If you have a complaint or a problem with a financial institution under federal responsibility, please follow the steps below, given by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC).

The steps must be followed in order, and you should take notes during each step of the process so that you have a record of your conversations and progress in case you are asked.

All banks, and all trust, loan and insurance companies, and retail associations that fall under federal responsibility (or that are incorporated at the federal level) must have a complaint-handling process in place for individuals and small businesses. This process details how a customer may make a complaint, and it must be available in all branches of the institution, on its website, and must be sent in writing to anyone who requests it. For more detailed information on your own financial institution’s complaint-handling process contact the FCAC.

Step 1: Local level

First, try to resolve your problem by dealing directly with the manager or customer service representative of your financial institution. This would involve speaking with branch staff or the branch’s local representative, or someone at their call centre.

Step 2: Senior level and/or internal ombudsperson

If following Step 1 does not resolve your complaint, you can ask to be referred to a senior staff member, a customer care group or an internal ombudsperson — the person in charge of investigating complaints from consumers.

Step 3: Third-party review

If you are not satisfied with the solution proposed after Step 2, in most cases, you can have your complaint reviewed by an independent third party, also called an external ombudsperson. The table below gives you the contact details of some of the major third party complaint review services in Canada’s financial services sector. Who you contact will depend on the type of business you have been dealing with.

Type of business Third-Party Reviewer
Banks and trust companies Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI)
Life and health products and services issued by life insurance companies Ombudservice for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI) (formerly Canadian Life and Health Insurance OmbudService (CLHIO))
Home, car and business insurance General Insurance OmbudService (GIO)

Step 4: Provincial regulator (optional)

In some cases, depending on the type of financial institution you are dealing with, or the type of complaint you have, you can also contact your provincial regulator. Examples of financial services providers that are regulated by provincial regulators include investment dealers, credit unions, caisses populaires and mortgage brokers. In addition, life and health insurance companies, as well as general insurance companies (e.g., home and auto) are regulated by provincial regulators for market conduct matters. Please find below a list of regulators in your province or territory.

Tips for Making a Complaint:

  • Do not skip any of the steps in the complaint-handling process, and follow the steps in order. This will speed up your request.
  • Make sure you take notes at each step in the complaint-handling process. When you go through each step, you will need to know the following details:
    • the name of the people you spoke with in the previous steps
    • the dates these discussions took place
    • what, if anything, was decided.
  • Always keep the original copy of any document related to your complaint. If you must send a document, send a copy, not the original.
  • For some specific types of insurance disputes, an individual may be required to access a provincial mediation process.
  • If your complaint involves an investment dealer or mutual fund dealer, you might wish to consult the following complaint handling guides:

Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada

Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada

Note: The complaint-handling process is a less expensive alternative than going to court to have your complaint resolved. However, if you decide to go to court, you can no longer follow the complaint-handling process described in this document.

Securities Commissions

Every province has a securities commission to administer and enforce securities legislation. Securities include stocks, bonds and mutual funds. The commissions’ mandates include protecting investors from unfair, improper and fraudulent practices. Consumers may complain to the commissions. Given the confidential nature of the complaint, some commissions request that complaints be sent in hard copy rather than electronically.

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)

6th Floor
427 Laurier Avenue West

Ottawa, Ontario  K1R 1B9

Telephone: 613-996-5454
Toll Free: 1-866-461-3222
Toll Free 2: 1-866-914-6097
Toll Free 3: 1-866-814-2224
Phone (TTY): 613-947-7771
Fax: 613-941-1436

Email
Websitewww.fcac-acfc.gc.ca

Ombudservice for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI) (formerly Canadian Life and Health Insurance OmbudService)

401 Bay Street
PO Box 7

Toronto, Ontario  M5H 2Y4

Toll Free: 1-800-268-8099 (English Only)

Websitewww.olhi.ca

General Insurance Ombudservice (GIO)

10 Milner Business Court
Suite 701

Toronto, Ontario  M1B 3C6

Toll Free: 1-877-225-0446
Fax: 416-299-4261

Websitewww.giocanada.org

Provincial and Territorial Financial Regulators

Alberta

Alberta Superintendent of Financial Institutions
Terrace Building
Room 402
9515-107 Street

Edmnton, Alberta  T5K 2C3

Telephone: 780-427-5064
Fax: 780-420-0752

Email
Websitewww.finance.gov.ab.ca/business/fin_inst/index.html

British Columbia

Financial Institutions Commission
Suite 1200
13450-102nd Avenue

Surrey, British Columbia  V3T 5X3

Telephone: 604-953-5200
Toll Free: 1-866 206-3030
Fax: 604-953-5301

Email

Manitoba

Financial Institutions Regulation Branch, Manitoba Finance
Suite 1115
405 Broadway

Winnipeg, Manitoba  R3C 3L6

Telephone: 204-945-2542
Toll Free: 1-800-282-8069
Fax: 204-948-2268

Email

New Brunswick

Financial and Consumer Services Commission – Financial Institutions Division
Kings Place
440 King Street

Fredericton, New Brunswick  E3B 5H8

Telephone: 506-453-2659
Toll Free: 1-866-933-2222
Fax: 506-444-4494

Email
Websitewww.fcnb.ca

Newfoundland and Labrador

Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation
PO Box 340

Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador  A0E 2M0

Telephone: 709-279-0170
Toll Free: 1-877-279-0170
Fax: 709-279-0177

Northwest Territories

Northwest Territories Registrar of Securities, Department of Justice
1st Floor,
Stuart M. Hodgson Building
5009-49th Street
PO Box 1320

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories  X1A 2L9

Telephone: 867-920-3318
Fax: 867-873-0243

Nova Scotia

Financial Institutions Division, Department of Finance
4th Floor
1723 Hollis Street
PO Box 2271

Halifax, Nova Scotia  B3J 3C8

Telephone: 902-424-6331
Fax: 902-424-1298

Email
Websitewww.gov.ns.ca/finance/financialinstitutions

Nunavut

Legal Registries Division, Department of Justice
PO Box 1000
Station 570

Iqaluit, Nunavut  XOA 0H0

Telephone: 867-975-6590
Fax: 867-975-6594

Email
Websitewww.justice.gov.nu.ca/i18n/english/legreg/legalreg.shtm

Ontario

Financial Services Commission of Ontario
5160 Yonge Street
PO Box 85

North York, Ontario  M2N 6L9

Telephone: 416-250-7250
Toll Free: 1-800-668-0128
Phone (TTY): 1-800-387-0584
Fax: 416-590-7070

Email
Websitewww.fsco.gov.on.ca

Prince Edward Island

Office of the Attorney General
4th Floor
Shaw Building
PO Box 2000
95 Rochford Street

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island  C1A 7N8

Telephone: 902-368-4550
Fax: 902-368-5283

Websitewww.gov.pe.ca/jps/

Québec

Autorité des marchés financiers
Place de la Cité, Tour Cominar
Suite 400
2640 Laurier Boulevard

Québec, Quebec  G1V 5C1

Telephone: 418-525-0337
Toll Free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 418-647-0376

Email
Websitewww.lautorite.qc.ca/index.en.html

Québec

Autorité des marchés financiers
22nd Floor
Tour de la Bourse
800 VictoriaPlace
PO Box 246

Montréal, Quebec  H4Z 1G3

Telephone: 514-395-0337
Toll Free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 514-873-3090

Saskatchewan

Financial Institutions Division, Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission
Suite 601
1919 Saskatchewan Drive

Regina, Saskatchewan  S4P 4H2

Telephone: 306-787-6700
Fax: 306-787-9006

Email

Yukon

Consumer Services, Department of Community Services
Third Floor
Andrew Philipson Law Centre
2130 Second Avenue
PO Box 2703

Whitehorse, Yukon  Y1A 2C6

Telephone: 867-667-5111
Toll Free: 1-800-661-0408
Toll Free 2: Local 5111
Fax: 867-667-3609

Email
Websitewww.community.gov.yk.ca/consumer/index.html

Provincial and Territorial Insurance Regulators

Alberta

Alberta Insurance Council
Suite 901
Toronto Dominion Tower
10088-102 Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 2Z1

Telephone: 780-421-4148
Fax: 780-425-5745

Email
Websitewww.abcouncil.ab.ca

Alberta

Alberta Insurance Council
Suite 500
222-58 Avenue SW

Calgary, Alberta  T2H 2S3

Telephone: 403-233-2929
Fax: 403-233-2990

British Columbia

Insurance Council of British Columbia
Suite 300
1040 West Georgia Street
PO Box 7

Vancouver, British Columbia  V6E 4H1

Telephone: 604-688-0321
Toll Free: 1-877-688-0321
Fax: 604-662-7767

Manitoba

Financial Institutions Regulation Branch, Manitoba Finance
Suite 1115
405 Broadway

Winnipeg, Manitoba  R3C 3L6

Telephone: 204-945-2542
Toll Free: 1-800-282-8069
Fax: 204-948-2268

Email
Websitewww.gov.mb.ca/finance/cca/firb

New Brunswick

Financial and Consumer Services Commission – Insurance Division
6th Floor
Kings Place
440 King Street
PO Box 6000

Fredericton, New Brunswick  E3B 5H1

Telephone: 506-453-2415
Toll Free: 1-866-933-2222
Fax: 506-453-7435

Email

New Brunswick

Consumer Advocate for Insurance
Suite 406
Keystone Place
270 Douglas Avenue

Bathurst, New Brunswick  E2A 1M9

Telephone: 506-549-5555
Toll Free: 1-888-283-5111
Fax: 506-549-5559

Email
Website www.insurance-assurance.ca/index.php

Newfoundland and Labrador

Financial Services Regulatory Division, Department of Government Services
2nd Floor
Confederation Building
West Block
Prince Philip Drive
PO Box 8700

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador  A1B 4J6

Telephone: 709-729-2602
Fax: 709-729-3205

Websitewww.gs.gov.nl.ca/cca/fsr

Northwest Territories, nunavut

Treasury Division, Department of Finance
Third Floor
YK Centre
4922-28th Street
PO Box 1320

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories  X1A 2L9

Telephone: 867-920-3423
Toll Free: 1-800-661-0820
Fax: 867-873-0325

Email

Nova Scotia

Superintendent of Insurance
4th Floor
1723 Hollis Street
PO Box 2271

Halifax, Nova Scotia  B3J 3C8

Telephone: 902-424-6331
Fax: 902-424-1298

Email

Ontario

Financial Services Commission of Ontario
5160 Yonge Street
PO Box 85

North York, Ontario  M2N 6L9

Telephone: 416-250-7250
Toll Free: 1-800-668-0128
Phone (TTY): 1-800-387-0584
Fax: 416-590-7070

Email
Websitewww.fsco.gov.on.ca

Prince Edward Island

Superintendent of Insurance, Department of Environment Labour and Justice
4th Floor
95 Rochford Street
PO Box 2000

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island  C1A 7N8

Telephone: 902-368-4550
Fax: 902-368-5283

Websitewww.gov.pe.ca/jps/index.php3?number=1027253&lang=E

Québec

Autorité des marchés financiers
Place de la Cité, Tour Cominar
Suite 400
2640 Laurier Boulevard

Québec, Quebec  G1V 5C1

Telephone: 418-525-0337
Toll Free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 418-647-0376

Email
Websitewww.lautorite.qc.ca

Québec

Autorité des marchés financiers
22nd Floor
Tour de la Bourse
800 VictoriaPlace
PO Box 246

Montréal, Quebec  H4Z 1G3

Telephone: 514-395-0337
Toll Free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 514-873-3090

Saskatchewan

Financial Institutions Division, Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission
Suite 601
1919 Saskatchewan Drive

Regina, Saskatchewan  S4P 4H2

Telephone: 306-787-6700
Fax: 306-787-9006

Email

Saskatchewan

Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan
Suite 310
2631-28th Avenue

Regina, Saskatchewan  S4S 6X3

Telephone: 306-352-7870
Fax: 306-569-3018

Websitewww.insurancecouncils.sk.ca

Yukon

Consumer Services, Department of Community Services
Third Floor
Andrew Philipson Law Centre
2130 Second Avenue
PO Box 2703

Whitehorse, Yukon  Y1A 2C6

Telephone: 867-667-5111
Toll Free: 1-800-661-0408
Toll Free 2: Local 5111
Fax: 867-667-3609

Email
Websitewww.community.gov.yk.ca/consumer/index.html

Securities

Advocis (The Financial Advisors Association of Canada)

Suite 209
390 Queens Quay West

Toronto, Ontario  M5V 3A2

Telephone: 416-444-5251
Toll Free: 1-800-563-5822
Fax: 416-444-8031

Email
Websitewww.advocis.ca

Investment Funds Institute of Canada

Suite 1800
1010 Sherbrooke Street West

Montréal, Quebec  H3A 2R7

Telephone: 514-985-7025
Fax: 514-985-5113

Websitewww.ific.ca/

Investment Funds Institute of Canada

4th Floor
11 King Street West

Toronto, Ontario  M5H 4C7

Telephone: 416-363-2150
Toll Free: 1-866-347-1961
Fax: 416-861-9937

Websitewww.ific.ca

The Investor Learning Centre of Canada

15th Floor
200 Wellington Street West

Toronto, Ontario  M5V 3G2

Telephone: 1-866-866-2601

Email
Websitewww.csi.ca

Securities Commissions

Alberta

Alberta Securities Commission
4th Floor
300-5 Avenue SW

Calgary, Alberta  T2P 3C4

Telephone: 403-297-6454
Toll Free: 1-877-355-0585
** contact block fields complaints **: 403-355-3888
Fax: 403-297-6156

Email
Websitewww.albertasecurities.com

British Columbia

British Columbia Securities Commission
701 West Georgia Street
PO Box 10142
Pacific Centre

Vancouver, British Columbia  V7Y 1L2

Telephone: 604-899-6854
Toll Free: 1-800-373-6393
Fax: 604-899-6506

Email
Websitewww.bcsc.bc.ca
Website 2www.investright.org

Manitoba

Manitoba Securities Commission
500-400 St. Mary Avenue

Winnipeg, Manitoba  R3C 4K5

Telephone: 204-945-2548
Fax: 204-945-0330

Email
Websitewww.msc.gov.mb.ca/index_en.html

New Brunswick

Financial and Consumer Services Commission – Securities Division
Suite 300
85 Charlotte Street

St. John, New Brunswick  E2L 2J2

Telephone: 506-658-3060
Toll Free: 1-866-933-2222
Fax: 506-658-3059

Email

Financial Services Regulation Division

Consumer and Commercial Affairs Branch
2nd Floor
Confederation Building
West Block
Prince Philip Drive
PO Box 8700

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador  A1B 4J6

Telephone: 709-729-4189
Fax: 709-729-6187

Websitewww.gov.nf.ca/gs/cca/scon

Northwest Territories

Northwest Territories Registrar of Securities
1st Floor
Stuart M. Hodgson Building
5009-49th Street
PO Box 1320

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories  X1A 2L9

Telephone: 867-920-3318
Fax: 867-873-0243

Email
Websitewww.justice.gov.nt.ca/SecuritiesRegistry

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Securities Commission
2nd Floor
Joseph Howe Building
1690 Hollis Street
PO Box 458

Halifax, Nova Scotia  B3J 2P8

Telephone: 902-424-7768
Fax: 902-424-4625

Websitewww.gov.ns.ca/nssc

Nunavut

Legal Registries Division
PO Box 1000
Station 570

Iqaluit, Nunavut  X0A 0H0

Telephone: 867-975-6590
Fax: 867-975-6594

Email
Websitewww.justice.gov.nu.ca/i18n/english/legreg/legalreg.shtm

Ontario

Ontario Securities Commission
Suite 1903
20 Queen Street West

Toronto, Ontario  M5H 3S8

Telephone: 416-593-8314
Toll Free: 1-877-785-1555
Phone (TTY): 1-866-827-1295
Fax: 416-593-8122

Email
Websitewww.osc.gov.on.ca/en/home.htm

Prince Edward Island

Consumer, Corporate, and Insurance Services Division
Office of Attorney General
4th Floor
Shaw Building
95 Rochford Street
PO Box 2000

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island  C1A 7N8

Telephone: 902-368-4552
Fax: 902-368-5283

Email
Websitewww.gov.pe.ca/securities

Québec

Autorité des marchés financiers
Place de la Cité, Tour Cominar
Suite 400
2640 Laurier Boulevard

Québec, Quebec  G1V 5C1

Telephone: 418-525-0337
Toll Free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 418-647-0376

Email
Websitewww.lautorite.qc.ca/index.en.html

Québec

Autorité des marchés financiers
22nd Floor
Tour de la Bourse
800 VictoriaPlace
PO Box 246

Montréal, Quebec  H4Z 1G3

Telephone: 514-395-0337
Toll Free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 514-873-3090

Yukon

Corporate Affairs
Third Floor
Andrew Philipson Law Centre
2130 Second Avenue
PO Box 2703

Whitehorse, Yukon  Y1A 2C6

Telephone: 867-667-5314
Toll Free: 1-800-661-0408,
Toll Free 2: Local 5111
Fax: 867-393-6251

Email
Websitewww.community.gov.yk.ca/corp/index.html

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Financial Services Commission
Securities Division
Suite 601
1919 Saskatchewan Drive

Regina, Saskatchewan  S4P 4H2

Telephone: 306-787-5645
Fax: 306-787-5899