Canada Company Formation Templates: Scrib🐮

TL;DR: Scrib🐮's M1 Templates give you a complete Canadian company formation document pack — articles of incorporation, corporate by-laws, director consents, and share register — for federal (CBCA) or provincial incorporation.

The Challenge

Incorporating a company in Canada requires choosing between federal incorporation under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) and provincial incorporation under the relevant province's business corporations act (for example, the Ontario Business Corporations Act or British Columbia Business Corporations Act). The right choice depends on where you plan to operate, whether you want national name protection, and the specific governance requirements of your province.

Once you have chosen your jurisdiction, the paperwork requirements are substantial: articles of incorporation (including share classes and restrictions on transfer), organizational resolutions, corporate by-laws, director and officer consent forms, and the initial corporate register entries. Provincial incorporation adds province-specific forms and may require a registered agent in the province.

Many founders use online incorporation services that file the articles but provide minimal by-laws — a two-page document that does not cover how directors are appointed, how meetings are called, or how dividends are declared. These gaps create governance problems as soon as the company has more than one shareholder.

How Scrib🐮 M1 Templates Solve It

Scrib🐮's M1 Template module for Canadian companies provides complete document packs for both federal (CBCA) and the most common provincial incorporations.

Step 1 — Jurisdiction selection:

Choose federal (CBCA) or provincial (Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec). The template loads the relevant incorporation form requirements and statutory framework. For federal incorporation, the template aligns with CBCA requirements (https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-44/). For Ontario, it aligns with the Ontario Business Corporations Act (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90b16).

Step 2 — Articles of incorporation:

The template prompts you for:

• Proposed company name (or numbered company option)
• Province or territory of registered office
• Share classes: the template includes a multi-share-class configuration with ordinary (voting, participating), preference (fixed dividend, liquidation priority, optional redemption), and Class A / Class B structures common for income-splitting arrangements
• Transfer restrictions (if any) — standard for private companies
• Number of directors (fixed number or minimum/maximum range)
• Any restrictions on business the company may carry on

Step 3 — Corporate by-laws:

The by-laws template covers: calling and conducting director and shareholder meetings (including written resolution alternatives), quorum requirements, officer appointments, the corporate seal, execution of documents, and the fiscal year. A comprehensive set of by-laws running 15–20 pages is significantly more governance-protective than the minimal two-page by-laws produced by many online incorporation services.

Step 4 — Organizational resolutions:

The template generates the initial organizational resolutions: appointment of officers (president, secretary, treasurer), banking resolution (with fields for bank name and signing authorities), approval of the by-laws, and the allotment and issuance of initial shares.

Step 5 — Director and officer consents:

Each director and officer receives a personalised consent form with their name, address, and the company details pre-populated. Director consents are a CBCA requirement (https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-44/page-6.html).

Step 6 — Corporate register:

The template initialises the required corporate register entries: register of directors, register of officers, and register of shareholders with initial share allotments.

Scrib🐮 is a document preparation service. For advice on federal vs provincial incorporation and your specific corporate structure, consult a Canadian corporate lawyer.

What's Included in Your Scrib🐮 Pass

Pricing: From $149/month — all menus, all countries, unlimited documents.

Why Scrib🐮 vs DIY or Traditional Services

DIY risk: The most common Canadian DIY mistake is online incorporation with minimal by-laws. The second is failing to pass proper organizational resolutions — which means the company's bank account, officer appointments, and initial share issuances have no formal corporate authority behind them. This creates significant problems for subsequent financing rounds or due diligence.

Canadian corporate lawyer: Toronto and Vancouver corporate lawyers typically charge CA$800–CA$3,000 for incorporation with comprehensive by-laws and organizational resolutions. Many lawyers use document assembly software themselves — the value is in the advice about structure, not the document generation.

Scrib🐮: The M1 template pack provides comprehensive by-laws, complete organizational resolutions, and the full register of corporate documents that a well-incorporated company should have. At $149/month, the same pass covers lease agreement templates (if you are leasing office or commercial premises) and employment contracts for your first hires.

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• Cost Calculator
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• Director Checker
• Filing Deadlines
• Employment Checker

MmowW Scrib🐮 is a document preparation service, not a law firm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should I incorporate federally or provincially?

Federal (CBCA) incorporation gives you national name protection and the ability to operate across provinces without additional registrations, but requires extra-provincial registration in any province where you carry on business. Provincial incorporation is simpler for companies operating in one province. Scrib🐮 covers both, but for advice on which is appropriate for your specific business, consult a Canadian corporate lawyer or an accountant familiar with corporate structure.

Q: Does Canada require a Canadian resident director?

Under the CBCA, at least 25% of directors must be resident Canadians. Many provinces have similar requirements, although British Columbia abolished the resident director requirement in 2020. The M3 AI Assistant can answer questions about residency requirements for specific provinces.

Q: How do I file the articles of incorporation after preparing them with Scrib🐮?

The M4 Submission Guide module covers the Corporations Canada online filing process for federal incorporation (https://corporationscanada.ic.gc.ca/) and the provincial filing portals for Ontario, BC, and Alberta.

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