations Canada. A $250 penalty applies for missing the 60-day deadline, escalating to $500 after three months.
New Brunswick Annual Return
The New Brunswick Annual Return is a mandatory yearly filing required for all corporations incorporated under the New Brunswick Business Corporations Act, administered by Service New Brunswick. The Annual Return must be filed each year to maintain the corporation’s good standing with the New Brunswick Corporate Registry. The filing confirms the corporation’s registered office address, directors, and officers on file with the registry. Corporations that fail to file their Annual Return risk being placed in default or having their corporate registration cancelled by the New Brunswick Corporate Registry. Incorp Master Canada handles New Brunswick Annual Return filings to ensure ongoing compliance for corporations operating in Atlantic Canada.
Never Miss an Annual Return Deadline Again
One Missed Filing Can Put Your Corporation at Risk
An annual return is not your corporate tax return – it is a separate legal compliance filing with your provincial or federal corporate registry. It does not involve financial statements, income reporting, or CRA. It is a simple but critical yearly update that keeps your corporation legally recognized, in good standing, and protected from administrative dissolution. Many corporations are dissolved every year simply because their owners did not know the annual return deadline had passed.
Incorp Master Canada provides fast and accurate annual return filing services across Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, and at the federal level – 100% online.
Why Register Your CRA Accounts Through Incorp Master Canada?
- Business Number registered instantly through CRA's official BRO system
- All five CRA program accounts handled in one place - no juggling multiple registrations
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- PST and QST registration handled alongside your federal CRA accounts
- CRA account numbers delivered directly to your email - ready to use immediately
Register your CRA accounts with Incorp Master Canada today and start your business with full tax compliance from day one.
Register your CRA accounts today and avoid costly penalties from missed deadlines.
Why Choose Incorp Master Canada for CRA Account Registration?
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Register your CRA accounts with confidence through Incorp Master Canada’s fast, accurate, and fully compliant CRA registration services. Every registration is completed through the CRA’s official Business Registration Online (BRO) system, and your account numbers are delivered directly to your email upon confirmation.
Incorp Master Canada provides fast, secure, and compliant CRA Business Number, Corporate Tax, GST/HST, PST/QST, and Payroll Account registration services for businesses and corporations across Canada.
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Incorp Master Canada makes CRA account registration quick, affordable, and stress-free for businesses and corporations across Canada.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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An annual return in Canada is a mandatory compliance filing that corporations must complete with their provincial or federal corporate registry every year to confirm that their corporate information - including directors, officers, and registered office address - is accurate and up to date. It is completely separate from a corporate income tax return filed with the Canada Revenue Agency. The annual return does not involve financial statements, income reporting, or tax payments. It is purely a corporate law compliance filing governed by provincial business corporations acts and the Canada Business Corporations Act. All corporations - whether active, dormant, or inactive - are required to file their annual return each year to maintain their legal standing and avoid administrative dissolution.
An annual return and a corporate tax return are two completely separate filings with different purposes, different deadlines, and different government authorities. An annual return is filed with the provincial or federal corporate registry to update the government on the corporation's directors, officers, and registered office. It has nothing to do with income, expenses, or tax. A corporate tax return, known as the T2, is filed with the Canada Revenue Agency and reports the corporation's income, deductions, and tax owing for the year. The annual return is governed by provincial business corporations acts and the CBCA. The T2 is governed by the Income Tax Act. Missing either filing has serious consequences, but they are entirely independent of each other and must both be filed every year.
The Ontario Annual Return is due within six months after the end of the corporation's fiscal year end. This deadline is tied to the corporation's fiscal year end - not the date of incorporation. For example, a corporation with a December 31 fiscal year end must file its Ontario Annual Return by June 30 of the following year. A corporation with a March 31 fiscal year end must file by September 30 of the same year. The Province of Ontario does not send reminders when the Annual Return is due - it is the corporation's responsibility to track and meet this deadline. Incorp Master Canada maintains filing records and provides email reminders to clients to help ensure Ontario Annual Returns are never missed.
The Federal Annual Return is due within 60 days following the corporation's anniversary date - the date it was incorporated, amalgamated, or continued under the Canada Business Corporations Act. For example, a corporation incorporated on May 15 must file its Federal Annual Return by July 14 each year. No annual return is required for the year in which the corporation was first incorporated. Missing the 60-day deadline results in an automatic $250 penalty, which escalates to $500 after three months and may block additional filings. As of January 22, 2024, federal corporations must also file their Individuals with Significant Control (ISC) information at the same time as their annual return. Continued failure to file can result in the administrative dissolution of the corporation by Corporations Canada.
The information required to file an annual return varies slightly by jurisdiction but generally includes the corporation's legal name and corporation number, the registered office address, the names and addresses of all current directors and officers, and the fiscal year end date. In Ontario, the filing also requires the corporation's Company Key, NAICS industry code, and an authorized email address for the corporation. At the federal level, the Annual Return now also requires disclosure of Individuals with Significant Control as of January 22, 2024. In Alberta, shareholder information is also required. In BC, the Annual Report confirms the corporation's registered and records office addresses and director information. Incorp Master Canada guides you through the exact requirements for each jurisdiction and handles the complete filing on your behalf.
Failing to file your annual return on time has serious consequences that vary by jurisdiction. In Ontario, failure to file within six months of the fiscal year end can result in the corporation being dissolved by the provincial government. In Alberta, failure to file can result in dissolution by the Alberta Corporate Registry. In BC, if a corporation fails to file its Annual Report in two consecutive years, the BC Corporate Registry may dissolve it. At the federal level, missing the 60-day deadline triggers an automatic $250 penalty, escalating to $500 after three months, and continued non-filing can result in administrative dissolution of the corporation. Once a corporation is administratively dissolved, it must go through a formal revival process to restore its legal status - which is more complex and costly than simply filing on time.
No, the annual return and the initial return are two different filings. The initial return is a one-time filing completed shortly after a corporation is first incorporated - primarily in Ontario and Quebec - that notifies the government of the corporation's initial directors, officers, and registered office. The annual return is a recurring yearly filing that every corporation must complete to keep its corporate information current and maintain good standing. In Ontario, corporations file both an Initial Return within 60 days of incorporation and then an Annual Return each year within six months of their fiscal year end. In other provinces such as Alberta and BC, there is no separate initial return - the first compliance filing is simply the first annual return due after the corporation's first anniversary.
The cost of filing an annual return varies by jurisdiction. In Ontario, there is no government fee for filing the Annual Return through the Ontario Business Registry - making it one of the most cost-effective compliance filings in Canada. In Alberta, there is also no government fee for the Annual Return. At the federal level, the government fee for filing the Annual Return online through Corporations Canada is $12 per year. In BC, a government fee applies for filing the Annual Report through BC Registry Services. In Quebec, a government filing fee applies for the Annual Updating Declaration with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec. Professional service fees apply when using a filing service such as Incorp Master Canada. Incorp Master Canada offers transparent, upfront pricing with no hidden fees across all provinces.
Yes, all corporations - including dormant, inactive, and shelf corporations - are required to file their annual return every year regardless of their level of activity. A corporation does not need to have conducted any business, generated any revenue, or had any employees during the year to be required to file. The annual return is a corporate law compliance obligation, not a tax obligation. Even if the corporation has no changes to report - no new directors, no address changes, no activity - the annual return must still be filed each year to confirm that the existing information on file is current and accurate. Failure to file as a dormant corporation carries the same dissolution risk as failure to file as an active corporation.
Yes, Incorp Master Canada offers ongoing annual return filing services for corporations registered in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, and at the federal level. Once you engage Incorp Master Canada for your annual return filing, we maintain a record of your corporation's filing deadline, send you an email reminder when your return is coming due, and handle the complete preparation and submission of your annual return through the official government registry each year. This ensures your corporation never misses a filing deadline and remains in good standing year after year without you having to track multiple deadlines across different jurisdictions. Contact Incorp Master Canada today to set up your ongoing annual return filing service.
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