The Ontario Ministry of Government Services is launching a new Ontario Business Registry at some point over the next year or two. This Registry will one day contain profiles on any business that is registered (including non-profit corporations), groups incorporated or licenced to carry on business in Ontario.
Charities and non-profits under the Ontario Corporations Act, as well as business owners and operators, will be able to one day use this Registry to register and update a business name under the Business Names Act, file notices and other documents under other business law statutes, receive filing updates and important notifications.
The registry will replace the system known as the ONBIS or Ontario Business Information System.
For now, there is no registry but you can sign up for an email list to get updates in the future about the registry. This is not your normal email list where anyone can sign up. This is only for groups to provide their “official email address”.
Here is what the government says:
“Business Registry Setup
Ontario’s business registry is changing to serve you better.
To ensure you are properly set up on the new business registry system, please provide your official email address. The “official email address” is the email that is associated with your registered business/entity, not the contact email for third party intermediaries working on behalf of the business/entity.
When you sign-up, you will receive:
- your log-in credentials
- filing updates
- important notifications”
You need the following information:
“Official Email Address of This Entity”
“Entity Name”
“OCN Number / BIN Number”
It is not clear if you need both the entity name and OCN Number/ BIN Number.
There is no official announcement on when the new Registry launches but it may align with certain acts such as new Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations (ONCA) coming into force.
When you sign up to this email list it sends a note “Thank you for submitting your entity information. In the next few months, we will email you to let you know when you will receive your log in credentials. Find out more information about the new Ontario Business Registry at www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-business-registry.”
So it may be a few days, a few months or a few years. Time will tell. But all OCA corporations should sign up to at least receive notifications. You can sign up for it at the following link: https://mailchi.mp/ontario.ca/business-registry-setup
Yes, the Ontario government is using Mailchimp to run this email notification system. In light of the previous problems over many years, the Ontario government has had to deliver the new registry, that might not be a bad idea. If the registry does not roll out soon perhaps Club Penguin could take care of the backend of the system!
You can also click here for more information on the new Ontario Business Registry.
Original title of blog post : New Ontario Business Registry will one day become active and you should sign up now to get reminders and information
By Mark Blumberg, Blumbergs, Canadian Charity Law
Occasional Contributors
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