Every corporation subject to the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) must file an annual return with Corporations Canada every year. You have to file an annual return if your corporation’s legal status with Corporations Canada is “active” (that is not dissolved, discontinued or amalgamated with another corporation).

This is NOT your income tax return. This is a corporate law requirement. It is completely separate from any filing obligations you may have with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If your corporation’s legal status is “active” (that is not dissolved, discontinued or amalgamated with another corporation), you are still obligated to file. Big or small, every corporation is legally obligated to file. It is important that we have accurate and up to date information about every corporation.

The deadline for filing an annual return is within the 60 days following a corporation’s anniversary date. The anniversary date is the date your corporation incorporated, amalgamated or continued under the CBCA. You do not file for the year the corporation was incorporated, amalgamated or continued. The date can be found on your corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, Amalgamation or Continuance.

The information on the annual return must reflect the corporation’s situation on its anniversary date of each year of filing. For example, if your corporation was incorporated under the CBCA on July 12, the annual return is due within 60 days of July 12 the next year and every year after that.