How to Read an Ontario Corporate Profile Report

An Ontario corporate profile report gives you a snapshot of an incorporation. It lists the company’s current status, owner/director and officer details, legal name history, and other official data. People often use this report for due diligence when they work with or research an Ontario corporation.

If you’re signing a contract, you may need to check a business’s status. You might also want to understand the details listed in the Ontario Business Registry. This guide explains how to read each part of the report.

Section 1: Business Overview

At the top of your company corporate profile report, check the date and time it was produced. This confirms when the details came from the Ontario corporate registry and shows how current the report is. The information in the report is only as accurate as what the business has filed with the registry. If the business has missed filings or failed to update its records, some details might not reflect the current status.

The first page of the Ontario business profile report contains the essential identification details of the business:

• Act & Type: The legislation under which the business operates. Most reports list “Business Corporations Act” and “Ontario Business Corporation” to show the business follows Ontario law.
• Name: This is the legal name of the corporation as registered in the Ontario corporate registry.
• Ontario Corporation Number (OCN): This is the unique identifier for every registered corporation in the province.
• Governing Jurisdiction: This will usually say “Canada – Ontario.” If it shows another province, you may be looking at an extra-provincial registration.
• Status: This tells you if the business is active, dissolved, or inactive. A dissolved status may signal that the business is no longer operating. Some transactions may ask for a Certificate of Status instead of a full company corporate profile report. A Certificate of Status for an Ontario corporation shows only if a business is active or dissolved.
• Date of Incorporation/Amalgamation: This shows when the business legally formed under its current structure. The report shows a separate Date of Revival field if the corporation revived after dissolution.
• Registered or Head Office Address: This is where the business physically operates.

These details help confirm the legitimacy of a business and support responsible decision making processes.

Note for Other Business Types

Registered Businesses
For registered businesses (like sole proprietorships, partnerships or trade names), the profile report includes unique fields:

• Type of Filing (e.g., new registration, renewal).
• Business Identification Number (BIN) (instead of Ontario Corporation Number).
• Registration Date & Expiry Date (instead of incorporation date).
• Principal Place of Business (instead of registered office address).
• Activity (NAICS Code) (business classification code).

Extra-Provincial Licences
For extra-provincial licences, the Ontario corporation search also includes:

• Governing Jurisdiction (the home jurisdiction outside Ontario)
• Incorporation/Amalgamation Date (from the home jurisdiction)
• Date Commenced in Ontario (when the business began operating in Ontario)
• Principal Place of Business (in Ontario)
• Chief Officer/Manager in Ontario (if applicable)

Section 2: Directors Information

The Directors Information section lists the individuals responsible for overseeing the corporation’s decision-making process. The board of directors are accountable for acting in good faith and in the best interests of the corporation.

Here’s what you’ll typically find:

• Minimum/Maximum Number of Directors: This shows the allowed range of directors for the corporation. For example, if the minimum is 1, the corporation needs at least one director. If the maximum is 5, it can have no more than five directors.
• Name: Lists the full legal name of each active director. These individuals form the board of directors and are responsible for overseeing the corporation’s operations.
• Address for Service: This is the director’s official address.
• Resident Canadian: Indicates whether the director is a resident Canadian.
• Date Began: The date the individual became an active director of the corporation. This helps establish the director’s term and history with the company.

Note for Other Business Types

Registered Businesses
Registered businesses like sole proprietorships or general partnerships use Registrant Information for this section. It includes the name of the owner or names of all partners and their address for service.

For trade names, the report also shows details about the parent company that registered the name. This includes the company’s name, business type, status, OCN or BIN number, governing jurisdiction, and head office address.

Extra-Provincial Licences
For an extra-provincial licence, this section lists the name and address for service of the chief officer or manager. Listing a chief officer or manager is optional in Ontario, so this section may be blank. To see all directors, you need to order a profile report from the corporation’s home jurisdiction.

Section 3: Officers Information

The corporate officer section may list individuals with formal roles such as Chief Executive Officer, President, or Secretary. While every Ontario corporation must have at least one director appointed, officers are optional.

For each active officer, the report includes:

• Name: The full legal name of the officer of the corporation
• Position: The officer’s role within the corporation, such as Chief Executive Officer, Treasurer, or Secretary. These roles help manage the business but do not always share the legal duties of directors on the board of directors.
• Address for Service: Ontario Business Registry lists the business’s physical address.
• Date Began: The date the officer officially started their role.

If this section is blank, the Ontario corporate registry has not received officer information.

Note for Other Business Types

Registered Businesses
For registered businesses, this section lists the Person Authorizing Registration, showing who approved the business registration.

Extra-Provincial Licences
For extra-provincial licences, this section does not appear in the report. EPL’s cannot list additional officers in Ontario besides the chief officer or manager.

Section 4: Corporate Name History

This section shows the name history of the corporation. This includes the current corporate name along with the effective date when the name was registered.

If the corporation has changed its name through Articles of Amendment, the previous name and the effective date will also appear here. Understanding the name history is helpful when comparing documents, contracts, or corporate searches. A mismatch between a contract name and the current corporation profile might indicate a legal name change.

If the corporation has amalgamated with another business, there will be an extra page following this section. That page shows the names and Ontario Corporation Numbers (OCNs) of the businesses that merged.

Note for Other Business Types

Registered Businesses
Registered businesses do not include a name history section in their reports and skip ahead to the Document List.

Extra-Provincial LicencesExtra-provincial licences follow the same structure as corporations. In this section, they display “Refer to Governing Jurisdiction” instead of listing name details. To see name history, you need to order a profile report from the business’s home jurisdiction.

Section 5: Active Business Names

If the corporation operates under another name in addition to its legal name, you’ll find it listed here. For example, “1234567 Ontario Inc.” might also operate as “Maple Lawn Services.”

This section shows any business name registered under the Business Names Act that is still active. These are also called trade names or operating names and are often used in branding. These names allow a corporation to operate under a different name without changing its legal name.

For each active business name, the report includes:

• Name: The trade name or DBA the corporation is using.
• Business Identification Number (BIN): A unique number assigned to the trade name registration. This is different from the corporation’s Ontario Corporation Number (OCN).
• Registration Date: The date the business registered the name.
• Expiry Date: The date the business name registration will expire (typically five years after registration unless renewed).

If there are no entries here, the business is likely only operating under its legal name.

Section 6: Expired or Cancelled Business Names

This page lists any business information previously registered under the corporation that has now lapsed. Even if these names are no longer in use, seeing them can help piece together the business’s past branding or operations.

This section can also reveal profit organizations that may have changed focus, closed divisions, or rebranded.

Section 7: Document List

The Document List shows filings made by the corporation, along with the dates of those filings. This section helps you see the major changes or events in the corporation’s history.

For each filing, the report includes:

• Filing Name: The type of document filed, such as Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Amendment.
• Effective Date: The date the filing took effect.
• PAF (Person Authorizing Filing): This lists the name of the person who authorized the filing.

This section is useful for tracking events, such as when the corporation was formed, changed its name, or updated its structure.

Helpful Tips for Reading Your Report

Some fields in a corporate profile report may show “Not Applicable,” “Not Available,” or “Not Provided.” This may happen if the information wasn’t required at the time of the last filing, if it wasn’t carried over during system changes, or if the business hasn’t submitted updated details. These labels do not always indicate an error, but rather that the data may be missing or outdated.

You may also see abbreviations throughout the report. For a full list of definitions, visit the Ontario government’s guide to the Corporate Profile Report.

Why This Information Matters

A corporate profile report supports smart business decisions. Here’s why it’s important:

• Confirms legitimacy of directors and officers of a company.
• Verifies whether a corporation is active.
• Helps determine if the registered office address is current.
• Provides essential data for banks, lawyers, and investors.
• Supports filings like the annual return or certificate of status.

A corporate profile report helps when you buy a business, sign a contract, or check if the business follows rules set by governing bodies.

How to Get a Corporation Profile Report in Ontario

You can obtain a company profile report through the Ontario Business Registry or a third-party service. Ontario Business Central makes this easy. We offer personalized support and help with other filings like the certificate of status or due diligence searches.

We make corporate documentation simple, so you can focus on running your business.

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Ontario Business Central Inc. is not a law firm and cannot provide a legal opinion or advice. This information is to assist you in understanding the requirements of registration within the chosen jurisdiction. It is always recommended, when you have legal or accounting questions that you speak to a qualified professional.