Debt Collector Harassment Calculator Canada - Check Your Rights 2026

A debt collector harassment calculator assesses whether collection agencies violated Canadian laws based on calling times, language used, contact frequency, and disclosure of debt to third parties. Debt collectors in Canada must follow strict federal and provincial rules about when and how they can contact you. Violations include calling before 7 AM or after 9 PM, using threatening or abusive language, contacting your workplace after being asked to stop, discussing your debt with family or friends, and calling excessively. This calculator documents potential violations, estimates penalty amounts, and guides you through next steps including regulatory complaints, cease and desist letters, and legal action that averages $8,200 in successful lawsuits.

How to Use This Harassment Calculator

Answer questions about collector behavior: what times they called (before 7 AM, after 9 PM, during work hours), how frequently they contacted you (daily calls, multiple times per day, continuous calling), what language they used (profanity, threats of arrest, threats of violence, abusive remarks), whether they contacted third parties (your employer, family members, neighbors, friends), and what threats they made (lawsuit threats without intent to sue, criminal charges, wage garnishment, property seizure).

The calculator scores violation severity across six categories: timing violations ($500-$2,000 per occurrence), frequency violations ($500-$1,500 per incident), language violations ($1,000-$5,000 per incident), third-party disclosure violations ($10,000-$100,000 under federal privacy law PIPEDA), unauthorized fee violations (full reversal plus damages), and threat violations ($2,000-$10,000 for egregious conduct like false arrest threats).

Results show your total harassment score, estimated statutory damages range, which specific laws were violated by province, appropriate complaint bodies (provincial consumer protection, Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Privacy Commissioner), and recommended next steps including documentation requirements and litigation potential. Higher scores indicate more severe violations with stronger legal recourse.

What Is Debt Collector Harassment in Canada?

Debt collection in Canada is regulated by federal legislation (mainly governing federally-regulated banks and financial institutions) and provincial consumer protection acts that vary by province. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada establishes federal guidelines prohibiting undue harassment, excessive pressure, and threats. Provincial laws add specific restrictions on calling times, frequency, language, and disclosure.

Federal rules apply to all collectors: they cannot use profane, threatening, coercive, or intimidating language; cannot communicate the debt to third parties without your permission except to verify contact information; cannot make false, misleading, or deceptive claims about the debt or their authority; cannot contact you at unreasonable times (generally before 7 AM or after 9 PM local time); and cannot continue contacting you after receiving written notice to cease communication except to confirm cessation or notify you of specific legal action.

Provincial variations add layers of protection. Ontario’s Collection and Debt Settlement Services Act prohibits collectors from calling more than 3 times per week to the same person, contacting your employer except to verify employment, or adding fees not authorized in the original credit agreement. British Columbia’s Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act requires collectors to cease contact within 5 business days of receiving a written request. Alberta’s Collection and Debt Repayment Act prohibits collectors from using excessive pressure or undue harassment, though specific definitions are less prescriptive than other provinces. Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act provides the strongest protections with strict rules on calling frequency, timing, and communication content under the province’s Civil Code framework.

Provincial Rules and Complaint Bodies

Each province maintains a consumer protection regulator that investigates collection agency violations, issues fines, and can suspend or revoke collection licenses. Filing complaints is free and often results in investigations within 30-60 days.

Ontario

Consumer Protection Ontario enforces the Collection and Debt Settlement Services Act. Collectors cannot call more than 3 times per week, must stop workplace contact after written request, and face fines of $250,000 for corporate violations plus $50,000 for individual collectors. Ontario provides 20% maximum wage garnishment protection (regular creditors only—CRA can garnish 50%). File complaints at ontario.ca/consumerprotection or call 1-800-889-9768.

British Columbia

Consumer Protection BC regulates collection agencies under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act. Collectors must cease contact within 5 business days of written request, cannot call before 7 AM or after 9 PM, and must disclose their identity and purpose of contact. BC limits wage garnishment to 30%. File complaints at consumerprotectionbc.ca or call 1-888-564-9963.

Alberta

Service Alberta enforces the Collection and Debt Repayment Act prohibiting excessive pressure, undue harassment, and false or misleading representations. Specific calling frequency limits are less defined than Ontario, but egregious behavior (10+ calls daily, profanity) clearly violates the Act. Alberta allows 50% wage garnishment (weakest protection). File complaints at alberta.ca/consumer or call 1-877-427-4088.

Quebec

Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC) enforces Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act and Civil Code provisions. Quebec provides comprehensive protections including strict limits on calling times (8 AM-8 PM on weekdays, prohibited Sundays and holidays), frequency restrictions, and language requirements (communications must be in French or English as requested). Penalties reach $15,000 for individuals and $100,000 for corporations. File complaints at opc.gouv.qc.ca or call 1-888-672-2556.

Federal Oversight

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) regulates federally-regulated banks and financial institutions. File complaints if your collector is employed by a bank (TD, RBC, BMO, Scotia, CIBC, National Bank) rather than a third-party collection agency. FCAC can investigate violations of federal consumer protection provisions. File at fcac-acfc.gc.ca or call 1-866-461-3222.

Privacy Commissioner of Canada investigates PIPEDA violations including unauthorized debt disclosure to third parties. These complaints can result in findings published publicly, reputational damage to collection agencies, and support civil lawsuits for damages. File at priv.gc.ca/en/report-a-concern or call 1-800-282-1376.

What You Can Do About Harassment

Step 1: Document Everything

Strong harassment cases require solid documentation. Call recordings are legal in most Canadian provinces under one-party consent laws (you can record calls you’re part of without notifying the other party). Check your specific province—all provinces except Saskatchewan allow one-party consent recording. Save all voicemails without deleting them; download and store digital copies. Create a written log with date, time, duration, caller name/company, phone number, and detailed notes of what was said including direct quotes of threats or profanity. Screenshot text messages showing frequency and content of harassment.

Documentation quality directly impacts complaint success rates and lawsuit damages. Collectors often deny violations without proof. Recordings and contemporaneous written logs provide evidence regulators and courts find compelling. Average successful lawsuits award $8,200, but cases with excellent documentation (recordings, detailed logs) can reach $15,000-$25,000 including emotional distress and punitive damages.

Step 2: Send a Cease & Desist Letter

Once you send a written request to stop contact, collectors must comply by law. Any further contact becomes a separate violation worth $1,000-$3,000 each. Send via registered mail to prove delivery. State clearly: “You are hereby directed to cease all communication with me regarding this alleged debt. Any further contact except to confirm cessation or notify me of specific legal action constitutes harassment under [provincial consumer protection act].”

After receiving your cease letter, collectors can only contact you to: confirm they received your letter and will comply, notify you they are ceasing collection efforts entirely, or inform you of specific legal action they intend to take (lawsuit filing). They cannot call to negotiate, offer settlements, or persuade you to revoke the cease request. Each violation after cease letter delivery is worth $1,000-$3,000 in statutory damages.

Step 3: File a Regulatory Complaint

Provincial consumer protection agencies investigate complaints at no cost to you. Include all documentation: call logs, recordings, voicemails, text messages, letters, and your cease & desist letter if sent. Explain specific violations: “Collector called 8 times on January 15, 2026 including calls at 6:45 AM and 10:30 PM violating permitted calling hours” is more effective than “They call too much.”

Investigations take 30-90 days depending on complaint complexity. Regulators can interview you, request evidence from the collection agency, review call logs and recordings maintained by agencies, and determine whether violations occurred. Penalties include fines (typically $5,000-$50,000 per company violation), mandatory corrective action, license suspension preventing the agency from collecting in your province, or complete license revocation in severe cases.

Step 4: Sue for Damages

You can sue collection agencies in small claims court (provincial court for claims under $25,000-$50,000 depending on province) without a lawyer. Claims include statutory damages ($500-$2,000 per violation set by provincial law), emotional distress damages ($2,000-$10,000 for documented anxiety, sleep disruption, work performance impacts), and punitive damages ($2,000-$20,000 for egregious misconduct showing malice or reckless disregard for your rights).

Average successful harassment lawsuits award $8,200 total. Cases with exceptional evidence (recordings of threats, proof of 20+ violations, medical documentation of emotional harm) can reach $20,000-$30,000. Most collection agencies settle before trial for 50-75% of claimed damages to avoid legal costs and public judgments. Consider consulting a consumer rights lawyer for larger cases; many work on contingency (percentage of recovery) for strong harassment claims.

Step 5: Stop ALL Collections with Consumer Proposal

The fastest and most comprehensive way to stop harassment is filing a consumer proposal. By federal law under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, all collection activity must stop immediately when you file—the same day via a legal stay of proceedings. This includes calls, letters, wage garnishment, lawsuits, and all forms of creditor contact.

Consumer proposals also reduce your debt by 60-80% through a legally binding agreement administered by Licensed Insolvency Trustees. Your monthly payment is fixed for 3-5 years, typically lower than your current minimum payments, and eliminates the underlying debt causing harassment. After completion, creditors have no further claim. This provides both immediate relief from harassment and long-term debt elimination. Use our Consumer Proposal Calculator to estimate your payment and debt reduction.

Use the Collection Harassment Calculator now to document violations and assess your complaint options. Answer questions about collector behavior to see which laws they may have broken, estimated penalty amounts, and recommended next steps for regulatory complaints or legal action. If facing ongoing harassment, consult about filing a consumer proposal to stop all collection activity immediately while eliminating 60-80% of your debt.