Business or Investor

What changes under the NWPTA?

Relative to British Columbia and Alberta, the current seamless business registration process between them will continue. In addition, residency requirements have already been eliminated in these two provinces and unnecessary differences in regulations between them have been largely reconciled.

This seamless corporate registration process will be extended to Saskatchewan by July 1, 2012. More details will be provided by that time for businesses operating or wishing to operate in Saskatchewan. By July 1, 2012, Saskatchewan residency requirements will also have been eliminated and the regulations of the three provinces that are covered under the NWPTA will have been reconciled.

Finally, by July 1, 2013, Saskatchewan residency requirements and regulations related to the financial services sector will be reconciled.

How does the NWPTA affect my corporation?

Removing duplicative registration and reporting requirements will make it easier and more cost effective to expand your corporation into the other provinces. Once the Agreement’s business registration and reporting requirements are fully implemented across all three provinces,  a corporation only needs  to file its annual report in  the jurisdiction where it is incorporated. All filing fees have been eliminated.

What advantages does this agreement provide to businesses?

Aside from ensuring more secure access to the other provinces, this agreement commits British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan to reconciling business reporting and registration requirements. If a business meets requirements in its home province, registration in the other province can be initiated in the home jurisdiction. A new  integrated registry system, continuing the one already established between Alberta and British Columbia will be rolled out by the three provinces to streamline corporate registration for businesses in the three provinces.

When does the new registry system take affect?

Seamless business registration currently exists between British Columbia and Alberta. This system will be extended to Saskatchewan by July 1, 2012.

Why are the existing business registration processes in each province so different from one another?

Since requirements for business registration are governed by provincial legislation, over time each province and territory in Canada has developed different requirements.

Will businesses automatically be registered in the other provinces?

Companies in British Columbia and Alberta will be asked upon incorporation/registration in their home province if they want to be extraprovincially registered in the other province. If the answer is yes, then the home registry will facilitate that extraprovincial incorporation/registration, as well as forward periodic updates to the other registry.

The integrated corporate registration process between British Columbia and Alberta will be extended to Saskatchewan by July 1, 2012.  More details will be provided by that time for businesses operating or wishing to operate in Saskatchewan.

If I am registered in either British Columbia, Alberta or Saskatchewan what happens to my corporation's status when I register in the other provinces?

Your corporation's status in your home province will remain the same.

I have an Alberta registered corporation.  How do I register in British Columbia or Saskatchewan if I want to do business there?

If your corporation is intending to conduct business in British Columbia, you can obtain the British Columbia registration by contacting the Alberta Corporate Registry (if your corporation is already incorporated) or a member of the private registry agent network.

The integrated corporate registration process between British Columbia and Alberta will be extended to Saskatchewan by July 1, 2012.  More details will be provided by that time for businesses operating or wishing to operate in Saskatchewan.  In the meantime, an Alberta corporation that wishes to carry on business in Saskatchewan will still need to extraprovincially register in Saskatchewan. 

I have a British Columbia registered corporation. How do I register in Alberta or Saskatchewan if I want to do business there?

If your corporation is intending to conduct business in Alberta, you can register by contacting the British Columbia Registry Services. Staff will help you to register in Alberta depending on whether you have already incorporated or not.

The integrated corporate registration process between British Columbia and Alberta will be extended to Saskatchewan by July 1, 2012.  More details will be provided by that time for businesses operating or wishing to operate in Saskatchewan.  In the meantime, a British Columbia corporation that wishes to carry on business in Saskatchewan will still need to extraprovincially register in Saskatchewan. 

I have a Saskatchewan registered corporation. How do I register in British Columbia or Alberta if I want to do business there?

British Columbia and Alberta business registration requirements will be reconciled with Saskatchewan’s by July 1, 2012. More details will be provided by that time for Saskatchewan businesses. In the meantime, a Saskatchewan corporation that wishes to carry on business in British Columbia or Alberta will need to individually register in British Columbia or Alberta.

My corporation is based in British Columbia, Alberta or Saskatchewan and is already extraprovincially registered in the other provinces. How does the NWPTA affect that registration?

British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan corporations that are already registered in one of the other provinces will not need to take any additional action.

Can I get information about businesses from the other provinces in my own province's corporate registry?

Yes. British Columbia and Alberta businesses will still be able to search data on extraprovincial companies from within their own province's registry.

The integrated corporate registration process between BC and Alberta will be extended to Saskatchewan by July 1, 2012.  More details will be provided by that time for businesses operating or wishing to operate in Saskatchewan.

Can businesses choose which province's regulations to operate under?

No. Businesses must comply with the regulations of the province in which they are operating.

Will governments still be able to control business operating conditions, such as municipal licensing and taxation, land use regulations, health and safety requirements?

Yes. The NWPTA provides governments with the necessary level of control over business operating conditions. However, in exercising this control,  governments must ensure that their measures are non-discriminatory and do not impose any more restrictions on trade, investment and labour mobility than absolutely necessary.


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