Helpful Links and Information

[Trish]

Ok, I am not all that familiar with Canadian laws and credit repair but I will do my best to post good information. More than likely, this information will keep changing.....so if you see any inaccuracies or mistakes in ANY of the information or links I have posted, please let us know so that we may fix it.

Thank you.


Since this is one of the first steps,.....
This is where you should be able to opt out if you live in Canada:
CMA Consumer Information: Canadian Marketing Association

Obtaining your credit report/Addresses for the CRAs:

Equifax Canada, Inc.
Consumer Relations Department Box 190
Jean Talon Station Montreal, Quebec H1S 2Z2 1.800.465.7166

TransUnion Canada
TransUnion Consumer Relations Centre P.O. Box 338, LCD 1 Hamilton, ON L8L 7W2 1.800.663.9980
For Quebec Residents: TransUnion (Echo Group) 1 Place Laval Suite 370 Laval, PQ H7N 1A1 1.877.713.3393

Experian Canada
150 King Street West
Suite 805 P.O. Box 68
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5H 1J9
T: (1) 416 313 2000
F: (1) 416 593 8466

*Effective April 17, 2009, Experian will unfortunately discontinue its Canadian consumer credit bureau operations as a result of the very difficult economic environment in Canada and around the world, which Experian believes will persist for some time. This means that as of April 18, 2009, Experian will no longer be providing credit reports out of its Canadian database regarding any consumer in Canada.

Experian will respond to current ongoing investigations. For more information please visit their website posted above.

[Trish]

This is the law that governs the CRAs (the Canadian version of the FCRA)
The Consumer Protection Act

Info on ID theft and Fraud:
Fact Sheet: Identity Theft: What it is and what you can do about it

Good site with info on bankruptcy and debt collection:
Canadian debt collection rules. Debt collection in Canada.
*also addresses for each province on who/where you file complaints against CAs.

[Trish]

I received this information from The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

The following charts show how long it takes before information is removed from TransUnion and Equifax credit reports.

[ecredit]

This is absolutely AWSOME! You guys are great to take such interest and post it here. I thank you so much for this. Seriously, Thanks.

[ecredit]

Does this mean they will be destroying all files on Canadian consumers? The last thing that anyone needs is for them to provide reports to agencies but not allow the consumer access to what they are reporting. It's scarey in Canada when you look at the inside FRAUDS that were PERPATRATED ON CONSUMERS THROUGH EQUAFAX a couple of years ago. They caught these insiders but the reality is that how do consumers know if they were part of the fraud?

[Rob]

For residents of Ontario, Canada, here are some links I've found useful:

1 ) The Consumer Reporting Act, 1990
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/sta...c33_e.htm#BK18

NOTE 1: Unlike in the United States -- where the Fair Credit Reporting Act is the law of the land and where the Consumer is King -- in Canada your situation will depend on the Province where you reside. Please note that in Ontario, it's chiefly the credit bureaus that are protected, NOT the consumers of Ontario!

NOTE 2: In Ontario the applicable law is the "Consumer Reporting Act". It was originally written in 1990. IMO, it is NOT much help for consumers, because it chiefly protects the credit bureaus, and at the expense of consumers. In Ontario, according to this Act, it's OK for a credit bureau to report negative information on you, even if the negative information is inaccurate. Why? Because, in Ontario, this Act chiefly protects credit bureaus, at the expense of Ontario consumers.

NOTE 3: From a consumer's point of view, the wording of Chapter 13 of this Act is weak when it says "the consumer reporting agency within a reasonable time shall use its best endeavours" because this enables all Canadian credit bureaus to use reverse onus, i.e. put the burden of proof on consumers to prove that the allegations in the reports written by the credit bureaus are indeed inaccurate. Thanks to this (pretty weak) Act, credit bureau employees are protected. They can sit back, relax and do nothing. They will not change any of their erroneous information in the credit report they write on you, unless -- in the unlikely event -- you, the consumer, can mail them some convincing, written proof that the credit bureau's allegations are false, misleading or inaccurate. IMO, Chaper 13 of this Act is grossly unfair to Ontario consumers because, for example, how do you prove you did in fact mailed your payment on time, two years ago? And if you made your payment by mail, how do you prove it that you did in fact mail it? Or, do you use registered mail every time when you mail a payment? Of course you don't!

NOTE 4: You can always ask the credit bureau to add a 100-word statement to the report they write on you. But what can you say in your 100-word statement? Do you say "CIBC Bank made a mistake back in 2007"? Or do you say that that "National Bank of Canada made a mistake in 2006? And, even if you're telling the truth, will the next Banker ever believe you in an environment where the Banks and Credit Bureaus are considered to be the judges, juries and supreme authorities on ALL things related to your credit history?

[Rob]

For residents of Ontario, Canada, here is another link I've found useful:

2) Consumer Protection Survival Guide
w w w .sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/Documents/275071.pdf

NOTE 1: A colorful collection of helpful pieces of information, published by the Government. It's useful, if you have identity theft or collection agency issues. Published by the Government of Ontario, they make it sound like consumers have many-many rights in Ontario, even when know we don't. They keep referring to the "Consumer Protection Act", originally written 2002, however that Act is pretty much useless for credit granting, credit bureaus, credit cards and banks. Unless, in the unlikely event, you hire a company to repair your credit. And, in that unlikely scenario, you have the right to cancel your contract within ten (10) days. Which is something, but not very much, from a consumer's point of view!

NOTE 2: As to identity theft, it's NOT an extraordinary source of information for Ontario consumers, because it's nothing more than a long list of common sense advice. For example, on page 7 the Government says, "Always store all your cards and documents, such as birth certificates, social insurance numbers and passports, containing personal information in a secure place."

NOTE 3: As to credit repair, the Government makes it sound like we, consumers, had many-many rights, even when we don't. For example, on page 7 they say, "Once a year, get a copy of your credit report from the two national credit reporting agencies, Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada and ensure it is accurate." Please notice, by saying this, the Government implies that Equifax and TransUnion are ready and waiting for your approval/disapproval of their reports on you. However, nothing could be farther from the truth! In real life, it's not that simple and not that easy! In real life, credit bureaus prefer to put everything into their reports, including all kinds of inaccuracies. And, as to corrections, in real life they prefer to do nothing. In real life, they exploit the Consumer Reporting Act" to their advantage, and use reverse onus, i.e. put the burden of proof on you. Which shows how powerless the Act is! And how powerless we, the consumers of Ontario, are!

NOTE 4: I find it ironic that they chose the name, "Ministry of Consumer Services". Because this name implies they work for consumers, even when we often know they don't and won't. Because for example, as to credit repair, the "Ministry of Consumer Services" has to abide by the (weak) "Consumer Reporting Act" which chiefly protects the credit bureaus, not the consumers of Ontario!

[Rob]

CREDIT REPAIR: As to credit repair, please notice how weak the Canadian laws are in Ontario. Because, here in Ontario, neither the "Consumer Protection Act" of 2002 nor the "Consumer Reporting Act" of 2000 has any teeth as far as credit bureaus are concerned. Neither of these Acts provides penalties for credit bureaus -- as to their publishing a mishmash of false, misleading or otherwise inaccurate facts. Or as to failing to correct their own, notoriously inaccurate reports.

[Rob]

Obtaining your credit reports: If you're a resident of Ontario, and if you want to receive one of your credit own reports, the good news are that they're free. Another good news is that they have to send it to you within 30 days. Even if you ask for a report every month. Even if you ask for it for no reason at all. You don't need to be turned down for credit, if you want your free report!

As to getting your credit reports, the bad news is that here in Ontario the process has become increasingly impersonal and increasingly long-distance. Even if you live in the financial capital of Canada, you will find the credit bureaus are not located here. They've left town. They moved out of town.

1 ) Experian Canada:
They've gone out of business.

2 ) TransUnion Canada
They moved to Hamilton, ON.
Consumer Relations Centre
P.O. Box 338, LCD 1
Hamilton, ON
L8L 7W2
1.800.663.9980
1.905.527.0401
When I called, this 800 number was answered by a live operator.

3 ) Equifax Canada:
They used to be at 60 Bloor Street West in Toronto. I used to be able to walk into that office. Not any more! Just to make it easier on 10 million consumers of Ontario, they left us and moved out of town, out of province, and now can be addressed in care of a Post Office box in Montreal. And they may not even be in Montreal! The only thing that you can count on are the inherent negativity of the Francophone culture, the geograpical distance and a bunch of naysayers, if you attempt to to deal with them! Try:
C.P./P.O. Box 190,
Station Jean-Talon
Montreal, QC
H1S 2Z2
1.800.465.7166
1.514.493.2314
1.800.267.2272
When I called, the 800 number directed me to their web site and hanged up on me. The 514 number also directs you to their web site and hangs up on you. The second 800 number claims you're not calling from Canada, and hangs up on you.

[Trish]

Welcome and thank you for the information Rob!
I went ahead and replaced the link in your first post with your correction. After a certain amount of time, you can no longer edit your posts.

It's good to get some help regarding Canadian credit repair......so I appreciate it.