Quebec Incorporation Service: QBCA Filing, $699 All-In (Bilingual)
Ready to incorporate in Quebec? Start your Quebec incorporation — $699 all-in → · Articles filed with the REQ in the required language, minute book delivered in 4–7 business days. Not sure Quebec vs. federal? Book a free 15-min consultation → — no obligation.
Quebec is one of the most distinctive Canadian jurisdictions to incorporate in — not because the mechanics are hard, but because the Charter of the French Language and Quebec's own regulatory framework create requirements that don't exist elsewhere. Corporations are formed under the QBCA (Loi sur les sociétés par actions) and filed with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec (REQ). Every Quebec corporation gets a NEQ (Numéro d'entreprise du Québec) as its provincial identifier. CRS handles the bilingual drafting, the REQ filing, and the CRA BN application in a single $699 package.
Includes government fees, NUANS (if named), articles, and organizing resolutions. Filed within 1 business day.
Why incorporate in Quebec?
No Canadian resident director requirement. Quebec's QBCA has never imposed a residency rule on directors — every director just needs to be 18+. Combined with BC, Alberta, and (as of 2023) Ontario and Nova Scotia, Quebec is one of the five Canadian jurisdictions genuinely open to international founders without appointing a token Canadian director for compliance.
Access to Canada's second-largest business market. Quebec represents roughly 19% of Canadian GDP, and Montreal is a major hub for tech, biotech, aerospace, and the AI/ML industry. If your customers, employees, or investors are primarily in Quebec, provincial incorporation avoids the extra-provincial registration burden a federal corporation would carry.
Modern QBCA statute with flexible share provisions. The QBCA (modernised in 2011) is well-suited to holding structures, family-owned businesses, and estate planning. Flexible share-class provisions support control structures and tax planning that other statutes handle less cleanly.
Fixed calendar deadline for the annual declaration. Quebec uses a fixed March 31 deadline for the annual declaration (déclaration annuelle) — every Quebec corporation files by the same date. Once you're aware of it, ongoing compliance planning is easier.
Quebec incorporation requirements
Under the QBCA (Loi sur les sociétés par actions):
- Articles of Incorporation (Statuts de constitution) — the founding document specifying name, share structure, and any special provisions. Filed in French (bilingual optional).
- French-language name compliance — under the Charter of the French Language, the corporation must have a French version of its name. An English version is optional but common (bilingual name).
- Notice of Directors (Avis des administrateurs) — names and addresses of the initial board.
- Notice of Registered Office (Avis du siège social) — physical Quebec address (not a PO box).
- At least one director — must be 18+. No Canadian residency requirement.
- NEQ (Numéro d'entreprise du Québec) — assigned by the REQ on registration; used on all subsequent Quebec filings.
- REQ filing — submitted through the Registraire des entreprises portal. CRS handles this on your behalf; no clicSÉQUR authentication required on your end.
What's included in the $699 all-in fee
- Preliminary name availability check with the REQ (Charter of the French Language compliance)
- NUANS or REQ name search filed
- Articles of Incorporation drafted in the required language (French, or French + English bilingual)
- Notice of Directors + Notice of Registered Office prepared
- Direct filing with the REQ on your behalf — no clicSÉQUR authentication required
- NEQ assigned and returned to you
- 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 declaration deadline every year and notifies you before March 31
All government fees, NUANS charges, REQ filing fees, and bilingual drafting are included in the $699. No surprise charges at checkout.
The Quebec incorporation timeline
Standard CRS turnaround for a Quebec incorporation:
- Day 1 (order received): We confirm your intended names (with French-language compliance review), director list, registered office, and share structure. Preliminary name check.
- Day 1–2: NUANS or REQ name search filed. Articles of Incorporation drafted in the required language.
- Day 3: Names cleared. Articles filed with the REQ.
- Day 3–5: NEQ assigned and Certificate of Incorporation issued.
- Day 5–7: Minute book, share certificates, and organizational resolutions delivered as signable PDFs. BN application submitted to the CRA.
Total: typically 4–7 business days end-to-end. The bilingual drafting adds a small buffer versus other provinces.
What happens after you incorporate
Every Quebec corporation has ongoing statutory obligations. In your first year:
- Annual declaration (déclaration annuelle) — due by March 31 each year, filed with the REQ. Filed at $199 all-in, government fee included, through CRS. See our Quebec annual declaration guide. This is separate from your CRA T2 return.
- 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 + Revenu Québec CO-17 — Quebec corporations file BOTH the federal T2 with the CRA and the CO-17 with Revenu Québec, annually. Handled by your accountant.
CRS can bundle all three ongoing filings if you'd like to keep everything under one roof.
Quebec or federal? Not sure yet — book a free consultation
Not sure whether Quebec or federal (CBCA) is the right jurisdiction — especially with the French-language considerations? A CRS incorporation specialist walks through where you operate, your investor makeup, director residency, and the Charter of the French Language implications for your specific business. 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 Quebec?
Start your Quebec incorporation — $699 all-in → · Articles filed with the REQ in the required language, minute book delivered in 4–7 business days.
Frequently asked questions
Does my Quebec corporation name need to be in French?
Yes — under the Charter of the French Language, a Quebec corporation incorporated under the QBCA must have a French version of its name. It can also have an English version (making it bilingual), but the French name is required. CRS drafts your name in compliance with the Charter and files it with the REQ. If you're planning to operate in Quebec under an English-only trade name, that trade name still needs to be registered with the REQ and generally must be presented alongside the French corporate name in commercial materials.
Do I need Canadian resident directors for a Quebec corporation?
No. Quebec's Business Corporations Act (QBCA / Loi sur les sociétés par actions) does not impose a Canadian residency requirement on directors. Every director must be 18+, but there is no residency rule — making Quebec one of the four Canadian jurisdictions (with BC, Alberta, and — as of 2023 — Ontario and Nova Scotia) open to fully non-resident founding teams. Federal (CBCA) still requires 25% Canadian residents.
What is the NEQ and how is it different from a Business Number?
The NEQ (Numéro d'entreprise du Québec) is a 10-digit identifier the REQ assigns to every entity registered in its business register. It's Quebec's provincial equivalent of a corporation number and is required on every subsequent Quebec filing (annual declaration, changes, etc.). The Business Number (BN) is a separate 9-digit identifier issued by the CRA for federal tax purposes (GST, T2, payroll). A Quebec corporation gets both — CRS files the BN application with the CRA as part of the $699 incorporation package.
Is Quebec a good jurisdiction for a holding company or family trust?
Yes — Quebec is a popular choice for holding structures and family-owned businesses. The QBCA is a modern statute with flexible share-class provisions supporting estate planning, tax-planning splits, and control structures. Quebec's no-residency rule also makes it attractive for international founders holding Canadian assets. The specialist walks through whether Quebec fits your specific structure on the consultation call.
How long does Quebec incorporation take?
CRS-filed QBCA incorporations typically complete end-to-end in 4–7 business days: NUANS or REQ name search cleared on day 1–2 (French-language compliance check included), Articles of Incorporation drafted in the required language(s), filing with the REQ by day 3, NEQ assigned and Certificate of Incorporation issued within a business day of filing, and the full minute book delivered as signable PDFs shortly after. The bilingual drafting adds a small buffer versus other provinces.
We'll pull your registry record, confirm what's changed, and file. No lawyer needed.