How to Change Your Corporation's Name in Canada (Federal, Ontario, BC, Alberta)

To change a corporation's name in Canada, you amend its articles (in BC, its notice of articles) in the jurisdiction where it was incorporated. The government fee is $200 federally, $150 in Ontario, $100 plus a $30 name request in BC and $53.05 in Alberta. Shareholders usually approve the new name by special resolution, and the new name has to pass that jurisdiction's name search first. This guide explains how to amend a corporation name in each jurisdiction and what to update after the change.

Corporate name change fees and requirements by jurisdiction

Two-thirds is the usual threshold: under the CBCA, a special resolution is one passed by at least two-thirds of the votes cast, or signed by all shareholders entitled to vote.

Step 1: Pick a name that will pass the name search

The new name follows the same rules as a name at incorporation: a distinctive element, usually a descriptive element, and a legal ending such as Inc., Ltd. or Corp. It can't be confusingly similar to an existing corporation, business name or trademark. Each jurisdiction checks names differently:

• Federal: you propose the new word name directly in the Online Filing Centre when you amend your articles, and Corporations Canada reviews it as part of the filing. A Nuans report is no longer on the list of federal filings that require one. You can also use federal name preapproval, which holds a name for 90 days. A federal NUANS search before you commit is still worth doing if you're investing in the brand.
• Ontario: attach an Ontario-biased NUANS report from a private search provider. It can't be dated more than 90 days before you file. A federal-biased report isn't accepted. Moving to a numbered name needs no report.
• BC: file a Name Request ($30) with up to three choices in order of preference. Standard review takes about 6 business days, or 1 to 2 business days with $100 priority service. An approved name is reserved for 56 days.
• Alberta: get an Alberta NUANS report. It reserves the name for 90 days and must be less than 91 days old when you file. Changing to a number name assigned by the registry needs no report.

Step 2: Pass the resolution

Hold a shareholder meeting or have the shareholders sign a written resolution approving the amendment. Record the exact new name, including the legal ending and any French form. File the signed resolution in the minute book.

Converting a numbered company to a named one

If your corporation has a numbered name (for example, "12345678 Canada Inc." or "1234567 Ontario Inc."), there's a shortcut: under CBCA s. 173(3), OBCA s. 168(4), Alberta's s. 173 and Manitoba's s. 167(5), the directors alone can change a number name to a word name by resolution, with no shareholder vote. The name search and filing fee still apply. This is the most common name change we see: owners incorporate a numbered company to get started and add a brand name later.

Step 3: File the amendment

Federal: articles of amendment

File articles of amendment in Corporations Canada's Online Filing Centre and pay $200. Online amendments are typically processed in about one day, and you receive a certificate of amendment. You need a corporation key or full access to the corporation's online account. See our articles of amendment service if you'd like us to prepare and file it.

Ontario: articles of amendment

Amending articles of incorporation in Ontario is done in the Ontario Business Registry. The fee is $150 online. Enter the NUANS report's reference number, date and searched name. The Registry issues a certificate of amendment, and the change takes effect on the date shown on it.

British Columbia: Notice of Alteration

BC companies change their name by altering the notice of articles. File a Notice of Alteration in Corporate Online with your approved name request number. The filing fee is $100, on top of the $30 name request. BC lets you set the alteration to take effect up to 10 days in the future. After the certificate of change of name is issued, you also update the company's articles to match.

Note that "business name change BC" also covers sole proprietorships and partnerships. Those are registered business names, not corporations, and follow a separate process. See our BC business name registration guide.

Alberta: through a registry agent

Alberta has no self-serve corporate filing. Submit the articles of amendment and the NUANS report through a registry agent or an authorized online provider. The government fee is $53.05, and the agent adds its own service charge.

Name change vs. operating name

Amending your articles changes the corporation's legal name. If you only want to trade under a brand, you can usually register a business (operating) name instead and keep the legal name. That's cheaper, but contracts, invoices and bank accounts still carry the legal name. If the brand is the whole business, a full name change is usually cleaner. Our articles of amendment overview covers other changes you can make in the same filing, such as share structure or number of directors.

What to update after changing your corporation's name

The corporation is the same legal entity after a name change. It keeps its corporation number, assets, contracts and liabilities. But the new name doesn't update itself everywhere. Work through this checklist:

How long does a corporate name change take?

Plan for the name search plus the filing. Federally, a complete online amendment is usually done in about a day. In BC, the name request is the slow part: about 6 business days standard, or 1 to 2 with priority service. In Ontario and Alberta, the time depends mostly on how quickly you get the NUANS report and sign the resolution. Then allow a few weeks to update the bank, the CRA and your other accounts.