Debt Collection Rights
Debt collection in Canada is regulated at the provincial level. Whether you're in Ontario, BC, or Alberta, you are protected from harassment.
When can they call?
In most provinces (like Ontario), collectors can only call between:
Monday to Saturday (Sunday rules vary)
Prohibited Tactics
- • Using threatening or profane language.
- • Calling so often it constitutes harassment.
- • Giving false information to your employer or family.
The First Contact
By law, a collector must send you a **written notice** (through post or email) before they start calling you. This notice must include the amount owed and the creditor's name.
Provincial Variations
Each province has its own regulator. If a collector breaches your rights, you can file a complaint with your provincial consumer protection office.
Strict rules on Sunday calls. Collectors cannot contact your friends or neighbors except to get your address or phone number.
Once you provide a written request to be contacted only in writing, the collection agency must stop calling your phone.
Can they take my car or house?
Unsecured debt collectors (like credit cards) cannot seize your property without suing you in court first and obtaining a **Judgment**. Only then can they apply for a writ of seizure. Secured creditors (like car loans or mortgages) possess different rights and can often repossess the specific collateral if payments are missed.