File Your Ontario Annual Return
Ontario corporations must file an Annual Return under the Corporations Information Act to confirm directors, officers, and registered office information remain current. Filed via the Ontario Business Registry; due within 6 months after the end of the corporation's fiscal year.
$49.99 CAD + applicable tax. Filed within 2 business days.
Your Corporation
The Ontario corporation filing the Annual Return.
File your Ontario annual return through the Ontario Business Registry
Corporations incorporated under the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA) file an annual return each year under the Corporations Information Act. The return confirms the corporation's information on the public record, such as its registered office address, directors and officers. Korporex prepares and files the return through the Ontario Business Registry. You confirm whether the information on file is still current, and we take care of the filing. Our guide to corporate annual returns in Canada explains how the Ontario and federal returns differ.
Who this service is for
- Ontario (OBCA) corporations that have completed a fiscal year.
- Owners who assumed their accountant's T2 filing still covered the annual return. Since October 2021, it does not.
- Holding companies and inactive corporations, which must file the return like any other corporation.
- Corporations with one or more years of returns outstanding.
What we file and what you confirm
We prepare the annual return and file it with the Ontario ministry through the Ontario Business Registry. You confirm that the registered office, directors and officers on file are current, or tell us what has changed, and you can update the corporation's primary activity at the same time. Changes are meant to be reported as they happen: in Ontario, a notice of change is due within 15 days of a change to the directors, officers or registered office.
Before October 2021, most Ontario corporations filed this return together with their T2 through the Canada Revenue Agency. The CRA stopped accepting Ontario annual returns for returns due after October 18, 2021, so the corporate tax return no longer takes care of it. The annual return is also separate from the initial return a new Ontario corporation files within 60 days after incorporating.
What you need
- The corporation's legal name and its Ontario corporation number.
- Its date of incorporation and its fiscal year-end.
- The current registered office address, directors and officers, or the details of what has changed.
- Optionally, an updated primary activity (NAICS code) or description of the business.
Deadline and government fee
The Ontario annual return is due within six months after the end of the corporation's fiscal year, so a corporation with a December 31 year-end has until June 30 of the following year. Ontario charges no government fee for the return, but it is still mandatory. Under section 241 of the OBCA, a corporation that fails to comply with a filing requirement under the Corporations Information Act can have its certificate cancelled and be dissolved. A corporation dissolved this way may be revived within 20 years through Articles of Revival, with its outstanding filings brought up to date.
Ontario annual return: common questions
Does my accountant's T2 filing include the Ontario annual return?+
Not anymore. Before October 2021, most Ontario corporations filed the annual return with their T2 through the CRA. The CRA stopped accepting Ontario annual returns for returns due after October 18, 2021. The return is now filed directly through the Ontario Business Registry, separately from the corporate tax return.
When is the Ontario annual return due?+
Within six months after the end of the corporation's fiscal year. The deadline runs from the fiscal year-end, not from the incorporation anniversary as it does for federal corporations. A corporation with a December 31 year-end therefore has until June 30 of the following year to file.
Is there a government fee for the Ontario annual return?+
No. Ontario charges no government fee for the annual return filed through the Ontario Business Registry. The filing is still mandatory every year, including for a corporation with no activity, and missing it can eventually lead to the corporation being dissolved. Korporex charges a service fee for preparing and filing it.
What happens if the Ontario annual return is not filed?+
Under section 241 of the OBCA, when a corporation fails to comply with a filing requirement under the Corporations Information Act, the Director may give notice that the corporation will be dissolved unless it complies within 90 days after the notice. If it does not, its certificate of incorporation can be cancelled, which dissolves the corporation.
Is the annual return the same as the annual resolutions?+
No. The annual return is a public filing with the Ontario Business Registry. Annual resolutions are internal decisions of the directors and shareholders, such as electing directors and dealing with the auditor, which are kept in the minute book and not filed with the registry. Korporex also prepares Ontario annual resolutions.
Korporex is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This page is general information about the Ontario annual return filing; for advice on your specific situation, consult a lawyer or accountant.
Learn before you file
Related guides
Compliance & Maintenance
Corporate Annual Returns in Canada: A Complete Guide
Every Canadian corporation must file an annual return. Deadlines, fees, and consequences of missing a filing differ by jurisdiction. Here's everything you need to know.
Compliance & Maintenance
What Is a Minute Book, and Why Does Your Corporation Need One?
Canadian corporations are legally required to maintain a corporate minute book. We explain what goes in it, who is responsible for keeping it, and what happens if you don't have one.
Jurisdiction Comparisons
Incorporating in Ontario: Everything You Need to Know
Ontario is home to the majority of Canadian small businesses. This guide walks through the Ontario Business Corporations Act, costs, timelines, and what you'll receive after filing.