Guides
Eight plain-language guides to how debt relief actually works in Canada. Each one explains a mechanism — what it is, who it tends to suit, and what to weigh — and none of them predicts what will happen in your situation.
What is a consumer proposal in Canada?
What a consumer proposal is under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, who can file one, how long it runs, and what it does to your credit file.
Bankruptcy or a consumer proposal: what is the difference?
How bankruptcy and a consumer proposal differ in Canada: what you repay, how long each lasts, what happens to assets, and how each is reported.
How does a debt consolidation loan work?
What a consolidation loan does, who lenders will consider, and why a lower monthly payment can still mean paying more interest overall.
What is a debt management plan?
How non-profit credit counselling works in Canada, what a debt management plan does, what it costs, and how to tell a genuine non-profit agency.
How does debt settlement work in Canada?
What a debt settlement company does, how provincial law caps its fees, how it compares with a consumer proposal, and the risks to weigh before signing anything.
What are your rights when a collection agency calls?
What collection agencies may and may not do, how the rules differ by province, how this compares with a federal insolvency filing, and where to complain.
How does debt relief affect your credit score?
What each debt-relief route is reported as, how long it stays on your file according to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, and what that means.
How do you build a budget when you are already behind?
A practical order of operations when a household is behind: essentials first, then secured debt, then unsecured, and when a free appointment helps.
How long can a creditor sue you for an unpaid debt in Canada?
How long a creditor has to sue over an unpaid debt, province by province, and what expiry of that period does and does not mean.
Can a collection agency garnish your wages in Canada?
How wage garnishment works in Canada, why a court judgment usually comes first, and how an insolvency filing can affect it.
How much debt do you need for a consumer proposal in Canada?
There is no fixed minimum or maximum debt for a consumer proposal — what a trustee actually looks at, and why the free first meeting matters.
Can you get a debt consolidation loan with bad credit in Canada?
How a consolidation loan works when your credit is already damaged, what a lender assesses, and why a higher rate can undo the benefit.
What are your options for tax debt owed to the CRA?
What happens with money owed to the CRA, how it can fit into a consumer proposal or bankruptcy, and where to get help.
What is Orderly Payment of Debts under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act?
What Part X of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act is, why its availability depends on a provincial declaration, and how to confirm it locally.