Needed changes to the Ontario Business Registry took effect October 19, 2021
Finally, the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services made changes to the Ontario Business Registry allowing for extensive online searching and filing of documents.
This is exciting as now we have 24/7 access to registration and reports, additional electronic filing capabilities and QR codes for real-time verification. Additionally, as each corporation will now have to provide an official company email address, clients will be receiving documents that are filed on their behalf directly. This is great for our clients as they know we are doing the job and receiving the QR code for real-time verification if it is required.
Prior to October 19, 2021, there were certain corporate documents that had to filed in person such as Articles of Dissolution, Articles of Amendment, Articles of Revival and many more. Now, we are able to file these using the new Ministry Portal and obtain these documents without a long delay.
While we were able to obtain a variety of searches online and file certain documents, we no longer have to wait until 8:30 am to be able to perform that search or submit that filing to be put in the “queue”. While I don’t promote working extra long hours, there are times when my day starts earlier and being able to work and not have to wait for a program to be up and functional is certainly an asset.
Whether this is a result of Covid, or natural progression, I am a fan of having access when I need and being able to file more things online as opposed to waiting to get the documents back from the Ministry is not only great for us, but beneficial to our clients.
Of course, as with any new systems, there are always learning curves and system updates. While we do our best to be ready for the new online filing, everyone will encounter slight issues with how to work through the new requirements. It’s my job to work through these and ensure that our filings are done with little delay.
Christine Allan, Law Clerk