Help – Corporations Canada

Search by corporation number

This search option is designed for users who would normally have access to the corporation number. Searchers should bear in mind that a corporation's file number contains a check digit. As well, some users add the letter -D, -M or -R at the end of the number. Letters and hyphens should not be used when searching.

Zero fill – A corporation's file number is composed of six numbers and one check digit (for a total of seven digits). The check digit, which is calculated using the first six digits, is designed to maintain integrity in the numbering system.

For example, a corporation's file number is: 0090018 – Les exportations & importations R.L. Inc.

If you only have number 90018, precede it with two zeros.

Check digit – In some instances, you may not have the check digit number. A search by corporation number which yields negative results may indicate that the check digit is missing. Remember that it may also indicate that the corporation is not federal. Use the asterisk "*" or the question mark "?" on the right side of the number.

For example: 9001 would become 009001* or 009001?

This search will locate the combination of the six first digits with any variable in the seventh position.

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Search by corporation name

A search by corporation name will retrieve existing corporation names as well as old names. The objective of a good search strategy is to reduce the number of corporations retrieved.

Wildcard Character

Make sure to select "Word Variation" when a wildcard is being used. To broaden your search, the asterisk symbol "*" may be used to replace one or more characters. The wildcard does not work at the beginning of a search term and it should not be used to replace a hyphen. To search for pharmacy and pharmaceutical use 'pharm*'.

Search options:

This Phrase: Searches for all the words in the exact order shown in the query.
All Words: Searches for all the words of the query in any order.
Any Words: Searches for any of the words individually in any order.

Refined search:

Word Variation will include words that are slightly different from the searched word. It will contain the main part of the word with added affixes. Words with special characters will not be displayed on the results page if the special characters are not indicated in the search criteria.

Exact Word Match forces the search to look for information exactly the way it is found in the database. The slightest mistake will return negative results. Searches will be more successful if less information is used. Exact Word Match should be used when searching for a word that contains a special character such as "$ave". Adjust your search accordingly.

Distinctive element

The distinctive element of a name is the part of a corporation name which is unique. These exclude legal designators such as Ltd. and Inc. as well as many other commonly used terms such as Canadian, Automation or Association.

The following explains the notion of distinctiveness:

When trying to search for a corporation under the name "The Great Canadian Shields Underwriters Inc.", a significant number of corporations will be listed on the results page when the search is done on the term "Great Canadian". The results list will be reduced and the desired corporation will be listed when the more distinctive keywords "Shield Underwriters" are used.

Initials

It is preferable to avoid the use of initials when performing a search since many acronyms make use of periods or special characters. Again, try to use the more distinctive elements of the name.

If This Phrase or All Words is selected when searching for "PCV Plastic Extrusion Inc.", no matches will be listed even if "P.C.V. Plastic Extrusion Inc." exists. By searching the term "Plastic Extrusion", you will obtain the desired corporation.

You cannot always avoid using initials because corporations with short names use them extensively. The term "Automation" is not distinctive in a name such as "B.G. Automation Inc.". When you are not sure if special characters or periods are used in-between the initials, one search strategy is to combine the commonly used term with different variations of the initials.

Try searching for:
BG Automation
B&G Automation
B-G Automation
etc.

Another search strategy is to make use of the wildcard character "*". For example, "B*G* Automation".

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Search by city

A search by city is based on the corporation's registered office address. In order to obtain all possible results when narrowing down the search, enter the various ways of writing the city. Perform the query on Dollard des Ormeaux, DDO and D.D.O for instance.

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Search by province

A search by province is based on the corporation's registered office address. Make use of the dropdown list to narrow down the search to a particular province or territory. By default, it searches all of the provinces and territories.

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Search by corporation status

A search by corporation status is based on the corporation's current status. Make use of the dropdown list to narrow down the search to a particular status. It should be noted that if the active status is selected for the search, all of the following active statuses will be included in the results list: active, intent to dissolve, dissolution in progress, and discontinuance pending.

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Search by corporation act

Make use of the dropdown list to narrow down the search to a particular Act. The 'Codes and Mnemonics' section, found below, defines the acronyms used in the dropdown list.

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Results List

The results list contains the names of all corporations which meet the search criteria. Information is presented in groups of ten corporations. The information presented in the results list includes the corporation number, creation date, status, as well as the current name(s).

The results list may be sorted either by relevance, or in ascending order by corporation number or by corporation name. With relevance, corporation names that contain all of the searched words will be listed prior to corporation names that contain some of the searched words.

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Search by creation date

A corporation's creation date can represent three different dates. It can be the date of incorporation, the date of amalgamation or the date the corporation was continued to the federal regime.

To search for a corporation by creation date:

• Use the format YYYY/MM/DD (For example: 1996/05/31)
• Use "equal to" to list corporations created on a specific date.
• Use "greater than" to list corporations created after a specific date.
• Use "lower than" to list corporations created before a specific date.
• Use "greater than" and "lower than" to obtain a list of corporations created between two dates. The list will not include corporations created on the actual dates themselves.

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Codes and Mnemonics

Corporation Profile

Corporation Name(s):	Current name or names of corporation
Old Name(s) /Date:	Previous names of corporation followed by date of name change
Mailing:	Corporation's mailing address (may or may not exist for all corporations)
Reg'd Office:	Corporation's full registered office address (mandatory)
Reg. Off. Eff:	Date at which most recent registered office address became effective

Status:

Active	The corporation is currently active
INT-DISS	The corporation has filed for dissolution
DISSPROG	Dissolution by the Director is in progress
DISCPEND	The corporation's move to another jurisdiction is pending
Inactive	The corporation is not operating
AMLGMATG	This corporation is amalgamated
DISSOLVD	Corporation dissolved (no information on section/Act)
DISS-210	Dissolution under section 210 of the Act
DISS-211	Dissolution under section 211 of the Act
DISS-212	Dissolution under section 212 of the Act
DISS-213	Dissolution under section 213 of the Act
DISS-217	Dissolution by Court Order
DIS-2618	Dissolution under section 261(8) under the CBCA
DISS-PT2	Dissolved as per CCA Part II
DISCONTD	Corporation has been exported to another jurisdiction
Bankrupt	The corporation is bankrupt

Act name:

CCA-PRI	Canada Corporations Act Part I Private
CCA-PUB	Canada Corporations Act Part 1 Public
CCA-II	Canada Corporations Act Part II
CCAA	Canada Cooperatives Associations Act
PFSA	Pension Fund Societies Act
CBCA	Canada Business Corporations Act
BOTA	Boards of Trade Act
SAOP	Special Act of Parliament
TWOA	More than one Act applicable
BANK	Bank Act
COOP	Canada Cooperatives Act
OTHER	Other Acts

Incorporation:

Date at which a new corporation was created

Amalgamation:

Date of amalgamation

Continuance:

Date on which a corporation from another jurisdiction was continued under federal jurisdiction

Anniversary:

Date on which a corporation became incorporated, amalgamated or continued

Proxy:

Date on which the most recent proxy circular was filed

Prospectus:

Date on which the most recent prospectus was filed

Take Over:

Date of the most recent take-over bid circular

Import/Export:

Jurisdiction from which a corporation was imported to federal jurisdiction and date

Jurisdiction to which a federal corporation was exported to and date

Revival:

Date on which a previously dissolved corporation was revived

Intent to Diss:

Date of the certificate of intent to dissolve

Revocation:

Date of the certificate of revocation of intent to dissolve

Update:

Date on which this corporation's electronic record was last updated

Directors

Current:

Current number of directors

Min & Max:

Minimum and maximum number of directors as set out in corporation's articles

Last Update Date:

Date at which the current directors became effective

Last Amendment:

Last date the minimum/maximum numbers of directors was amended

Annual Return/Annual Summary (AR/AS)

No. of Shareholders:

Indicates whether the number of shareholders is greater or smaller than 15 or 50 (refer to notice to clients)

Annual Meet(last):

Date of last annual meeting as reported on the annual return or annual summary

Enforcement code:

Indicates whether a certificate of Dissolution could be issued to the corporation or wheter it was already issued to the corporation. It may also indicate whether notices of Intent to Dissolve or Default notices were sent to the corporation.

Enforcement Date:

Date at which the enforcement code action was taken

AR/AS Filed:

• NotT Filed – Annual Return/Annual Summary form has not been filed
• Received With Fee – Annual Return/Annual Summary form returned completed with appropriate fee
• Received Without Fee  – Annual Return/Annual Summary form filed without the appropriate fee

Financial

Financial reports are only available for distributing corporations.

Amalgamations

Amalgamating Info: Information on those corporations which have amalgamated to form the new corporation

Amalgamated Info: Information on the corporation created by this amalgamation

Parent/Subsidiary

Parent Corporation: File number and name of the parent corporation (A parent corporation can be a federal, provincial or foreign corporation. Information is only available if the parent is a federal corporation.)

Subsidiary Corporation: Corporation file number(s) and name(s) of subsidiaries to the parent corporation. Information is only available if the subsidiary is federal.