Question 1

What is a corporate minute book?

Accepted Answer

A corporate minute book is the official, statutory record of a corporation's legal existence and governance. Under the Canada Business Corporations Act (s. 20) and equivalent provincial statutes, every corporation is required to maintain one at its registered office. It contains the articles of incorporation, by-laws, every resolution passed by directors or shareholders, registers of directors and shareholders, and share certificates.

Question 2

Is a minute book legally required in Canada?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Federal corporations are required to maintain a minute book under s. 20 of the CBCA. Every province and territory has equivalent legislation. Failure to maintain one is a corporate offence and exposes directors to personal liability in certain circumstances.

Question 3

What happens if I don't have a minute book?

Accepted Answer

You may be unable to obtain financing (banks require it for any loan or mortgage), unable to sell your business (due-diligence will fail), exposed to CRA reassessment, in breach of statute, and personally liable as a director in some cases. Most owners only discover the gap when it costs them a transaction.

Question 4

Do I need a lawyer to prepare one?

Accepted Answer

No. A minute book is a statutory record-keeping requirement, not a legal opinion. Generating the standard organizational documents and registers is mechanical work — exactly what MinuteBook automates. If your situation involves complex shareholder agreements or litigation, you should consult counsel; for the core minute book itself, you do not.

Question 5

Which jurisdictions do you cover?

Accepted Answer

All 13 Canadian jurisdictions: federal (CBCA), Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon. Every document is generated against the correct statute for your corporation.

Question 6

How long does it take?

Accepted Answer

For a newly incorporated company with no prior filings, you can have your minute book in your inbox within 10 minutes. For established corporations requiring document retrieval from government registries, allow 1–3 business days.

Question 7

What if I already have some documents?

Accepted Answer

Upload what you have. The system identifies gaps and only generates what's missing. You'll get the full assembled minute book as a single document.