Government of Manitoba

What Government of Manitoba does

The Government of Manitoba's Companies Office is a provincial government registry operating under the Consumer Protection Division of Entrepreneurship Manitoba. It is the sole statutory authority responsible for registering corporations and business names in Manitoba under The Corporations Act and The Business Names Registration Act, reviewing proposed names for uniqueness, and appointing Commissioners for Oaths and Notary Publics. As of March 31, 2024, the registry held 103,942 active corporations and 46,304 active business names, serving Manitoba-based sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations, cooperatives, non-profits, and extra-provincial/federal entities seeking to do business in the province.

The office operates through two channels: a physical service counter at 1010-405 Broadway in Winnipeg (open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT) and the Companies Online portal, an electronic filing system launched in 2017 that supports online searches, name reservations, incorporation filings, annual return submissions, and document retrieval via a web22.gov.mb.ca single-sign-on. The portfolio of services spans business name registration ($60), Manitoba business corporation incorporation ($300 for share-capital entities), extra-provincial corporation registration ($350), cooperative incorporation ($250), limited partnership and LLP registration ($350 each), annual returns ($40-$65), expedited processing (up to $150 surcharge), and certificates and certified copies.

Revenue is generated entirely through transaction-based statutory fees with no commercial funding or external equity. The office is a member of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (since January 2020), enabling reciprocal recognition of business entities with British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan through the Multi-Jurisdictional Registry Access Service. The office discontinued its apostille/authentication services on January 10, 2024, with those functions transferring to Global Affairs Canada. No AI/ML capabilities, public API, or commercial integrations are evident in the disclosed data.

Name

Government of Manitoba

Legal name

Government of Manitoba

Website

https://companiesoffice.gov.mb.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Government of Manitoba Companies Office is the provincial statutory registry that registers corporations, business names, cooperatives, and limited partnerships, and appoints Commissioners for Oaths and Notary Publics, serving Manitoba-based and extra-provincial businesses via an online portal and Winnipeg service counter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Registry Services

NAICS

Directory and Mailing List Publishers (513140)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Registration & Corporate Affairs (Registries) (BPAIAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

State/Provincial Licensing, Permitting & Regulatory Administration (Cross-sector) (BPAIABAO)

Keywords

• Business registration services
• Corporate registry services
• Corporation incorporation services
• Annual return filing
• Business name registration

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Registration and Filing Fees: Government service fees for business name registrations, corporation incorporations, annual returns, and various filings. Fees vary by service type and entity category.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Companies Office registers corporations and business names under Manitoba statutes, reviews proposed names for uniqueness, files annual returns, and appoints Commissioners for Oaths and Notary Publics. Services are delivered online through the Companies Online portal and in-person at the Winnipeg office, covering sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations (share and non-share capital), cooperatives, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and non-profit organizations.

Product overview

The Government of Manitoba Companies Office provides a comprehensive business registry service operating through the Companies Online portal. The portfolio consists of core registration and filing services including Business Name Registration, Manitoba Business Corporation Incorporation, Extra-Provincial Corporation Registration, Non-Profit Organization Services, Manitoba Cooperatives Registration, Limited Partnership Registration, and Limited Liability Partnership Registration. Supporting services include Name Reservation, Annual Returns Filing, Certificates and Certified Copies, Commissioner for Oaths Appointments, Notary Public Appointments, Apostille Services, and New West Partnership Trade Agreement Services. The New West Partnership enables streamlined cross-provincial registration with BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. The Companies Office is a government registry under Manitoba's Consumer Protection Division, not a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Name Registration Registration service for unincorporated businesses including sole proprietorships and general partnerships operating in Manitoba. Covers business name searches, registrations, renewals, and changes. Standard fee is $60.
• Manitoba Business Corporation Incorporation Service for incorporating share capital and non-share capital corporations under The Corporations Act of Manitoba. Includes articles of incorporation, amendments, dissolutions, and revivals. Fee is $300 for corporations with share capital and $100 for those without share capital.
• Extra-Provincial/Federal Corporation Registration Registration service for corporations and cooperatives from other Canadian jurisdictions seeking to conduct business in Manitoba. Includes supplementary certificates, annual returns, and cancellations. Fee is $350 for share capital corporations and $120 for non-share capital.
• Non-Profit Organization Services Services for non-profit organizations including incorporation under The Corporations Act and name notation registration. Supports organizations formed for non-commercial purposes such as community work, social or athletic clubs seeking limited liability protection and legal entity status.
• Manitoba Cooperatives Registration Registration and maintenance services for Manitoba cooperatives including articles of incorporation, annual declarations, amendments, arrangements, and dissolutions. Fee is $250 for non-community service cooperatives and $70 for community service cooperatives.
• Limited Partnership Registration Registration and management of limited partnerships including registration, changes to partners, and cancellations. Standard fee is $350 for limited partnership registration.
• Limited Liability Partnership Registration Registration services for limited liability partnerships including Manitoba LLPs and extra-provincial LLPs from British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Standard fee is $350 for LLP registration.
• Name Reservation Service to reserve business names and corporate denominations before formal registration. Required in most cases prior to business name or corporation registration. Standard fee is $45.
• Annual Returns Filing Annual filing service for corporations and cooperatives to maintain active registration status with the Companies Office. Fee is $65 for corporations with share capital and $40 for those without share capital.
• Certificates and Certified Copies Issuance of certificates including Certificate of Status, Certificate of Search, and certified copies of filed documents for use in legal, regulatory, and commercial contexts.
• Commissioner for Oaths Appointments Appointment and renewal services for Commissioners for Oaths designated under The Evidence Act of Manitoba to receive affidavits and declarations.
• Notary Public Appointments Appointment services for Notary Publics in Manitoba who can verify signatures, marks, and document copies for official purposes.
• New West Partnership Trade Agreement Services Streamlined registration services under the New West Partnership Trade Agreement facilitating business registrations across Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Covers business corporations, cooperatives, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships through the Multi-Jurisdictional Registry Access Service (MJRAS).

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA) - Provincial RegistriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2020Manitoba joined the New West Partnership Trade Agreement alongside British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. The agreement aims to reduce barriers to trade, investment, and labour mobility. Business registries collaborate to share data through the Multi-Jurisdictional Registry Access Service (MJRAS), enabling simplified registration and declaration requirements for extra-provincial entities.
• Corporations CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal corporate registry providing information on federally incorporated companies. Companies Office provides links to Corporations Canada and participates in data sharing initiatives.
• Global Affairs Canada (Affaires mondiales Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs of January 11, 2024, Global Affairs Canada issues apostilles to replace authentication certificates for countries where the Apostille Convention is in effect. Companies Office no longer provides authentication services after January 10, 2024.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ontario Business Registry: Ontario's central business registry handling corporations, sole proprietorships, partnerships, and extra-provincial registrations. Comparable service offering with much larger scale; represents the dominant alternative for businesses choosing provincial vs. federal incorporation.
• Alberta Corporate Registry: Alberta's provincial corporate registry offering corporations, cooperatives, LLPs, and business name registration services. A direct NWPTA peer sharing the Multi-Jurisdictional Registry Access Service (MJRAS) with Manitoba.
• BC Registries and Online Services: British Columbia's provincial corporate and business registry, a direct functional peer providing the same incorporation, name reservation, annual return, and cooperative registration services within the NWPTA alongside Manitoba.
• Corporations Canada: Federal Canadian corporate registry that incorporates businesses under federal jurisdiction and shares data with provincial registries including Manitoba. Comparable in mandate (corporate name review, incorporation, annual returns) but serves a national scope, making it both a partner and a potential substitute.
• Saskatchewan Corporate Registry: Saskatchewan's provincial corporate registry providing incorporation, partnership, and cooperative filings. NWPTA partner and closest geographic peer to Manitoba, with shared data exchange frameworks.
• Nova Scotia Corporate Registry: Nova Scotia's Registry of Joint Stock Companies handles incorporations, extra-provincial registrations, and cooperative filings. Comparable scope and is one of the provincial registries that Manitoba's Companies Office links to for cross-jurisdictional queries.
• Registre des entreprises du Québec (REQ): Quebec's enterprise registrar responsible for registering all businesses operating in the province. Comparable in mandate to the Manitoba Companies Office but operating under Quebec-specific French-language requirements and a distinct legal framework.

Broad incumbents

• Delaware Division of Corporations: Delaware's state-level corporate registry serving the largest share of US incorporations. Comparable in function (corporate formation, name reservation, annual filings) but at vastly greater scale and with a private-sector-friendly franchise-fee model.
• Companies House (UK): UK's national corporate registry offering incorporation, annual returns, and public company searches. Comparable to Manitoba Companies Office in core function, but operates at national scale with a mature API-based digital platform that contrasts with Manitoba's browser-only portal.
• Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC): Australia's national corporate, business name, and securities registry. Comparable in scope (corporations, business names, annual reviews) with a sophisticated online portal and API access, providing a benchmark for modernization pathways Manitoba could pursue.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MBGov
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ManitobaGovernment
• Facebookfacebook.com/ManitobaGovernment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Government of Manitoba