Professional Corporations

The Regulated Health Professions Act permits regulated health professionals to form a professional corporation under the Business Corporations Act. Opticians have the option to incorporate their practice in Ontario provided they obtain a certificate of authorization from the College.

In addition to obtaining a certificate of authorization, all professional corporations need to meet several requirements, such as:

• All officers, directors and shareholders of the professional corporation must be opticians who are registrants of the College of Opticians of Ontario.
• The professional corporation cannot carry on business other than the practice of opticianry.
• The name of the professional corporation must meet the requirements set out in section 3.2 of the Business Corporations Act.

The College cannot provide any legal, financial or accounting advice on the advantages or disadvantages of incorporation. Opticians who decide to incorporate should consult qualified legal and/or accounting professionals for assistance and advice.

Applying for a Certificate of Authorization

Opticians who choose to form a health professional corporation must first incorporate with the Ministry of Government Services under the Ontario Business Corporations Act before applying to the College for a certificate of authorization.

To obtain a certificate of authorization, please complete the Professional Corporation Application package and submit it to the College along with the required documents. Detailed information on how to apply can be found in the Guide to an Application for a Certificate of Authorization.

Renewing your Certificate of Authorization

A certificate of authorization expires one year after it is issued. In order to maintain a professional corporation, the certificate of authorization must be renewed annually on or before the anniversary of the certificate’s issue date.

To renew your certificate of authorization, please complete the Professional Corporation Renewal package and submit it to the College along with the required documents at least 30 days prior to the expiration of your Certificate of Authorization. For information on how to submit your renewal, please review the Guide to an Application for a Certificate of Authorization.

Professional Corporation Fees

Related Links

• Service Ontario - Start, Dissolve and Change a Corporation
• Business Corporations Act
• O.Reg 39/02 Certificates of Authorization
• Corporation Profile Report