Where land is transferred either to or from a corporation, a search of the Companies Office database will be made to ascertain if the corporation has the corporate status to permit the transaction. A body corporate is deemed to be carrying on business in Manitoba if it is the registered owner of real property situate in Manitoba. The Corporations Act requires bodies corporate carrying on business in Manitoba to be registered under that act. A transfer will not be accepted where either a transferor or a transferee does not have the requisite corporate status.
See sections 187(2) and 187(3), The Corporations Act
There are certain exceptions to the requirement for registration in the Companies Office. Where that registration is not required the district registrar may require such other sufficient evidence as to corporate status as the situation warrants (e.g. insurance companies, religious societies, charter banks, and statutorily created organisations). This evidence can either be attached to the Transfer or it can be registered at a prior time for deposit into the land titles deposit index. If this evidence is placed in the deposit index it can be referred to in future transactions.