Ontario corporations need to file their Corporations Information Act Annual Return (Ontario Annual Return) with the Ontario government using the Ontario Business Registry or through their corporate lawyer. The Ontario Annual Return discloses basic information about a corporation. It is a separate filing from a corporate income tax return.
For corporations with share capital, the annual return is due 6 months after the fiscal year-end. For corporations without share capital, the annual return is due sixty days after the date of incorporation, amalgamation, or continuance. This applies to all corporations with an annual return due after October 18, 2021.*
Stern Cohen (and other accounting firms) are not authorized to file the Ontario Annual Return on a corporation’s behalf through the Ontario Business Registry.
How to File Your Ontario Annual Return
- Contact your corporate lawyer to have them file it. Lawyers are able to file the return through an authorized third party service provider that they use for many corporate filings.
- File directly with the Ministry through the Ontario Business Registry by following these steps:
Step 1: Obtain a company key via this link.
Step 2: Sign up for ONe-Key ID via the link here.
If you have any questions or need instruction related to how to file your Ontario Annual Return, please contact Service Ontario at 416-314-8880 or 1-800-361-3223. More information is also available on this link: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-business-registry
*From May 15, 2021 through October 18, 2021, corporations whose annual returns were due during that period were exempt, meaning these corporations did not have to file an annual return for 2021.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform readers in general terms. It is not intended to provide any tax or business advice. Please consult your Stern Cohen advisor if you have any questions about your unique situation. While we have tried to ensure the accuracy of the information in this article, we accept no liability for errors or omissions.
