Yes, non-Canadian residents can purchase shelf corporations in certain Canadian jurisdictions. Ontario shelf corporations have no Canadian resident director requirement, making them accessible to international buyers. Quebec shelf corporations also have no Canadian resident director requirement. British Columbia shelf corporations can be purchased by non-residents of Canada and are among the most popular choices for international entrepreneurs seeking a Canadian corporate entity. New Brunswick shelf corporations have no residency requirement for directors. Alberta shelf corporations under the ABCA require at least 25% of directors to be Canadian residents, or at least one director if there are fewer than four directors. Federal shelf corporations under the Canada Business Corporations Act have the same 25% Canadian resident director requirement. For international buyers, Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia shelf corporations are the most accessible jurisdictions with no resident director requirements.

Yes, you can change the name of a shelf corporation after purchase in Canada. All shelf corporations in our inventory are numbered companies with no trading name, which makes them easy to rebrand under your chosen business name after the transfer is complete. The new owner can apply to change the corporation name through the relevant provincial or federal registry for an additional fee. A NUANS name search is required for federal shelf corporation name changes and is also required in certain provinces such as Ontario and Alberta to confirm the proposed name is not already in use. British Columbia uses the BC Registry name reservation system, and Quebec uses the Registraire des entreprises name search process. The name change does not affect the corporation's original incorporation date, CRA Business Number, or corporate history, so the new owner retains all the benefits of the aged corporation while operating under their chosen business name.

Before purchasing a shelf corporation in Canada, it is important to verify several key elements to ensure the corporation has a genuinely clean history. You should confirm that the corporation has never conducted any business activity and has no prior tax filings, bank accounts, contracts, or legal obligations. Verify that all annual returns have been filed with the relevant government registry and that all government fees have been paid up to the date of transfer. Confirm that the corporation is in good standing with the provincial or federal registry and has never been dissolved, revoked, or placed in default. Request a Certificate of Good Standing from the registry as part of the transfer documentation. Incorp Master Canada guarantees that all shelf corporations in our inventory meet these requirements and provides full documentation of the corporation's history from incorporation to transfer.

The key difference between an Ontario shelf corporation and a Federal shelf corporation is the geographic scope and residency requirements. An Ontario shelf corporation is incorporated under the Ontario Business Corporations Act and operates primarily within the province of Ontario. It has no Canadian resident director requirement, making it accessible to any buyer. A Federal shelf corporation is incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act and can operate in any province or territory across Canada, with the head office jurisdiction movable to any province after purchase. Federal shelf corporations require that at least 25% of directors be Canadian residents, or one director if there are fewer than four. For businesses operating primarily in Ontario, an Ontario shelf corporation is sufficient. For businesses needing national name protection or multi-province operations, a Federal shelf corporation is the better choice.

Yes, all shelf corporations available through Incorp Master Canada come with a CRA Business Number (BN) included in the transfer package. The CRA Business Number is assigned at the time of incorporation and is required to set up corporate tax accounts, register for GST/HST, and process payroll. The Business Number remains with the corporation after the ownership transfer and does not change when the directors, shareholders, or name are updated. After the transfer is complete, the new owner should notify the CRA of the change in ownership and update the corporation's registered information with the CRA to ensure all tax filings and correspondence are directed to the correct contact. Incorp Master Canada provides guidance on post-transfer CRA notifications as part of the acquisition process.