The Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the “OBCA”) permits an Ontario corporation to have a name or a number name, but a chosen name must meet statutory requirements. The OBCA prohibits names that contain prohibited words, names that are the same as or too similar to existing names, and names that are likely to deceive. Corporate names must include a corporate suffix, there are 6 options: Inc./Incorporated, Corp./Corporation, Ltd./Limited (or their French versions if a French name was used). A corporation may also use an English, French, combined, or equivalent-form name structure under the OBCA.
A name is therefore both a marketing asset and a legal compliance item. Entrepreneurs often focus on domain names and logos, but the OBCA reminds us that the legal name itself must be usable in contracts, invoices, negotiable instruments, and other formal documents. A good name search before incorporation can avoid expensive rebranding and filing corrections later.
The information in this post is intended to be legal information only and nothing in it should be interpreted as legal advice.