If I incorporate federally, do I still need to register in Ontario?

Yes. A federal corporation incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act has the right to conduct business anywhere in Canada, but Ontario requires any corporation that carries on business in Ontario — whether federally or from another province — to register with the Ontario government as an extra-provincial corporation.

The registration is done through the Ontario Business Registry. You file a certified copy of your federal articles and pay the applicable fee. You must also appoint a registered office and a person in Ontario for service of legal process.

The extra-provincial registration must be maintained: if you change your federal corporate name or registered office, you must update your Ontario registration as well. Ontario also requires annual returns for registered extra-provincial corporations. Missing those filings can result in the corporation being noted as not in good standing in Ontario, which can affect your ability to conduct business here.

This dual-filing requirement is one of the main practical differences between federal and Ontario incorporation. For a business operating solely in Ontario, the extra provincial registration step adds no benefit and does add administrative work. For a business with genuine national operations or plans to expand, the federal structure is still usually worth it.