An email address is required when incorporating an Alberta or non-profit corporation or cooperative or registering a business name, or extra-provincial corporation or cooperative. The email address is also required when filing an annual return/report or when updating a corporation or cooperative address, attorney for service, business partner, or sole proprietor.
Annual return reminders are sent by email to corporations, non-profit organizations, limited liability partnerships, and cooperatives where there is an email address on record. Annual return reminders are sent about 2 weeks before the annual return is due. The reminders are sent by regular mail when there is no email address on file or when there is a notice because the previous year's annual return has not been filed. Directors of Alberta corporations receive copies of the outstanding annual return notice by regular mail.
Alberta corporations
Incorporating a corporation creates a legal ‘person’ that’s separate and distinct from its individual owners.
Out-of-province corporations
If your corporation was formed in another province or country, it must be registered to carry on business in Alberta.
Non-profit companies
Organizations can choose to incorporate a non-profit company when they want a legal structure that is similar to the structure of a for-profit corporation.
Religious societies
Religious organizations and congregations can incorporate so they can own the land where their house of worship or cemetery is located.
Societies
Similar to non-profit companies, organizations can incorporate a society for social, recreational and other useful purposes, but not for carrying on a business.
Alberta-based cooperatives
A cooperative is a business organization started by people who want to use services or buy goods as a group, have an equal say in how the business is run and share in any profits the business makes.
Out-of-province cooperatives
Out-of-province cooperatives operate like Alberta-based cooperatives, but have a different process in place for incorporation.
Register your Alberta corporation in BC, Manitoba or Saskatchewan
The New West Partnership Trade Agreement is a trade relationship between Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. The agreement makes it easier for corporations, limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships to register and operate across provincial borders.
Virtual meetings during the pandemic
Organizations can provide meeting notices, conduct meetings and hold votes using digital technology, if their bylaws do not prohibit it.
If organizations want to meet and vote in person, or if their bylaws already allow for online meeting and voting, no changes are required.
If organizations want to meet and vote electronically, but their bylaws prohibit such actions, the bylaws need to be adjusted.