Professional Corporations

The name of a corporation must meet the requirements set out in section 3.2 of the Business Corporations Act and College bylaws. These requirements include the following:

• The corporation must not have a number name.
• The corporate name must include the words ‘Professional Corporation” or « Société professionnelle ».
• The corporation name must include the last name of one or more shareholders of the corporation. The last name must be the same as what is listed on the College’s Online Register.
• The corporation name can also include the shareholder’s first name, one or more of the shareholder’s initials or a combination of their first name and initials.
• The corporation name must include “Social Work” or “Social Service Work” or the French equivalent.

If registrants want to confirm that the proposed name of their professional corporation will meet College requirements before incorporating with the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery, they can request a review of the name by logging into the Online Portal and clicking on the “Verify My Professional Corporation Name” tab.

The College will let a registrant know whether the proposed name meets the corporate name requirements.

Important Note: If a registrant wants the practice to have a different name than the professional corporation name, the business name must also be registered under the professional corporation name.  Registrants are required to attach the certificate of registration to the application submitted to the College. For example: J. Smith Social Service Work Professional Incorporation (professional incorporation name), Main Street Counselling (business name).

Once the professional corporation name has been chosen, registrants must then incorporate with the Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery (MPBSD). For help incorporating with the MPBSD, contact the Companies Branch Help line at 416-314-8880 or toll free at 1-800-361-3223 or on their website.

When incorporating, there are key points that must be included in the articles of incorporation: 

• All of the shares of the corporation must be owned by one or more social workers (for social work corporations) or social service workers (for social service work corporations) who hold a general certificate of registration issued by the College and are in good standing.
• All officers and directors of the corporation must be shareholders of the corporation.
• The articles of the professional corporation must state that the corporation cannot carry on a business other than the practice of social work or social service work and activities related to the practise of such professions.

Failure to include the points above in your articles of incorporation will result in the professional incorporation application being rejected.

Registrants can submit their application for a Certificate of Authorization through the Online Portal. Log in and navigate to the “Professional Corporations” tab and then click on “Professional Corporation Application.”

• To apply for a Certificate of Authorization from the College, complete the application and upload the following required documents before submitting the application:
  • Undertaking dated and signed by each shareholder of the corporation: Each shareholder must be listed in the application. Each shareholder must hold a general certificate of registration in the category in which you wish to incorporate (social work or social service work) and be in good standing with the College. We recommend that all shareholders obtain independent legal advice before signing the undertaking.
  • Statutory declaration of each director of the corporation: The declaration must be completed no more than 15 days before the application is submitted, must be completed by each director of the corporation and must be sworn before a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario.
  • Copy of Certificate of Status of the corporation issued by the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery: The Certificate of Status must be dated no more than 30 days before the application is submitted to the College.
  • A copy of every certificate of the corporation: For example, the Certificate of Incorporation and every Certificate of Amendment that has been endorsed under the Business Corporations Act at the date the application is submitted.
  • Confirmation that the practice name meets the requirements of the Business Names Act and College bylaws.

Fees  

The professional corporation application fees is $500. Applications are not considered complete until the fee is submitted.

After the application is submitted, the College will review it and request clarification or information if needed. Once the application is approved, registrants can print their receipt from “My Invoices” under their profile name on the Online Portal.

The Certificate of Authorization issued by the College must be renewed annually on or before the corporation’s anniversary date. The anniversary date is available on the corporation’s profile on the  Online Register under the “General” tab.

The primary director of the corporation will receive email reminders from the College 60 days before the corporation’s anniversary date. The renewal process can only be done within this 60-day period.

To renew a Certificate of Authorization, log into the Online Portal, click on the “Professional Corporations” tab and then click “Renew Professional Corporation.”  

The following documents are required to be submitted before completing the renewal:

• Updated Undertaking dated and signed by each shareholder of the corporation Each shareholder of the corporation must sign and date the Undertaking.
• Updated Statutory declaration of each director of the corporation The declaration must be completed no more than 15 days before the renewal is submitted.
• Updated Copy of Certificate of Status of the corporation issued by the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery. The certificate must be dated no more than 30 days before the renewal is submitted.

The annual renewal fee for professional corporations is $400. The renewal will not be considered completed until the fee is paid.

Once submitted, the renewal will be reviewed. If additional information is required, the College will contact you directly. After the renewal has been approved, registrants can print their receipt from “My Invoices” under their profile name on the Online Portal.

Note: Incomplete renewal submissions in “Draft” and “Validated” statuses will not be reviewed.