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ARTICLE · 13 NOVEMBER 2015

Issues With Naming Societies And Not-For-Profits In Canada

Miller Thomson
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One of the first things a not-for-profit is faced with on incorporation is what name it will have. Names are important because they play a role in developing an organization's reputation.

CanadaCorporate/Commercial Law
Sarah Fitzpatrick
Sarah Fitzpatrick
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One of the first things a not-for-profit is faced with on incorporation is what name it will have. Names are important because they play a role in developing an organization's reputation. A name can also cause issues for an organization, such as where the name is too similar to another organization's name.

Before becoming invested in a particular name, an organization should be aware of the naming requirements in the particular jurisdiction in which it will incorporate. This article sets out the naming requirements for BC societies and federal not-for-profits.

NAMING REQUIREMENTS FOR BC SOCIETIES

The naming requirements for BC societies are in the BC Business Corporations Act and its regulations. According to these, names must not resemble another company's name, a name reservation or a registered extra-provincial company's name such that it would likely confuse or mislead the public. If the name an organization wants to use is too similar to one that

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