Ontario Professional Corporation

Governing body: Law Society of Ontario (LSO)

All shareholders, directors, and officers must be licensed lawyers or paralegals in Ontario, and the corporation must obtain a Certificate of Authorization from the Law Society of Ontario (LSO). View Guidelines

Important Notice: CPA Ontario Regulated Articles

An Ontario Professional Corporation allows CPAs (or formerly CGAs) to practice as a corporate entity under provincial and professional regulations. Establishing one requires provincial incorporation, registration with CPA Ontario, and strict adherence to specific naming and ownership criteria.View Guidelines

Important Notice: PEO Regulated Articles

Articles of a PEO professional corporation will be drafted by eligible legal team in accordance with the corporation act, and guidelines of the governing body. View Guidelines

Important Notice: OAA Regulated Articles

Architectural corporations in Ontario are regulated by the OAA and the Architects Act. You must incorporate provincially with a licensed architect owning the majority of voting shares. To legally offer services, your corporation must secure an official OAA Certificate of Practice.View Guidelines

Important Notice: Social Works Regulated Articles

To form a professional corporation for Ontario social workers, incorporate under the Business Corporations Act, comply with the 1998 Social Work Act, and get an OCSWSSW Certificate of Authorization. View Guidelines

Important Notice: Land Surveyors (AOLS)

In Ontario, Land Surveyors who wish to offer cadastral (legal boundary) surveying services to the public through a corporation must obtain a Certificate of Authorization (C of A) from the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors (AOLS).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (CASLPO)

Audiologists and speech-language pathologists setting up an Ontario Professional Corporation need to incorporate under the provincial Business Corporations Act and secure a Certificate of Authorization from CASLPO.View Guidelines

Important Notice: Chiropractors (CCO)

Incorporating a chiropractic practice in Ontario involves strict compliance with both corporate law and the regulations set by the College of Chiropractors of Ontario (CCO). Because chiropractors are regulated health professionals, a professional corporation differs significantly from a standard business corporation.View Guidelines

Important Notice: Chiropodists and Podiatrists (COCOO)

To incorporate a professional practice in Ontario, chiropodists and podiatrists must comply with the Ontario Business Corporations Act (BCA), the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), and the specific bylaws of the College of Chiropodists of Ontario (COCOO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Dentists / Dental Surgeons (RCDSO)

Incorporating a Dentistry Professional Corporation (DPC) in Ontario involves meeting strict corporate and regulatory requirements set by the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA) and the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Dental Hygienists (CDHO)

In Ontario, Registered Dental Hygienists (RDHs) are permitted to practice through a Professional Corporation. However, establishing one requires strict compliance with both the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA) and the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (CDHO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Dental Technologists (CDTO)

To incorporate and legally practice as a professional corporation, you must adhere to the rules set by the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA) and obtain approval from the College of Dental Technologists of Ontario (CDTO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Denturists (CDO)

To incorporate a professional corporation for denturism in Ontario, you must comply with the rules set out by the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA), the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), and the College of Denturists of Ontario (CDO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Dietitians (CDO)

In Ontario, Registered Dietitians are permitted to practice through a Professional Corporation. However, unlike a regular business, a health professional corporation is strictly governed by the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA), the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), and the College of Dietitians of Ontario (CDO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Massage Therapists (CMTO)

To incorporate a professional corporation for a Massage Therapy practice in Ontario, you must comply with both provincial corporate law and the regulatory rules set by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Medical Laboratory Technologists (CMLTO)

Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs) in Ontario can incorporate their practice as a Health Profession Corporation under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and the Ontario Business Corporations Act. Once incorporated provincially, you must obtain a Certificate of Authorization from the College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario (CMLTO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Medical Radiation Technologists (CMRITO)

To incorporate a professional corporation in Ontario as a Medical Radiation Technologist, you must comply with the rules set out under both the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) and the Ontario Business Corporations Act (BCA).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Midwives (CMO)

To incorporate a professional practice as a midwife in Ontario, you must meet the guidelines set by the College of Midwives of Ontario (CMO) and incorporate under provincial law. While incorporating is not mandatory for midwives, those who choose to do so must obtain a Certificate of Authorization from the CMO.View Guidelines

Important Notice: Nurses (RNs, RPNs, NPs) (CNO)

If you are a Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), or Nurse Practitioner (NP) in Ontario considering independent practice, you have the option to incorporate your practice. To practice nursing through a corporate entity, you must establish a Nursing Professional Corporation and obtain authorization from the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Optometrists (COO)

To practice optometry through a corporation in Ontario, you must set up an Optometry Professional Corporation (OPC). This process is governed by the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA), the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), and the College of Optometrists of Ontario (COO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians (OCP)

In Ontario, both Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians are regulated health professionals under the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP) and are eligible to establish a Health Profession Corporation.View Guidelines

Important Notice: Physicians and Surgeons / Physician Assistants (CPSO)

In Ontario, setting up a Medicine Professional Corporation allows physicians to optimize their tax planning, but it comes with strict regulatory requirements. The process is governed by the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA), the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Physiotherapists (CPO)

Setting up a Physiotherapy Professional Corporation in Ontario is a strict, two-part process: you must first create the legal entity with the province, and then you must obtain permission from the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO) to practice under that corporate structure.View Guidelines

Important Notice: Psychiatrists (CPSO)

To incorporate as a psychiatrist in Ontario, you must establish a Medicine Professional Corporation (MPC). Because psychiatrists are licensed physicians, your corporation is jointly governed by the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA) and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Psychologists (CPBAO)

In Ontario, psychologists can incorporate their practice to take advantage of specific tax and business benefits. However, because psychology is a regulated health profession, you must comply with strict guidelines set by the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA), and the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO) (formerly the College of Psychologists of Ontario).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Opticians (COO)

To incorporate a professional corporation for opticians in Ontario, you must comply with the rules established by both the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA) and the College of Opticians of Ontario (COO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Respiratory Therapists (CRTO)

To incorporate a professional practice in Ontario, Respiratory Therapists must comply with the rules set out by the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA), the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), and the College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario (CRTO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Homeopaths (CHO)

To incorporate a professional corporation for Homeopaths in Ontario, you must comply with the guidelines set out by the Business Corporations Act (BCA), the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), and the College of Homeopaths of Ontario (CHO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Kinesiologists (CKO)

In Ontario, registered kinesiologists are permitted to establish a professional corporation under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) and the Business Corporations Act (BCA). To operate as a professional corporation, you must first formally incorporate your business with the province and then obtain a Certificate of Authorization from the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario (CKO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Naturopaths (CONO)

To establish a professional corporation in Ontario for a naturopathic practice, you must navigate both provincial corporate law and the specific regulations set by the College of Naturopaths of Ontario (CONO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Occupational Therapists (COTO)

To set up a Professional Corporation (PC) as an Occupational Therapist in Ontario, you must comply with the rules established by both the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA) and the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO)

To incorporate a Psychotherapy Professional Corporation in Ontario, Registered Psychotherapists (RPs) must satisfy both provincial corporate law under the Business Corporations Act (OBCA) and health regulatory requirements under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) and the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).View Guidelines

Important Notice: Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists (CTCMPAO)

Ontario TCMPs and acupuncturists can legally incorporate their professional practices. To do so, you must register an OBCA corporation and secure a CTCMPAO authorization certificate. Operating your incorporated practice without holding this official certificate is a punishable offence.View Guidelines

Important Notice: Custom Articles of Incorporation

Articles of a professional corporation must be drafted and reviewed by an eligible lawyer prior to incorporation. We will send your articles to appropriate team and incorporate upon the approval.

A corporation is required to have a physical registered office address in Ontario. P.O. box or virtual mail box address is not acceptable. If you do not have a physical address, we offer address and mail scanning service.

We made this section optional for clients who prefer drafting their own bylaws. If you skip it, you are entirely responsible for preparing and filing all corporate governance documents yourself, including the following:

• Appointing officers and shareholders
• Defining share distribution and borrowing powers
• Drafting rights, responsibilities, and termination clauses
• Creating a Central Securities Register and dispute resolution policies