Equifax and TransUnion are the two major credit bureaus operating in Canada. Both collect information from lenders — your payment history, outstanding balances, credit limits, account types, and public records like judgments or bankruptcies — and use that data to generate credit reports and scores. They are legally separate companies that operate independently of each other, and your credit file at one is not automatically synchronized with your file at the other. This article is part of the Canadian credit scores hub.
This independence is why your Equifax and TransUnion scores almost always differ, sometimes significantly. It is also why monitoring only one bureau gives you an incomplete picture of your credit profile — particularly if you are preparing to apply for a mortgage, where many lenders pull both reports and may qualify you based on the lower score.
How the Two Bureaus Compare
| Feature | Equifax Canada | TransUnion Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Score range | 300–900 | 300–900 |
| Scoring model | Equifax Risk Score | CreditVision Risk Score |
| Free annual report (by mail) | Yes | Yes |
| Free score online (third-party) | Borrowell | Credit Karma Canada |
| Hard inquiry retention | 3 years | 6 years |
| Consumer proposal (completed) | 3 years after completion | 6 years from filing |
| Canadian headquarters | Toronto, ON | Burlington, ON |
| Online dispute portal | equifax.ca | transunion.ca |
Both bureaus use a 300–900 score range, which is different from the US range (300–850). A score of 660 and above is generally considered acceptable for most credit products in Canada; 725+ is considered good; 760+ is strong.
Why Your Scores Differ Between Bureaus
The most common reason for a meaningful gap between your Equifax and TransUnion scores is that a lender reported information to only one bureau. This happens more than most people realize — while major banks often report to both, many smaller lenders, credit unions, and alternative lenders report to only one. A collection account, a maxed-out credit card, or even a strong payment history on one account might exist in only one of your files.
The second reason is algorithmic: even when both bureaus have identical underlying data, they weight it differently. Equifax’s Risk Score and TransUnion’s CreditVision Risk Score are proprietary models, and the exact weightings are not publicly disclosed. Two people with identical credit histories can receive slightly different scores from each bureau purely due to model differences.
A gap of 10 to 30 points between your Equifax and TransUnion scores is normal and expected — it reflects these structural differences. A gap of 50 points or more is a signal to pull both full reports and compare them side by side. You are looking for accounts that appear on one report but not the other, errors in payment status, or collections that were reported to only one bureau.
Which Lenders Use Which Bureau
Lenders do not publicly disclose which bureau they pull. The patterns below are based on FCAC guidance and industry reporting, but they are not absolute — lenders change their practices, and regional variation is real.
| Lender Type | Typical Bureau | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Big 5 banks — mortgage | Both | Many pull both; may use the lower score |
| Big 5 banks — credit card | Often Equifax | Varies by product and region |
| Credit unions | Often TransUnion | Varies significantly by province |
| Auto lenders / dealerships | TransUnion | Common for vehicle financing |
| Alternative / B lenders | Equifax | Common for personal loans |
| Cell phone carriers | TransUnion | Frequently used for wireless contracts |
| American Express | Both | Reports to both bureaus |
| Capital One | Equifax | Primary bureau for credit card pulls |
| MBNA | TransUnion | Primary bureau for credit card pulls |
| Rogers Bank | TransUnion | Primary bureau |
| Canadian Tire Financial | Equifax | Primary bureau |
| PC Financial | TransUnion | Primary bureau |
The mortgage case is the most consequential. If a lender pulls both Equifax and TransUnion and qualifies you based on the lower score, a 40-point gap between your files could push you to a higher rate tier or reduce your maximum approved amount. Anyone preparing to apply for a mortgage should review both reports at least 3–6 months in advance and address any discrepancies before applying.
How to Access Your Reports for Free
Borrowell (Equifax data)
Borrowell provides your Equifax credit score and full credit report for free, updated weekly. No credit card is required. Sign up at borrowell.com with your name, address, and SIN. The score you see is the Equifax Risk Score — the same score Equifax would provide in a paid monitoring subscription. Borrowell also offers personalized product recommendations, which you can ignore if you are only using it for the credit monitoring.
Credit Karma Canada (TransUnion data)
Credit Karma Canada provides your TransUnion CreditVision score and full TransUnion report for free, also updated weekly. No credit card required. Access at creditkarma.ca. Like Borrowell, it generates revenue through financial product recommendations — the monitoring tool itself is genuinely free.
Direct from the Bureaus (Annual Free Report)
Both Equifax and TransUnion are required under Canadian consumer protection law to provide your full credit report free of charge upon request. The annual mail request gives you a complete report without a score — useful for detailed review. Request at equifax.ca (Consumer section → request free report) and transunion.ca (same process). Turnaround is typically 2–3 weeks by mail.
Paid Monitoring Services
Both bureaus offer paid subscription services (~$19.95–$24.95/month) that add daily monitoring, identity theft alerts, and score simulators. For most Canadians, the free tools through Borrowell and Credit Karma provide equivalent report access without the monthly fee.
How Long Negative Information Stays on Your Report
The retention timelines differ meaningfully between bureaus for several item types — most notably consumer proposals and hard inquiries.
| Negative Item | Equifax | TransUnion |
|---|---|---|
| Late payment (30/60/90 days) | 6 years from date | 6 years from date |
| Collection account | 6 years from last activity | 6 years from last activity |
| Consumer proposal | 3 years after completion (or 6 years from filing, whichever is earlier) | 6 years from filing date |
| Bankruptcy (first) | 6 years after discharge | 6–7 years after discharge |
| Bankruptcy (second or more) | 14 years after discharge | 14 years after discharge |
| Hard inquiry | 3 years | 6 years |
| Court judgment | 6 years from filing | 6 years from filing |
The consumer proposal difference is practically significant. If you filed a consumer proposal and completed it in three years, it would leave your Equifax file three years after completion — six years after filing. On TransUnion, it stays for the full six years from the filing date regardless of completion. Someone who completed a proposal quickly will carry it on TransUnion for longer than on Equifax.
Hard inquiries also differ: 3 years on Equifax versus 6 years on TransUnion. A heavy application period — multiple credit card applications in a short window — will affect your TransUnion report for twice as long. This is worth knowing if you plan to apply for a mortgage in the next few years and have been rate-shopping or applying for credit.
Disputing an Error on Your Credit Report
Errors on credit reports are more common than most people expect. Common errors include: accounts that are not yours (possible identity mix-up or fraud), incorrect payment status (shown as late when you paid on time), outdated information that should have been removed based on retention timelines, or wrong account balances.
To dispute an error, pull both your Equifax and TransUnion reports and compare them carefully against your own records. Identify the specific item in error, gather supporting documentation (payment confirmations, account statements, closure letters), and submit a dispute online or by mail to the bureau where the error appears.
The bureau has 30 days to investigate. They contact the lender who reported the information and ask them to verify or correct it. If the investigation confirms an error, the bureau must correct your file and notify you in writing. If the investigation rules in favour of the lender’s version, you have two options: add a 100-word consumer statement to your file explaining your position (this statement appears whenever the file is accessed by a lender), or escalate to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or your provincial privacy commissioner if you believe the process was mishandled.
You must dispute with each bureau separately. Correcting your Equifax report does not change your TransUnion file — lenders report to each bureau independently, and so must your correction.
Credit Freeze vs. Fraud Alert
If your personal information has been compromised — or you simply want to lock down your credit as a precaution — you have three tools available at each bureau.
| Protection | What It Does | Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fraud alert | Flags your file; lenders must verify identity before extending credit | Free | 6 years |
| Credit freeze | Blocks all new credit applications until you lift it | Free | Until you lift it |
| Credit lock | Like a freeze, toggleable via bureau app | ~$19.95/month | Until cancelled |
A fraud alert is the lighter option — it warns lenders to take extra verification steps but does not block credit applications entirely. It is appropriate when you suspect your information may have been exposed but want to continue applying for credit normally. For mortgage applicants, note that most major Canadian lenders pull both bureaus and use the lower score — see What Credit Score Do You Need for a Mortgage in Canada? for how that affects your application.
A credit freeze is the more protective option. No new lender can access your credit file for decision-making purposes until you temporarily or permanently lift the freeze. This is the most effective tool for preventing new fraudulent accounts from being opened in your name. Lifting a freeze temporarily (for a legitimate credit application) is done online in minutes at each bureau.
Credit locks, offered by both bureaus as paid products, provide the same functionality as a freeze with an easier on/off toggle through a mobile app. The fee is not justified for most Canadians — the free credit freeze does the same thing, just with slightly more friction to lift.
Apply both tools separately at each bureau. A freeze at Equifax does not affect your TransUnion file.