Alberta Incorporation Service: ABCA Filing, $699 All-In
Ready to incorporate in Alberta? Start your Alberta incorporation — $699 all-in → · Articles filed via CORES by a Certified Registry Agent, minute book delivered in 2–4 business days. Not sure Alberta vs. federal? Book a free 15-min consultation → — no obligation.
Alberta is one of the most business-friendly and fastest Canadian jurisdictions to incorporate in. The Alberta Business Corporations Act (ABCA) is a modern statute with investor-friendly defaults; the CORES filing system routes through Certified Registry Agents (like CRS) for same-day or next-day processing; and since March 2021 Alberta has had no Canadian resident director requirement — making it a natural choice for international founders alongside British Columbia. Want to see every form and fee first? Our step-by-step guide to how to incorporate in Alberta walks through the whole process.
Includes government fees, NUANS (if named), articles, and organizing resolutions. Filed within 1 business day.
Why incorporate in Alberta?
No Canadian resident director requirement. Alberta dropped the 25% Canadian resident director rule on March 29, 2021, aligning with British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia (none of which has one); Ontario followed in July 2021. International founders can incorporate an Alberta corporation with 100% non-resident directors without appointing a token Canadian director. Federal (CBCA) still requires 25% Canadian residents.
One of Canada's fastest incorporation turnarounds. The CORES system, accessed through Certified Registry Agents, is among the quickest registries in the country. Same-day or next-day filing is typical once name search clears — often faster than Ontario or federal.
Modern ABCA statute with investor-friendly defaults. The Alberta Business Corporations Act is well-understood by Canadian and US deal counsel. The standard Articles of Incorporation defaults are close to CBCA norms, so Alberta corporations move smoothly through VC term sheets and closing paperwork.
Growing tech and energy-tech ecosystems. Calgary and Edmonton have deep talent pools in energy-tech, SaaS, cleantech, health-tech, and financial services. Provincial supports (Alberta Innovates, various tech-focused grants) can be more accessible to Alberta-registered corporations.
Traditional strengths in resources, real estate, and professional services. For businesses in oil and gas, mining, real estate, or professional services with Alberta operations, provincial incorporation avoids the extra-provincial paperwork a federal corporation would need.
Alberta incorporation requirements
Under the Alberta Business Corporations Act:
- Articles of Incorporation — the founding document specifying name, share structure, and any special provisions.
- Notice of Directors — names and addresses of the initial board.
- Notice of Registered Office — physical Alberta address (not a PO box).
- Alberta Name Search Report — a NUANS report or an Alberta-only name search. Numbered corporations skip this entirely.
- At least one director — must be 18+. No Canadian residency requirement (removed March 29, 2021).
- Filing through a Certified Registry Agent — CORES access is not available to the general public. Your incorporation must be filed either through a Certified Registry Agent (like CRS) or in person at a Registry Agent office.
Not sure incorporation is the right structure yet? How to register a business in Alberta compares a trade name against a corporation, with the real costs of each.
What's included in the $699 all-in fee
- Preliminary name availability check with Service Alberta
- Alberta name search or NUANS report filed
- Articles of Incorporation drafted, customised to your ownership structure
- Notice of Directors + Notice of Registered Office prepared
- Direct CORES filing by a Certified Registry Agent (CRS) — no personal account setup required
- Personalised by-laws (standard set covering meetings, share transfers, borrowing, dividends)
- Organizational resolutions (first directors' and shareholders' resolutions)
- Complete minute book: Register of Directors, Register of Officers, Securities Register, Ledger of Shareholders
- Share certificates for founding shareholders
- BN (Business Number) application filed with the CRA
- Lifetime good-standing support — CRS tracks your annual return deadline every year and notifies you before it's due
All government fees, NUANS charges, and CORES filing fees are included in the $699. No surprise charges at checkout.
The Alberta incorporation timeline
Standard CRS turnaround for an Alberta incorporation:
- Day 1 (order received): We confirm your intended names, director list, registered office, and share structure. Preliminary name check.
- Day 1: NUANS or Alberta name search filed. Articles of Incorporation drafted.
- Day 1–2: Names cleared. Articles filed via CORES by a Certified Registry Agent.
- Day 2–4: Certificate of Incorporation issued (typically same-day or next-day from CORES). Minute book, share certificates, and organizational resolutions delivered as signable PDFs. BN application submitted to the CRA.
Total: typically 2–4 business days end-to-end. Alberta is often the fastest option for a Canadian incorporation.
What happens after you incorporate
Every Alberta corporation has ongoing statutory obligations. In your first year:
- Annual return — due within 1 month of your anniversary date, filed through CORES. Alberta has one of the tightest anniversary windows in Canada (matching Yukon). Filed at $159 all-in through CRS, government fee included. See our Alberta annual return guide.
- Directors' resolutions — decisions about share issuances, dividends, officer appointments, and annual approval of financial statements must be documented in the minute book. See our director resolutions guide. CRS prepares these at $79 per resolution set.
- CRA T2 corporate income tax return — annually, due 6 months after fiscal year-end (handled by your accountant, separate from the CORES annual return).
CRS can bundle all three ongoing filings if you'd like to keep everything under one roof.
Alberta or federal? Not sure yet — book a free consultation
Not sure whether Alberta or federal (CBCA) is the right jurisdiction? A CRS incorporation specialist walks through where you operate, your investor makeup, director residency, and expansion plans. Free 15-minute call, no obligation.
Book a free incorporation consultation →
Or read the comparison in Federal vs. Provincial Incorporation in Canada for a self-serve overview.
Ready to incorporate in Alberta?
Start your Alberta incorporation — $699 all-in → · Articles filed via CORES by a Certified Registry Agent, minute book delivered in 2–4 business days.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Canadian resident directors to incorporate in Alberta?
No. Alberta removed the Canadian resident director requirement on March 29, 2021, joining British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia as jurisdictions with no residency rule. Every director must be 18 or older, but there is no requirement that any of them be Canadian residents. Federal (CBCA) still requires 25% Canadian residents, so a fully non-resident founding team incorporating in Canada often chooses Alberta, BC, or (since July 2021) Ontario.
What is CORES and why does it require a Certified Registry Agent?
CORES (Corporate Registry Online Services) is Alberta's electronic filing system for corporate transactions — incorporations, annual returns, director changes, name searches. Unlike Ontario's OBR or BC Registry Services which anyone can access, CORES is only accessible through Alberta-authorized Certified Registry Agents. CRS is a Certified Registry Agent, so when you order through us your filing goes through the CORES channel directly — no personal account setup, no Registry Agent search on your end.
Is Alberta a good jurisdiction for a tech or SaaS startup?
Yes — Alberta has grown into a serious tech hub over the past decade, with Calgary and Edmonton hosting a mix of energy-tech, SaaS, cleantech, and health-tech companies. The ABCA is a modern statute with investor-friendly defaults, no residency rule for founders, and one of the fastest incorporation turnarounds in Canada. Ownr, Wealthsimple, Neo Financial, and many of the Alberta-VC-backed startups all use ABCA structures. That said, if your investors are US-based or expect national reach, federal (CBCA) may still be preferable — worth confirming on the consultation call.
How long does Alberta incorporation take?
Alberta is one of the fastest Canadian jurisdictions. CRS-filed ABCA incorporations typically complete end-to-end in 2–4 business days: NUANS or Alberta name search cleared on day 1, Articles of Incorporation filed via CORES on day 1–2, Certificate of Incorporation issued same-day or next-day by Service Alberta, and the full minute book delivered as signable PDFs shortly after.
What's the difference between a named and a numbered Alberta corporation?
A named Alberta corporation (e.g., 'Acme Consulting Ltd.') requires a NUANS report or an Alberta name search to confirm the name is available. A numbered corporation (e.g., '2345678 Alberta Ltd.') skips the name search entirely and is faster and cheaper to set up. Many businesses start numbered and later file Articles of Amendment to add a name — a standard, cost-effective approach when branding hasn't been finalized. Both structures are legally identical; only the name differs.
We'll pull your registry record, confirm what's changed, and file. No lawyer needed.