The Ontario government has recently modernized its business registration process. As part of this modernization initiative, the province changed the name of the registration document issued to Sole Proprietorships.

Previously, the document was called Master Business License; it is now called Business Name Registration for a Sole Proprietorship. The Business Name Registration for a Sole Proprietorship is your proof of business registration with the Ontario government under the Business Names Act, and contains all the same information as the former Master Business License.

Here’s what the first page of the Business Name Registration for a Sole Proprietorship looks like:

Upon registering a sole proprietorship in Ontario, business owners will also receive a separate document titled Company Key Information. This document contains the Company Key, which can be used to access the new Ontario Business Registry system.