With the launch of the new Ontario Business Registry (OBR) in Ontario on October 19 you should obtain your company key. Also, those Ontario corporations who had annual returns due from May 15, 2021 through October 18 can file those returns using the OBR.
Here is the message from the Ontario government:
| The new Ontario Business Registry launches next Tuesday, October 19 and will offer over 90 online services to businesses and not-for-profit corporations, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
To ensure business continuity, authorized service providers – ESC Corporate Services Ltd. or ecore by Dye & Durham Corporation – can also be engaged by businesses or their intermediaries for registry services and products. Accessing the RegistryIf you already have a business entity (like a corporation or a sole proprietorship) that is registered, incorporated, or licensed to carry on business in Ontario, you will need a Company Key to access your entity’s profile in the new Ontario Business Registry. A Company Key is like the Personal Identification Number (PIN) you use at the bank or to access other online accounts or services. As of Tuesday, October 19, you can submit a request for your company key at Ontario.ca/BusinessRegistry – just look for the Company Key request form! Service CountersAs part of the transition to our new online registry, six service counters across the province have now stopped endorsing articles submitted under the Business Corporations Act. In addition to this change, effective Monday, October 18, the ServiceOntario counter at 375 University Avenue in Toronto will be closed. Urgent requestsQualified intermediaries who need documents processed urgently may be able to schedule an appointment at 375 University Avenue in Toronto, by contacting the Central Production and Verification Services Branch’s Operations Specialist. Phone: 647-824-5945 Requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. An urgent processing request may include any of the following:
When a request is deemed urgent, the Operations Specialist will arrange a time for the qualified intermediary to bring in the application with payment. Appointments can be booked, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., excluding statutory holidays. For information or assistance with non-urgent requests, please call ServiceOntario at: Annual ReturnsOn October 19, you will be able file your annual return directly in the new Ontario Business Registry. On May 15, 2021, the Canada Revenue Agency stopped accepting corporations’ annual returns on behalf of the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS). From May 15, 2021 through October 18, 2021, corporations whose annual returns were due during that period were exempt, meaning those corporations did not have to file an annual return for 2021. Now that the Ontario Business Registry is launching, corporations who have an annual return due on or after October 19, 2021 must file their annual returns, which they can now do directly, in the registry. We’re looking forward to launch day and hope you are too! Thank you! |
At Blumbergs we are helping Ontario non-profit corporations deal with the changes brought on by the new Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) and the launch of the OBR. Contact us if you want to retain our law firm to assist you with this matter.