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Fluent · Handout

Credit reports and scores: Canada.

A take-home sheet for people at the session. Other countries: United States · United Kingdom · Australia.

Moraph for Good · Fluent

Credit reports and scores: Canada

Handout · moraph.org/commons/sessions/fluent/credit-reports-and-scores

This sheet goes with the Credit reports and scores session. It is general information, not advice about your own situation.

Get your report

  • Use the free, official route below, not a search result.
  • You shouldn’t need a card number to see your own report.
  • Bureaus can hold different information, so check each one.

Read it line by line

  • Check your name, date of birth and addresses.
  • Look for accounts you don’t recognize, wrong balances and late payments that weren’t late.
  • Look for old debts that should have dropped off, and debts listed twice.

Dispute errors in writing

  • Contact the credit bureau and the company that reported the error.
  • Say what is wrong and why; send copies, never originals.
  • Keep a copy of everything, with dates, and follow up.

Scores and rebuilding

  • A score is calculated from your report; different bureaus give different numbers.
  • Paying on time and keeping balances well below limits generally help.
  • Nobody can legally remove accurate information for a fee.

In Canada

  • Free reports. You can get your credit report free online from Canada’s two main credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion, or ask either to mail you a free copy. Checking your own credit report or score doesn’t affect your score.
  • Free scores. The FCAC says Equifax offers your credit score free in all provinces and territories, and TransUnion free if you live in Quebec or Ontario.
  • Fixing errors. You have the right to dispute any information on your report you believe is wrong, and credit bureaus must correct errors for free. If you’re not satisfied with the investigation, you can add a brief consumer statement to your report.
  • Fraud alerts and freezes. If you suspect fraud, ask Equifax and TransUnion to place a fraud alert, so lenders contact you to confirm your identity before approving credit, and report the fraud to the National Fraud Reporting System. In some provinces and territories you can also place a security freeze.

Official places to check:

  • Financial Consumer Agency of Canada: www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/credit-reports-score/order-credit-report.html
  • Financial Consumer Agency of Canada: www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/credit-reports-score/credit-report-score-basics.html
  • Financial Consumer Agency of Canada: www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/credit-reports-score/check-errors.html

General information, not advice about your own situation. Checked 19 October 2026. If an official source says something different, it is right. Free to copy and adapt. moraph.org/commons/sessions/fluent/credit-reports-and-scores