DUE DILIGENCE SEARCHES

Federal Corporate Search

If you wish to search an existing business in Canada, completing a corporation search will provide the details of the business. A business in Canada can register with the federal government as a federal or canada incorporation. If the business is not a federal corporation, the business will be held by a provincial or territorial corporate registry.

Common wording to search a business in Canada

• Federal Company Search
• Corporate Registry Search
• Find a federal incorporation search
• Federal Business Registry
• Federal Corporate Registry
• Canadian Corporate Registry
• Canada Company Search
• Canadian corporation lookup
• Canadian Incorporation search

Individuals often assume there is a federal corporate database that maintains the corporate and registered business records across Canada. This is not accurate. Each jurisdiction in Canada maintains the corporate records within their own jurisdiction. There is not a federal business registry that holds all records.

How Do I Search For an Existing Business When I Know Where it Operates?

If you have the legal name of the business and the jurisdiction where it operates such as Ontario, Alberta or B.C., you can search the corporate and registered business records and obtain copy of the business records.

How Do I Search For an Existing Business When I Don’t Know Where It Operates?

You can reach out to us and at no cost we will search to determine where the registered or incorporated business operates. From there, you can order the corporate search for that business name.

Corporate Search / Corporation Search / Profile / Entity Profile

Above are the different wordings to reflect the same search request. If you wish to know the current information of a registered or incorporated business, this request will provide the most up to date information for the following:

• Corporation/Incorporated Businesses
• Registered Business/Unincorporated Businesses
• Extra-Provincial Corporations
• Limited Partnership
• Limited Liability Companies

If you wish to search corporate names or business names across canada, we are able to easily search and provide the results to you. This includes searching Sole Proprietorships, General Partnerships, Trade Names, Federal Corporation, Ontario Corporations, and any corporation or registered business. The corporate profiles are available for both profit and not-for-profit corporations and business registrations across Canada. When requesting an Ontario corporation search, the Province of Ontario now requires each corporation to file an Annual Return to update the corporate record. This will ensure the public record for corporations becomes more up-to-date from October 2021 moving forward.

Each jurisdiction has its own business registry system that provides the specific details to any business entity.

Corporate Search Results provides:

• Current legal name of business
• Current address for corporation or registered business/mailing address
• Directors/owners of business with addresses
• How long the business has been active
• If the business is active, canceled or dissolved
• Legal change of name
• Current status
• Corporate number or Business Identification Number BIN
• Registration date

It's requested for a variety of reasons including:

• Searching the legitimacy of a business
• Obtaining and or ensuring the current directors are listed accurately
• Searching to see if an existing business is within the same/similar industry
• Service of legal documents
• Searching a new business that may be in conflict with your existing business name

Professional Incorporations

Each year, professional incorporations are required to update the status of the professional incorporation to maintain the certificate of authorization to operate as a professional incorporation.

Many professionals are required to provide a corporate search or entity report within the province of Ontario and or the Ontario Certificate of Status. The corporate search or entity report provides details including information related to the corporation activity, business address, directors and officers who are currently with the corporation. This is to ensure the listed address and directors are members of the profession listed with the governing body.

Another requested corporate document is the Certificate of Status. The certificate of Status is a one page document displaying whether the corporation is active or not as of the date requested. This allows the governing body to ensure that a professional corporation is not delinquent on filings with either the province of Ontario or the Canada Revenue Agency. Each professional governing body has different requirements. It is best to verify with the required submission for the specific profession.

Business Name Registration searches BNR

Ontario introduced the new Ontario Business Registry system as of October 19 2021. Any business registered after this date including Sole Proprietorships, Firm Name for General Partnerships or Business Names For a Corporation, can request a new copy of the original filing by selecting this search. Any registered business prior to October 21, 2021 in Ontario would simply request an “Entity Profile Report” to obtain a copy of the registration information.

Certificate of Status / Status Certificate / Certificate of Compliance / Certificate of Good Standing

The Certificate of Status or Certificate of Compliance or Certificate of Good Standing are different wordings for the same product depending on the jurisdiction in Canada. Typically a one page certificate that verifies if a corporation is active or inactive on the date of request. This certificate is only available for incorporated companies.

This is requested for a variety of reasons including:

• Out of Province filing of an existing Provincial/federal corporation into a new jurisdiction
• Professional corporations maintaining compliance with their governing bodies
• Purchase or sale of corporation to ensure it is active
• When we receive your order we are able to provide the information requested by email the same day

Ontario Original Documents for Company

You can request and obtain the original documents filed for a corporation or registered business under the specific parameters as listed below.

• Copy of Articles of Incorporation
• Certified Copy of Articles of Incorporation
• Business Name Registration (BNR) for registered businesses after October 19, 2021.

Articles of Incorporation

The Articles of Incorporation are the original corporate documents from when the original incorporation was completed. In all jurisdictions across Canada you can request a copy of the original Articles of Incorporations which will include the following information:

• Original Articles of Incorporation details
• Original Incorporators and or Directors
• Original Corporate Share Structure for the Corporation

Ontario Articles of Incorporation Microfiche Order

In Ontario, the Microfiche will also display any changes to the corporation providing Articles of Amendment where the corporation may have changed it’s corporate name, structure or overall directors parameters such as a minimum of one and maximum of ten directors.

Each corporation within Ontario has its own microfiche record of the Articles of Incorporation. The microfiche for any Ontario incorporation can be retrieved from the Provincial databank within 8 to 15 business days of request. The corporate microfiche not only maintains the Articles of Incorporation but also any other article filings for the corporation such as Articles of Amendment, Articles of Revival, and Articles of Dissolution. The microfiche also maintains any notices of change filed on behalf of the corporation with updates to addresses, directors, officers of the corporation prior to 1995. The Articles of Incorporation are requested mostly when the owners of the business have misplaced their original copy of the documents.

Articles of Amendment

Articles of Amendment are available as a separate request where you believe the corporations filed has changes these types of information:

• Name of Corporation
• Structure of Corporation (share structure such as classes of shares)
• Minimum and Maximum number of Directors

The corporation can make any combination of these 3 types of information changes within one filing.

Master Business License Reprint

If a registrant has lost a copy of their Master Business License from when it was originally filed, this provides a duplicate of that original registration. This is now available by ordering the "Entity Profile Report".

Secretary of State Business Searches

If you want to search an American business to find out details of a business, how long the business has been in operation, who the owners/directors of the business, the business address and a number of other details, we can complete a search request on any business in all states with the exception of New Mexico and Pennsylvania. Ontario Business Central has performed thousands of corporate searches each year in Canada for the last 30 years. We are making the same business search available to our neighboring business in the United States.

Simply select the state where the business operates and we will complete the search and email you the results. Whether you need a secretary of state California business search, Illinois corporate search or state or Oregon business search, we have the tools and resources to search the company look up and get the results over to you.

You can search both incorporations including LLC corporations, C corporations, S corporations and business licenses to find the details you need.

Whether you are in Canada or the US or anywhere else in the word, you can request the information with us and pay in Canadian dollars instead of US dollars. On average, the fees in Canada with the currency exchange to the US dollar can save you up to 30%.

Point in Time Report

The new Entity Profile Report replaces this. The Point in Time report provides the details of the corporation including the head office address, directors and officers names and addresses at a specific timeframe or specific date. Often this report is requested when an individual wants to see historically who owned and operated a corporation.

Document List

The new Profile Entity replaces the need to order this report on its own. From June 1992, a document List provided a listing of the corporate records filed on behalf of the corporation. This entity profile report now includes a listing of documents filed including all articles, any Notices of Change updating the address, directors or officers of the corporation and any notices of default provided by either the federal or Provincial governments.

Business Names List

The new Entity Profile Report replaces this. The Business Names List provides the name and BIN number of any current Master Business License (operating names) currently held by a corporation.

Document Replica

The Document Replica is requested to obtain a replacement copy of a current Master Business License in Ontario whether the registration is a Sole Proprietorship, General Partnership or Tradename.

BNLP Document list

The new Entity Profile Report replaces this.The BNLP Document List provides all filings attached to a specific Master Business License including the registration, any changes, renewals or cancellations.

Business Names Report

The new Entity Profile Report replaces this.The Business Names Report provided details of a current Master Business Licence including business address, owners, owners address, the date of registration and business activity.

Due Diligence

Due Diligence provides additional information on the corporation or individual director. Whether the business has debts and obligations, if a bank holds any liens for a corporation and if bankruptcy has occurred.

PPSA Search

The PPSA (Personal Property Securities Act) search allows you to search an individual or corporation for any current loans under motor vehicles, equipment, inventory or consumer goods.

Bank Act Certificate (Section 427)

The Bank Act Certificate provides if any financial institution in Canada has first priority on any debt owing including goods and equipment.

Official Receiver (OR Search)

The Official Receiver is a databank held by the Registrar General of Canada and maintains a database of bankruptcy filings of either an individual or a corporation. The certificate will either provide details of the bankruptcy or confirm there are no bankruptcies listed.

Bankruptcy Search (Ontario)

The Bankruptcy Search is a manual search conducted at the local courthouse to the individual or corporation being searched. This will indicate if an individual or corporation has been petitioned for bankruptcy within Ontario.

Litigation Searches

The Litigation Searches are available to search within the local courthouse for either an individual or corporation to see if there are litigation files listed. Litigation searches are ordered to see if an individual or corporation has had issues with previous lenders and creditors. This will provide details whether they are a plaintiff or defendant in any action.

If you have questions about the products to order, please give us a call at 1-800-280-1913 or 416-599-9009.