Credit scores and reports are usually pulled from credit bureaus with TransUnion being one of the world’s largest.
You can directly access your credit report through TransUnion in Canada or indirectly through a credit monitoring service like Credit Karma or your bank.
Even more interesting is the fact that you can access your TransUnion credit report completely free or pay a fee to get extra services like identity theft and insurance.
But how do you get there? The process is straightforward.
Join me as I discuss how to get your TransUnion credit report in Canada online, by mail or in person.
How to Get Your TransUnion Credit Report in Canada
There are two ways you can get your TransUnion credit report in Canada, through a paid subscription plan or free a copy of your Consumer Disclosure.
The subscription plan cost $24.95 per month plus applicable tax. However, it gives you access to not just credit reports, but:
- Credit score
- Credit monitoring
- Credit and debt analysis
- Up to $50,000 in identity theft insurance
That said, the following are the step-by-step processes on how to get your TransUnion credit report in Canada through the paid subscription:
- Visit the enrollment page here
- Provide your personal information
- Full name
- Address and unit number
- City
- Province/Territory Postal code
- Email address
- Social Insurance Number (optional)
- Click on the “Continue” button to proceed to the next stage
After that, you will receive an email notification instructing you to verify your identity and complete the registration.
Let’s now turn to how you can get your TransUnion credit report for free in Canada.
How to Get Free TransUnion Credit Report
You’re entitled to request a copy of your Consumer Disclosure once per month at no cost. You can do so online, by mail or in person.
The Consumer Disclosure provides a comprehensive report on all the information on your credit file. The information in the disclosure is far more than what’s available on a typical credit report.
One thing to note here is that the Consumer Disclosure service doesn’t contain your credit score.
However, Québec residents have the advantage of seeing their credit scores in their consumer disclosure. This means free access to credit reports and credit scores.
That being said, let’s turn to how you can request a free copy of your TransUnion Consumer Disclosure online, by mail or in person.
Online
You can get a free copy of your Consumer Disclosure online through the TransUnion Online Consumer Solutions site.
All you need is to visit the site and log in or register for user account management to download and print your Consumer Disclosure.
Besides obtaining a copy of your Consumer Disclosure, the TransUnion Online Consumer Solutions site also allows you to:
- Dispute errors on your Consumer Disclosure
- Set up, edit, or delete a fraud alert
TransUnion also allows you to request a copy of your Consumer Disclosure by downloading and filling out the Consumer Request form.
Some of the information you will be required to provide include your:
- Full name
- Current address
- Previous address (optional)
- Employment information (optional)
- Telephone number (optional)
- Social Insurance Number (optional)
- Date of birth
- Signature
When submitting the completed form, you’re required to attach a photocopy of the front and back of two valid government-issued identifications. The primary acceptable IDs are highlighted below:
- Canadian passport
- Citizenship card
- Canada permanent resident (PR) card
- Provincial photo ID
- Driver’s license
- Birth certificate
- Department of National Defence card
- Old Age Security card
- Certificate of Indian Status
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada form
The secondary or additionally acceptable identifications are highlighted below:
- Credit card statement
- Utility bill
- Social Insurance card
- Current T4 slip
- Current Child Tax Benefits
- Current GST/HST Refunds
- Current Notice of Assessments
- CNIB card
Note that all these IDs are expected to contain your name, date of birth, current address and signature.
Once everything is set, you can forward the completed form and photocopies of the two IDs to any of the following addresses:
English Correspondence
TransUnion Consumer Relations Department
3115 Harvester Road,
Suite 201 Burlington ON L7N 3N8
French Correspondence
Centre de relations aux consommateurs TransUnion
3115 Chemin Harvester,
Suite 201 Burlington ON L7N 3N8
In Person
If you want to request a copy of your Consumer Disclosure in person, you need to visit the nearest TransUnion office in Canada.
The following is a highlight of TransUnion offices in Canada with their addresses and operating hours:
| Location | Halifax | Burlington | Charlottetown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address | Halifax, NS B3J 3N6 | Burlington, ON L7N 3N8 | PRINCE EDWARD ISLANDCharlottetown, PE C1A 8B9 |
| Operating Hours | 9 am-5 pm AST(Monday-Friday) | 10 am-2:30 pm(Monday-Friday) | 8:30 am-4:30 pm(Monday-Friday) |
If you’re visiting the TransUnion Burlington office, you need to request an appointment by emailing [email protected] between 10 am to 2:30 pm. Else, you will not be entertained when you visit the office.
When visiting any TransUnion office, you need to hold a photocopy of the front and back of two valid government-issued identifications identified above.
Other Ways to Get Free Credit Report at TransUnion
Another way you can get your TransUnion credit report is through Fintech companies like Credit Karma or your bank.
Some of the banks that offer access to TransUnion credit reports include RBC and BMO. Below is an overview of each of them.
1. Credit Karma
Credit Karma is an American Fintech company offering credit scoring and reporting services across the international scene.
The company was founded in 2007 and was launched in Canada in 2016. Credit Karma became popular in Canada for its free credit scoring and reporting services.
Credit Karma’s weekly credit scoring and reports are based on the TransUnion VantageScore 3.0 model.
Besides free credit score and report services, the company also offers:
- Customized financial products (such as personal loans, credit cards and mortgages)
- Credit-building educational resources
Learn more: Credit Karma Review
2. RBC
The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) also offers its users free access to TransUnion credit score and report through the TransUnion CreditView Dashboard.
Once you reach the age of majority in your province or territory and have access to RBC online banking, you can access your TransUnion credit score and report on RBC.
Below are the step-by-step processes on how to get your TransUnion credit score and report on RBC:
- Log in to your RBC Online banking account
- Navigate to the “Account Management” page
- Click “View Your Credit Score”
- Go through the legal disclaimers
- Click on the “Continue” button
Once done, your credit score will be displayed right there through the TransUnion CreditView Dashboard. You will see your credit score history and how your score compares to others.
Learn more: RBC Credit Score Review
3. BMO
If you’re a BMO client, you can access your TransUnion credit score and report for free. You can do so through the BMO mobile app or web portal.
The following are the step-by-step processes on how to access your TransUnion credit score through the BMO mobile app:
- Download and install the BMO mobile app on Google Playstore or App Store
- Log in to your BMO account
- Click on “My Credit Score” under the settings to see your TransUnion credit score
Below are step-by-step processes on how to access your TransUnion credit score via the BMO online banking portal:
- Log in to your BMO online banking account
- Navigate to the menu and select “My Profile and eDocuments”
- Click on “My Credit Score” to see your TransUnion credit score.
Should you notice any error in your credit score or report, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact TransUnion.
Learn more: BMO Credit Score
About TransUnion
TransUnion is a US-based consumer credit scoring and reporting company that has been in the industry for over 5 decades.
The company operates across over 30 countries including Canada, Hong Kong, India and South Africa. In Canada, TransUnion has over 20 million files of consumer credit reports in its database.
TransUnion is popularly regarded as one of the world’s top largest credit bureaus with the rest being Equifax and Experian.
The company uses the VantageScore 3.0 credit scoring model to check credit scores and generate credit reports.
The credit scoring, reporting, and monitoring services of TransUnion cost $24.95 per month.
Interestingly, you can get your TransUnion credit report for free by requesting for your a copy of your Consumer Disclosure.
TransUnion vs Equifax Credit Report
TransUnion and Equifax are the two major credit bureaus in Canada. Both are American companies that offer free and paid access to credit scores and reports.
In addition, both TransUnion and Equifax offer credit monitoring and identity theft insurance on their paid plans.
While they both offer free credit reports, they do so differently. TransUnion offers via consumer disclosure while Equifax offers via credit file disclosure.
As per credit scoring, the two credit bureaus use different models as well with TransUnion using the VantageScore 3.0 model while Equifax uses the Equifax Risk Score (ERS 2.0) model.
Notwithstanding, TransUnion and Equifax offer accurate credit scoring and credit reporting that doesn’t hurt your credit.
Because of the different models they use in calculating credit scores, you can expect a great deal of differences in their scoring.
Most often you will find an Equifax credit score lower than TransUnion’s credit score. This is not to say that TransUnion is more accurate than Equifax, vice-versa.
As a result, you can’t make the wrong decision with either of the two credit bureaus. It’s often usually advised to use both to have a balanced view of your credit performance.
How to Read TransUnion Credit Report in Canada
Reading a TransUnion credit report in Canada is a straightforward task. The following is the breakdown of information your TransUnion credit report may contain and what they mean.
- Identifying information: This includes your name, date of birth, SIN, telephone number, address (current and previous) and employer (current and previous).
- Credit history: This is also referred to as trade lines. It includes your bill and debt payments history.
- Inquiries: This includes a list of the creditors or any person/institution that received your credit report.
- Public records: These refer to any item that can hurt your creditworthiness (e.g registered items, bankruptcies and judgments)
In addition, your TransUnion credit report may include banking, collections and other information. You can always contact TransUnion when you notice incorrect or incomplete information on your report.
How to Improve Your TransUnion Credit Score in Canada
The following recommendations are offered by TransUnion on how to improve your credit score in Canada.
- Avoid late payments: You should always strive to pay the minimum if not the full bill in time.
- Don’t exceed your credit limit: Always ensure that your credit balance is not above your credit limit.
- Apply for new credit cards strategically: When you apply for multiple credit cards too frequently, you may appear irresponsible before your creditors.
- Inform your banks and card companies when you change address: This will ensure that your home address is updated to avoid taking your bills to the wrong address.
- Don’t wait for mail: You should not wait until the bills arrive by mail before you can make payments. Track your bill payment online and pay them off as soon as you can.
- Pay off delinquent bills: While this can’t eliminate missed payments from your credit profile, it will improve your creditworthiness before creditors.
- Track inaccuracies: If you find an error on your TransUnion credit report, you can dispute it online, by mail or in person. This requires you to monitor your credit score regularly.
Learn more: 7 Surefire Ways to Improve your Credit Score fast!
Some FAQs on TransUnion Credit Report in Canada
Based on the TransUnion VantageScore 3.0 scoring model, a good credit score is between 720 to 780.
Both TransUnion and Equifax credit scores matter because their scoring models are accurate as per the factors they measure.
Sure! You can trust TransUnion’s credit score and report as much as you would trust other credit bureaus such as Equifax.
The reason is that TransUnion uses a proven VantageScore 3.0 scoring model to calculate credit scores and generate credit reports.
Currently, over one billion individuals globally have entrusted TransUnion with their credit scores and reports.
In Canada, TransUnion costs $24.95 per month. However, you can get your credit report for free by requesting a copy of your TransUnion Consumer Disclosure.
If you wish to cancel your TransUnion $24.5/month subscription, all you need is to log in to your account on the membership page and click on “Cancel My Product”.
Final Thoughts
The place of credit scores in our financial life can’t be exaggerated. But to maintain a good credit score, it’s our responsibility to track our credit performance regularly.
TransUnion makes it possible to stay on top of your credit score by checking your report for as little as $0.
If you don’t want to access the report directly through TransUnion, you can do so indirectly through Credit Karma or your bank.
I hope you’re now confident about how to access your TransUnion credit report in Canada. If you need more clarification, please drop your concerns in the comment section.
