Can I continue my Ontario corporation into another province, like British Columbia or Alberta?
Yes. The Business Corporations Act (Ontario) allows an Ontario corporation to apply to continue as a corporation under the law of another Canadian province, provided the destination province's own corporate statute permits an incoming continuance — most provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta, do. Continuance means the same legal entity keeps existing; it simply becomes governed by a different corporate statute going forward, rather than being dissolved and recreated.
Shareholders typically need to approve the move by special resolution, since it's treated as a fundamental change to the corporation, and shareholders who oppose it generally have a right to dissent and be paid fair value for their shares instead. Once continued, the corporation's articles are effectively reissued under the new jurisdiction's law, and it will usually still need to register extra-provincially in Ontario if it continues carrying on business here, just as any out-of-province corporation would.
Businesses consider this when they're relocating head office, consolidating operations where most activity now happens, or want director-residency or governance rules that better fit their ownership. It's a more involved step than simply registering extra-provincially, so get advice on both the corporate and practical registry consequences before filing.
Key takeaways
- Continuance changes governing law, not corporate identity — the same legal entity continues.
- Shareholder approval by special resolution is typically required, with dissent rights for opposing shareholders.
- The destination province's statute must permit incoming continuances.
- Extra-provincial registration in Ontario may still be needed if business continues here.