Corporate Lawyer in Surrey, BC
We assist clients with the full range of corporate formation and maintenance work in British Columbia. This includes incorporating new companies, preparing articles and incorporation documents, and organizing the initial corporate records. We also prepare and maintain corporate minute books (binders), issue share certificates, document director and shareholder resolutions, and help keep companies in good standing with the necessary corporate records and filings.
Areas of Mastery
Incorporation & Formation
Incorporating new companies, preparing articles and incorporation documents, and organizing the initial corporate records.
Minute Books & Share Certificates
Preparing and maintaining corporate minute books (binders) and issuing share certificates.
Director & Shareholder Resolutions
Documenting director and shareholder resolutions.
Corporate Records & Good Standing
Keeping companies in good standing with the necessary corporate records and filings.
How we set up and maintain your BC company
Name approval
We submit a Name Request to BC Registries, checking your proposed name, or a few options in order of preference, for availability before anything is filed. A numbered company skips this step entirely.
Incorporation application and articles
We prepare the incorporation application and articles, set the registered and records office, and file with BC Registry Services.
Initial organization
Once incorporated, we set up the company's minute book, issue initial share certificates, and record the first director and shareholder resolutions.
The annual report
Every BC company must file an annual report with the registrar within two months of its incorporation anniversary. Missing it puts the company out of good standing.
Keeping records current
We help keep minute books, resolutions, and share registers up to date as directors, shareholders, or the share structure change.
Understanding the Numbers.
Government fees
BC Registry Services charges $30 for a Name Request and $350 to incorporate a named company, about $380 in total. A numbered company, which skips the name request, costs $350 alone.
Legal fees for setup
Beyond government fees, legal fees cover drafting articles, organizing the minute book, and preparing initial resolutions and share certificates. Cost depends on the share structure and number of initial shareholders.
Ongoing maintenance
Annual report filings, updating minute books, and annual resolutions add a smaller, recurring cost each year to keep the company in good standing.
Reorganizations
Changing a share structure, adding a shareholder, or converting an existing sole proprietorship into a corporation involves more work than a straightforward initial incorporation.
Who This Is For
Entrepreneurs and business owners in Surrey, BC starting a new company, converting a sole proprietorship into a corporation, or needing help keeping an existing company's records and filings in order.
Already incorporated and now doing a deal or in a dispute? See our business and commercial law services, Protecting your new company's brand or invention
Incorporating from South Surrey or White Rock? See how we serve South Surrey and White Rock.
Your First Consultation
Bring your proposed company name (or a few options, in order of preference), the names of the people who'll be directors and shareholders, and a rough idea of the share structure you want. We'll check name availability, walk through what needs to be filed, and give you a clear timeline and cost before anything goes to the registry.
Frequently Asked Questions
BC Registry Services charges $30 for a Name Request and $350 to incorporate a named company, about $380 in total government fees. A numbered company, which skips the name request, costs $350 alone. Legal fees for drafting articles and organizing your minute book are separate.
Name approval typically takes one to two business days, though busy periods can take longer. Once your name is approved, the incorporation application itself is usually processed within a few business days.
Yes. Every BC company must file an annual report with the registrar within two months of its incorporation anniversary. Missing it puts your company out of good standing, and missing it two years in a row can lead to the registrar dissolving the company.
A sole proprietorship isn't a separate legal entity: you're personally liable for the business's debts and obligations. A corporation is its own legal person, which generally limits your personal liability to what you've invested, though it comes with more ongoing filing and record-keeping.
It depends on your liability exposure and growth plans. Registering a proprietorship costs about $70 in government fees and is simpler to maintain. Incorporating costs more upfront and carries ongoing obligations, but separates your personal assets from the business's liabilities.
It's the company's official record: articles, resolutions, share certificates, and registers of directors and shareholders. Keeping it current matters for good standing, for anyone doing due diligence on your company later, and for showing corporate decisions were properly authorized.
Yes, and it's a common step as a business grows. It generally means incorporating a new company and transferring the business's assets, contracts, and any licences into it, instead of converting the existing proprietorship directly.
Yes. We handle ongoing maintenance too: annual reports, updating minute books, documenting resolutions, and reorganizing share structure as your company and its ownership change over time.
Require Decisive Action?
Engage our corporate services lawyers for a confidential assessment of your matter.
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