Doing business on both sides of the river
Incorporate in Gatineau from $999. Quebec or federal, plus what to know if you carry on business in Ontario. Reviewed by Quebec lawyers.
Ontario obligations and federal contracts
Complete legal filings
Each incorporation includes all legal filings required to create a compliant and operational corporation from day one.
Share capital structure
Depending on the option selected, your share capital structure is prepared in a simple or advanced format to support the future evolution of your business.
Digital minute book
All corporate documents are delivered in a digital minute book, ready for electronic signature and secure record keeping.
Professional validation
Documents are prepared according to established legal standards and reviewed before delivery.
Human support
Our team supports you throughout the process and provides guidance when decisions need to be made, without unnecessary complexity.
Incorporate your business
Build your company in Quebec or federally with a strong legal structure from day one.
Keep your company’s annual filings up to date and maintain compliance of your corporate minute book.
Access professional legal templates to structure relationships with your employees, partners, and suppliers.
By opening a NBC business account.
A guided process, from information gathering to final document delivery.
Each step is designed to ensure compliance and legal consistency.
Tailor your incorporation to your needs (simple or advanced structure).
Each file is reviewed before delivery to ensure a reliable outcome.
Our incorporation guides
Clear resources to help you understand the legal aspects of starting a business.
Incorporation
Discover the complete guide to incorporation in Quebec. Essential steps, expert tips and key information to create and manage your corporation.
The Complete Guide to Incorporating in Quebec (QBCA)
Everything you need to know to incorporate under the Quebec Business Corporations Act. Key actors, articles, costs and the process explained simply.
The Complete Guide to Federal Incorporation in Canada (CBCA)
Incorporate your business under the Canada Business Corporations Act. Key actors, articles, annual costs and the federal incorporation process explained clearly.
The Complete Guide to Incorporating in Ontario (OBCA)
Incorporate your business under the Ontario Business Corporations Act. Key actors, articles, annual costs and the provincial incorporation process explained clearly.
Real results that demonstrate our expertise and commitment.
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Thousands of businesses created thanks to Lexstart
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Gatineau: an interprovincial business reality
No other Quebec city faces Gatineau's situation. The Ontario border runs through the middle of the economic zone, the federal public service is the region's largest employer, and a large share of Gatineau businesses serve clients, employees or prime contractors located in Ottawa. That reality changes the questions you should ask before incorporating.
The Outaouais economy reflects that proximity: professional services and consulting, information technology, construction, services to federal organizations, tourism and retail. Many Gatineau consultants start alone, then quickly find themselves invoicing federal or Ontario organizations.
Why a corporation makes sense sooner here
A consultant operating as a sole proprietor is personally liable for contractual obligations. Contracts with federal departments and large Ottawa organizations routinely include liability clauses, insurance requirements and sometimes security screening, none of which sit comfortably with a sole proprietorship.
Incorporating creates a separate legal person: the corporation contracts, carries the liability and holds the insurance. Your personal assets leave the equation. For a regional consultant whose single mandate can exceed six figures, that difference is not theoretical.
- Personal asset protection against contractual obligations
- A reduced tax rate on the first $500,000 of eligible active business income
- Tax deferral by leaving profits in the corporation
- The credibility several institutional buyers require
Online incorporation, no travel required
Lexstart works with Gatineau entrepreneurs entirely remotely: a 15-minute questionnaire, review by a Quebec legal team, articles, digital minute book and initial resolutions. Our pricing includes government fees. Read our guide on incorporating online in Canada or start your incorporation.
By opening a NBC business account.
If you do business in Ontario, read this
This is the most misunderstood question in Gatineau. A Quebec corporation that carries on business in Ontario must register there under the Extra-Provincial Corporations Act. Canadian corporations, federal or from another province, do not need a licence, but they must file an initial return with the Ontario Business Registry.
Ontario law considers that a corporation carries on business in the province if it has a resident agent, a representative, a warehouse, an office or a place of business in Ontario, or if it holds an interest in real property located in Ontario.
Conversely, and this reassures most Gatineau consultants: merely taking orders, selling goods or offering services in Ontario through advertising, correspondence or travelling representatives does not by itself constitute carrying on business there. Invoicing an Ottawa client from your Gatineau office generally triggers nothing. Opening an Ottawa office does.
Failing to register when required can lead to fines of up to $2,000 for an individual and $25,000 for the corporation. Since February 2025, the Ontario Business Registry also requires a Company Key for transactions. We raise this systematically with Outaouais entrepreneurs.
Provincial or federal for a Gatineau business?
If your operations stay in Quebec and Ontario clients are served remotely, the Quebec provincial regime is usually simplest and cheapest to maintain.
Federal incorporation makes sense if you plan a real physical presence in Ontario, want Canada-wide name protection, or regularly bid on federal contracts where a federal entity is viewed favourably. Either way, a federal corporation must still register with Quebec's Registraire des entreprises.
Common questions from Gatineau entrepreneurs
I only invoice federal departments. Quebec or federal? Both work. Place of incorporation is not an eligibility criterion for federal contracts.
I live in Gatineau and want to hire in Ottawa. An employee working in Ontario can trigger registration and Ontario tax obligations. Validate before hiring.
Compare your options in REQ, online platform or notary, or start your incorporation.