TransUnion Canada — Complete Credit Report & Score Guide

TransUnion is one of Canada's two major credit bureaus. Here's how to access your free report, understand your TransUnion file, dispute errors, and monitor your score at no cost.

What Is TransUnion Canada?

TransUnion Canada is one of the two major consumer credit reporting agencies operating in Canada (alongside Equifax Canada). TransUnion collects credit data from lenders across Canada and compiles it into individual credit files used by lenders to make lending decisions. You have the right under Canadian law to access your TransUnion credit file for free at any time.

TransUnion vs. Equifax — Key Differences for Canadians

Factor	TransUnion Canada	Equifax Canada
Free score access	Credit Karma Canada	Borrowell
Score model used	CreditVision Risk Score	Beacon Score
Hard inquiry retention	2 years	3 years
Bank reporting	Many major banks	Many major banks
Lender preference	Often used for auto loans	Often used for mortgages

Your TransUnion and Equifax scores may differ by 10–40 points because they use different scoring models and may have slightly different information depending on which lenders report to which bureau. Both scores matter.

How to Get Your Free TransUnion Credit Report

• Credit Karma Canada (recommended): Sign up at creditkarma.ca. Free TransUnion score and full report, updated regularly. No credit card required.
• TransUnion Canada directly: Visit transunion.ca to request your free annual credit report. The full file is provided; numerical score is available through a paid subscription or for free via Credit Karma.
• Bank apps: TD, Scotiabank, and BMO provide TransUnion scores free to their customers within mobile banking apps.

What Your TransUnion File Contains

• Personal information: name, address history, date of birth, employer
• All credit accounts reporting to TransUnion — balances, limits, payment history
• Hard inquiries (2 years)
• Collections accounts (6–7 years)
• Public records: bankruptcies, proposals, court judgments
• Banking records: some NSF notices

How Long Items Stay on Your TransUnion Report

• Late payment notations: 6–7 years from date of last activity
• Collections: 6–7 years from date of last activity
• Consumer proposal: 3 years after completion
• First bankruptcy: 6 years from discharge
• Second bankruptcy: 14 years from discharge
• Hard inquiries: 2 years (shorter than Equifax's 3 years)

How to Dispute a TransUnion Error

• Online: Log into transunion.ca and use the dispute portal. Provide details and attach supporting documents.
• Mail: Write to TransUnion Canada, Consumer Relations Centre, P.O. Box 338, LCD1, Hamilton, ON L8L 7W2
• Timeline: TransUnion must investigate within 30 days. If confirmed as an error, it's corrected and you receive an updated report.

Common errors to look for: duplicate accounts, wrong balances, accounts belonging to someone with a similar name, late payments that were actually paid, paid collections still showing as active.

TransUnion Credit Freeze — Protecting Against Identity Theft

If you suspect identity theft or want to protect yourself proactively, you can place a security alert or credit freeze on your TransUnion file. A security alert requires lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity before extending credit. This is free and stays active for 6 years unless removed.

To add an alert: contact TransUnion directly via phone at 1-800-663-9980 or through their website.

The TransUnion Score Canadians See vs. What Lenders See

The "educational" score you see on Credit Karma or through direct TransUnion access is the CreditVision Risk Score. The score a specific mortgage lender or auto dealer sees may use a different model tailored to their industry. These models use the same underlying credit data but weight factors differently. Your score from Credit Karma is a very good proxy — within 20–40 points of what most lenders calculate — but not identical to every lender's internal score.