Co-operative
Co-operatives operating in Nova Scotia must be registered with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies.
Co-operatives can carry on a business, enterprise or service, except for a banking, loan, trust or insurance company. Co-operatives have a separate legal status from their members, so liability is limited to the amount of the members' unpaid shares or membership fees.
Co-operatives can be incorporated as non-profit organizations where surpluses are kept with the business or they can be incorporated as for-profit organizations where surpluses are distributed to their members.
Steps to incorporate
Registering a co-operative is a 2-step process. You need to:
- Submit a Name Reservation Request form, along with the fee for the name search.
- Once the name has been approved, prepare and submit 1 of the following incorporation documents to the Inspector of the Co-operatives for approval:
- articles of incorporation and by-laws for a for-profit co-operative
- articles of incorporation and by-laws for a non-profit co-operative
- Pay for the registration of the articles of incorporation and by-laws.
Once the incorporation documents have been approved, you will receive a Certificate of Incorporation and copy of the approved documents for your records.
Once incorporated, you are responsible for updating the Registry when any of your information changes.
Co-operatives must renew each year by submitting a renewal form, fee and financial statements. Documents (except financial statements) filed at the Registry become part of the public record.
Information on how co-operatives operate, as well as free help in preparing the necessary documents to incorporate, is available from the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council.
Contact information
Telephone:
902-424-7770
Toll-Free: (within Canada)
1-800-225-8227
Hours of Operation: (except holidays)
Monday to Friday
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Atlantic Standard Time
Fax:
902-424-4633
Mailing Address:
Registry of Joint Stock Companies
P.O. Box 1529
Halifax, NS
B3J 2Y4
Email:
Locations:
Head Office
9th Floor, Maritime Centre
1505 Barrington Street
Halifax
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144 Robert Angus Drive
Amherst
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149 Church Street
Antigonish Mall Annex, Suite 3
Antigonish
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81 Logan Road
Bridgewater
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250 Baker Drive, Suite 134
Dartmouth
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300 Horseshoe Lake Drive
Bayers Lake Business Park
Halifax
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5 Shylah Drive
Kentville
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486 Sackville Drive
Lower Sackville
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218 MacSween Street, Suite 22
Port Hawkesbury
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94 Lawrence Boulevard
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380 King's Road
Moxham Centre
Sydney
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15 Alderbrook Drive
Truro Heights
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10 Starrs Road, Suite 127
Yarmouth