Does registering my business name in Ontario give me the same protection as a trademark?

No, and this is one of the most common misunderstandings in Ontario business law. Registering a business name under the Business Names Act is an administrative requirement — it tells the public who is legally behind a name being used to carry on business, and without it you cannot legally operate under a name other than your own or your corporation's exact legal name. It does not, however, check whether the name conflicts with an existing trademark, and it creates no exclusive right to stop someone else from using a similar name.

A registered trademark, by contrast, is examined against the existing trademark register, gives you exclusive nationwide rights for specific goods and services, and is enforceable through an infringement action under the Trademarks Act. It is entirely possible to have a properly registered business name and still be infringing someone else's trademark, or to have your name registration approved while a competitor holds trademark rights that could later force you to rebrand. If your business name is central to your brand, registering the name alone does not protect that investment — a separate trademark search and registration is the tool that actually does.