​Top 6 Questions Asked About Collection Agencies in Canada 

_{By Rosemarie Gauthier | Reading time: 3 min | 711 words} 

Canadian collection agencies. Are they allowed to call every day, several times a day? Are they allowed to harass you, your friends, or your family? Why are debt collectors calling you? Are they allowed to contact you at work? Is this going to affect your credit rating? How can you get rid of these calls? 

Know what is and isn’t acceptable by reading these top 6 questions asked about collection agencies. 

1. How many times can a collection agency legally call in Canada? 

A lot of people are unaware of what is and is not allowed in the collection industry. According to the Government of Canada’s website, a debt collector must first notify you in writing or at least make a reasonable attempt to notify you before they can start calling you. There aren’t any set legal limits on the number of times they can try to reach you – but there are limits with regards to the time of day they may call. 

2. At what times can a collection agency call you? 

There are rules about the hours when debt collectors can contact you. They are only able to call you between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Sundays, between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Thankfully, they can't call you in the middle of the night or on statutory holidays. However, if you feel that you are being excessively harassed by collection agencies, you can file a complaint with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. 

3. Can debt collectors/collection agencies call you at work? 

Yes, Canadian debt collectors can contact your employer. To be clear, they are not allowed to contact your employer for anything other than confirming if you are employed, your phone number, or your address if they are going to proceed with wage garnishment. 

4. Can a collection agency call your friends or family members? 

Technically, yes. However, it would only be to get your contact information. The caller cannot identify him/herself as a collection agent, nor can they discuss your details. The only exception would be if a friend or family member has co-signed for your loan. The person(s) that co-signs for you is also responsible for the loan and if the collections agency is unable to reach you, they will reach out to them. 

If an agency is continuing to call your friends/family to the point where it seems like harassment, you/they can still log a complaint by using the link above.  

5. How long will this account in collections be on your credit report? 

An account in collections will indeed be on your credit report for six years, but it also depends on which province you are in and which credit report you are looking at: TransUnion or Equifax. 

TransUnion will keep a record for 7 years in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador. 10 years in Prince Edward Island but with the help of a LIT (Licensed Insolvency Trustee), you can rebuild your credit. 

6. How can you stop debt collectors from calling? 

If you have debt collectors calling and/or are struggling to make your payments, contact a licensed professional for a FREE confidential consultation on how to get debt collectors off your back! Once you sign into a Consumer Proposal or Bankruptcy, all coercion action must stop. You have legal protection with a Stay of Proceedings. 

At Bromwich+Smith, Debt Relief Specialists are available by phone at 1.855.884.9243 or you can request a call back via the website. There is no need to travel to a local office. Licensed Insolvency Trustee, Bromwich+Smith, is now offering video appointments, with all services available from the comfort of your home.

Author: Rosemarie Gauthier Rosemarie is from Winnipeg, Manitoba and holds a diploma in Digital Marketing from Robertson College. She also has 16 years experience working in the retail banking industry as a Personal Banking Advisor.