Who can use my credit report and score?

There are regulations in place to protect your personal information, including your credit report. Usually, your credit report can only be used to:

• lendmoneyorextendcredittoyou
• collectonadebtyouowe
• consideryouforrentalhousingorforajob
• provideyouwithinsurance(someprovinceshaverestrictions) • meetadirectbusinessneed.

Lenders, employers or landlords can only use your credit report when you give your consent or, in some provinces (including Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan), after they tell you they will be checking your report.

Usually, when you sign an application for credit, you allow the lender to access your credit report. Your consent generally lets the lender use your credit report when you first apply and anytime afterward while your account is open.

In many cases, your consent also lets the lender share information about you with the credit reporting agencies if your application is approved.

Some provincial laws permit government representatives, including judges and police, to see parts of your credit report without your consent.

In some provinces, your credit score cannot be used to decide whether you qualify for insurance or to determine how much you will be charged for insurance coverage. In some cases, insurers are not allowed to use your credit score when deciding whether to offer you specific types of coverage, such as auto or mortgage insurance.

Some provinces require lenders and others to tell you if your credit report led to you being refused for a benefit or service, or if you have to pay more for it.

For more information about provincial and territorial laws, contact the government office that handles consumer affairs in your area.