If you have errors on your Equifax Canada credit file, you have the legal right to dispute them — and Equifax is legally required to investigate within 30 days. This guide covers the exact process under Canadian law.
If you've searched how to dispute Equifax, you've probably found advice about 'Section 609 letters' or disputing with the CFPB. That advice is American. It references the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) — a US law with zero jurisdiction in Canada.
In Canada, your credit dispute rights come from PIPEDA — the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. The regulator is the FCAC — the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. The process is different. The law is different. And if you cite the wrong law, bureaus can — and do — ignore your dispute.
Go to equifax.ca and request your free credit report. You're entitled to one free report per year — or more frequently if you have reason to request one. Choose the mail-in option for the most complete version of your file, or use the online portal.
Download or print your report. You'll need it to identify what to dispute.
Not everything negative on your report is disputable. What IS disputable:
• Information that is factually inaccurate (wrong dates, wrong amounts, wrong creditor)
• Accounts that are not yours
• Hard inquiries you did not authorize
• Items past the 6-year provincial reporting limit (even if the debt is unpaid)
• Duplicate entries for the same debt
The 6-year limit is the most powerful tool most Canadians don't know about. In most provinces, negative items must be removed 6 years from the date of last activity. Find the date of last activity for each negative item and calculate whether it should already be gone.
Your dispute letter must cite PIPEDA — not FCRA. The structure:
1. Your full legal name, address, date of birth
2. Reference: 'Formal Dispute Under PIPEDA'
3. The specific item being disputed (creditor, account number, what it shows)
4. Nature of the dispute (inaccurate, past reporting limit, not mine, etc.)
5. Your evidence (list what you're enclosing)
6. PIPEDA reference: your right to correction under the Act
7. 30-day deadline: 'I require your written response within 30 days as required under Canadian law'
8. FCAC escalation notice: 'Failure to respond will result in a formal FCAC complaint'
CreditKO generates this letter for you automatically — personalized to your specific dispute.
This step is non-negotiable. Send your letter via Canada Post Registered Mail to:
Equifax Canada — National Consumer Relations
P.O. Box 190, Station Jean-Talon
Montreal, QC H1S 2Z2
Registered Mail gives you a tracking number and proof of delivery. This legally establishes when Equifax received your dispute and starts the 30-day clock. Keep the tracking number — you'll need it if you escalate to the FCAC.
If 30 days pass with no response, or if Equifax refuses to correct a verified error, file a complaint with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada at fcac-acfc.gc.ca or call 1-866-461-3222.
The FCAC takes credit bureau complaints seriously. An FCAC complaint creates a formal regulatory record that bureaus cannot ignore. Most cases resolve at this stage.