The data within the Data Summary is grouped into logical categories, to provide a more organized interface for viewing and managing your nonprofit’s raw data.
Here is an explanation of each category:
Corporation data
This category records some of the core data associated with your nonprofit. It includes:
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Corporation name,
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Corporation number (issued by the corporate registry where your nonprofit is governed),
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Jurisdiction of incorporation,
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Act formed under (i.e. the corporate law that it is governed by),
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Purposes (i.e. the purpose of the nonprofit as set out in its formation documents),
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Incorporation date, and
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Official email address (many registries now require this and use it as a means of communication; it is usually the email address of the individual within the organization that is most engaged in its upkeep).
Address data
Every nonprofit needs to have an address where it can receive mail and can be served with legal documents (i.e. hand delivery of documents, usually relating to a lawsuit). This is referred to as its “registered office” address. The registered office address must be in the nonprofit’s home province and cannot be a P.O. Box.
Most nonprofits only have one address, however in some cases they might have more than one. In British Columbia in particular, corporations are prompted to provide a registered office address, a registered mailing address, a records office address, and a records mailing address; again, in most cases it ends up all being the same address but you must keep a record of all of them separately.
Financial data
This category keeps track of information that is needed for preparing the nonprofit’s annual maintenance paperwork every year.
The timing and content of the annual maintenance paperwork can vary based on certain financial data, such as the fiscal year end date of the nonprofit organization.
This category records the following information:
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Fiscal year end,
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Waivers of audit rights,
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Current accountant,
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Current auditor (if any), and
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Current bank.
Tax data
This category records basic tax information, namely any tax numbers associated with the corporation. For example, the Business Number (BN) issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) as well as any payroll tax numbers, sales tax numbers, and similar tax account numbers issued by tax authorities.
Membership data
Every nonprofit corporation has, or should have, members. The members of a nonprofit hold a similar role as the shareholders of a for-profit corporation.
In your Data Summary, the membership category records important membership information that your nonprofit should keep, namely:
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What classes of membership there are and which of those classes have voting rights;
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Who are the members of each class (and important information about them, like name, email, address, phone number, start and end date);
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And details of any transfers of membership.
Director data
Every nonprofit corporation needs to have directors.
(The incorporators are automatically deemed to be the first directors until the corporation holds its first meeting after incorporation, at which the directors are elected.)
In your Data Summary the Director data section shows a list of the Directors of your nonprofit organization (past and present) as well as important information that you must keep about each director (such as their name, email, address, phone number, start and end date).
This section also records what the minimum and maximum number of directors is for your nonprofit organization. The maximum and minimum numbers are set out in your nonprofit’s articles of incorporation (or letters patent or similar formation document).
Officer Data
In your Data Summary the Officer data section shows a list of the Officers of your corporation (past and present) as well as important information that you must keep about each officer (such as their role (i.e. officer title), name, email, address, phone number, start and end date).
Extraprovincial Registration Data
Nonprofit organizations that are operating outside of their home jurisdiction need to extraprovincially register in each additional province, or territory, that they operate in.
In most cases you need an address in the province or territory where you are registering. And in some cases you also need an agent-for-service (i.e. someone local who can accept mail and service of documents on your organization’s behalf).
The purpose of the Extraprovincial Registration section of the Data Summary is to keep track of all of these registrations (including the registration date, registration number, assumed corporate name, email address, local address, and agent for service (if applicable)).
Each extraprovincial registration is a separate administrative item that needs to be kept up on an annual basis (and whenever there is a change affecting the nonprofit).
Agent data
If your nonprofit has any agents, or representatives, (such as an agent for service) then this section can be used to keep track of those agents.
Company Key data
A “Company Key” is a password issued by a corporate registry to allow a nonprofit to file documents in the registry. For example, if a nonprofit wishes to file a notice of change with the registry because it has changed addresses or because its directors have changed then it will need a Company Key to do so.
Company Keys should be treated as confidential and should only be shared with trusted individuals. On the OrgHub platform, a nonprofit’s Company Key data is only accessible to individuals who have Entity Lead or Entity Assistant permissions for that nonprofit (as well as platform administrators to facilitate filings submitted via OrgHub).
In British Columbia, the terms “Company Password” and “Access Code” are used instead of Company Key.
In Alberta, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan no Company Key is required at this time.