Montreal, August 25, 2020 - Consumers should have access to protection measures and their credit file online completely free of charge, says Option consommateurs in its brief tabled today in parliamentary committee on Bill 53 on credit agencies at the National Assembly.
WhileOption consommateurs welcomes Bill 53, it needs to be strengthened to adequately protect consumers. Indeed, we regret that the bill currently allows credit agencies to charge fees to benefit from the security freeze. It should be remembered that this new measure will enable consumers to prohibit the disclosure of their credit file information, thus helping to better protect them against identity theft.
"Quebec should have a legal framework as rigorous as that in the U.S., where the law provides for security freezes at no cost. What's more, the security freeze should apply to any type of request made to the credit file, not just those relating to credit contracts", argues Alexandre Plourde, lawyer and analyst at Option consommateurs.
Similarly, the bill contains no measures giving consumers free access to their credit file online. It is unacceptable that in this digital age, credit agencies can still require consumers to fill out a paper form that must be sent in by mail to obtain a copy of their credit report.
In addition, Option consommateurs welcomes the new provisions in the bill requiring credit agencies to adopt sound business practices and follow appropriate management practices.
"However, the legislator did not see fit to go further, by regulating the secondary uses of credit files in the areas of insurance, employment and housing rental, which can have significant consequences for consumers," insists Me Plourde.
Option consommateurs also believes that it is necessary to facilitate consumers' legal recourse against credit agencies, to conduct a wide-ranging study on the accuracy of credit files, and to support public education activities on the credit-reporting system.
About Option consommateurs
Founded in 1983, Option consommateurs is a non-profit association dedicated to helping consumers and defending their rights. It is in contact with consumers who are experiencing budgetary difficulties or who have questions about their credit file. The organization has also been involved in privacy issues for several years.
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