Credit bureaus in Canada may collect different information about how you’ve used credit in the past. Requesting your own credit report has no effect on your credit score.
Learn more about credit reports and score basics.
You can access your credit report online for free from Equifax and TransUnion. Accessing your credit report online allows you to see it right away. Other companies may also offer to provide your credit report for free.
Equifax allows you to access your credit report online and updates it monthly.
Access your free Equifax credit report.
TransUnion allows you to access and download your credit report (called Consumer Disclosure) online and updates it monthly.
Access your free TransUnion credit report (Consumer Disclosure).
Get your credit report by mail
Order online
Equifax allows you to request your credit report online for postal delivery. You’ll receive it within 5 to 10 days.
Request your free Equifax credit report.
Order by mail
Make your request using the forms provided by the two credit bureaus.
Make a postal request with Equifax.
Make a postal request with TransUnion.
You will need to provide copies of two pieces of acceptable identification, such as a driver’s licence or passport.
Order by phone
Equifax allows you to request your free credit report by phone. Call the credit bureau and follow the instructions.
Equifax Canada
Tel: 1-800-465-7166
You will need to confirm your identity by answering a series of personal and financial questions.
You may also need to provide your Social Insurance Number and/or a credit card number to confirm your identity.
Get your credit report in person
Both credit bureaus allow you to request your free credit report in person. You’ll need to visit one of their locations and bring at least 2 pieces of identification.
Learn more about requesting your free Equifax credit report in person.
Learn more about requesting your free TransUnion credit report in person.
Get your credit score
Your credit score comes from the information in your credit report. It shows how risky it would be for a lender to lend you money.
Learn more about how your credit score is calculated.
You can access your credit score online from Canada’s 2 main credit bureaus.
Your credit score from Equifax is accessible online for free and is updated monthly. If you live in Quebec, you can also access your credit score from TransUnion online for free.
Access your Equifax credit score.
Access your TransUnion credit score.
Other companies may also offer to provide your credit score for free. Some may ask you to sign up for a paid service to get your score.
Protect yourself when getting your credit report or score
Make sure you do your research before providing a company with your personal information. Carefully read the terms of use and privacy policy to know how your information will be used and stored.
For example, find out if your information will be sold to a third party. This could result in you receiving unexpected offers for products and services. Fraudsters may also offer free credit reports or credit scores to get you to share your personal and financial information.
Always check to see if a website is secured before providing any of your personal information. A secured website will start with “https” instead of “http”.
What is credit monitoring?
Canada’s credit bureaus, as well as many credit card issuers and financial institutions, offer credit monitoring services. These services will notify you after certain updates have been made to your credit report and credit score, such as a credit inquiry.
You could consider using this service if you think you’ve been the victim of fraud or if you’ve been affected by a data breach. This can help you see if somebody is trying to apply for credit in your name.
You usually need to pay for these services. Some institutions may offer it for free under certain conditions.
