Effective July 1, 2026, residents of Ontario can place a digital lock on their credit report as part of identity theft prevention efforts
TORONTO, June 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Equifax® Canada is pleased to announce that in line with the Province of Ontario’s Better for Consumers, Better for Businesses Act (Bill 142), Credit Lock will be available to all residents of Ontario on July 1, 2026.
Credit Lock, also referred to as a credit freeze, is a “lock” that all residents of Ontario can place on their Equifax Canada credit report to help defend against identity theft. Equifax Canada is a leader in Credit Lock capability, having activated the same consumer option functionality for Quebec residents in 2023. “In a climate of evolving threats, Credit Lock is one of the ways to help protect yourself from identity theft and fraud. We are pleased to help governments to offer this capability to their provinces,” says Julie Kuzmic, Head of Consumer Advocacy and Compliance at Equifax Canada.
Credit Lock
When an Ontario consumer activates a Credit Lock , they place a “digital deadbolt” on their credit report to help prevent identity theft and/or fraud. If a consumer has a Credit Lock on file, Equifax Canada is legally prohibited from returning the credit score, report, or Personally Identifiable Information to lenders who are considering extending new credit.
Credit Lock is free and placing a Credit Lock on one’s credit report has no impact on a consumer’s credit score calculations. Consumers in qualifying provinces can place, remove, or suspend a Credit Lock immediately through myEquifax, as well as by phone or mail.
Equifax Canada takes direction from applicable provincial legislatures to define credit reporting standards for the residents of each province or territory. Credit Lock is a recent development in the credit ecosystem and Equifax Canada is ready to work closely with other provinces as governments introduce legislation to bring this capability to their province.
Equifax Canada is committed to identity and fraud prevention
Credit Lock is one piece of Equifax Canada’s larger, national commitment to fighting fraud, which also includes credit monitoring through MyEquifax solutions and Educational Resources on Fraud and Identity Protection for consumers and businesses. For consumers that prefer a paid subscription service, Equifax offers Equifax Complete solutions. Equifax Canada is custodian of the country’s largest and most comprehensive known fraud exchange, FraudIQ™ , a cloud-based platform which helped Canadian organizations avert more than $3B in fraud losses every year. Equifax is also a member of the Canadian Anti-Scam Coalition which brings together more than 40 leading businesses and government agencies to work together to fight fraud.
“It's important for consumers to understand the options available to help protect themselves from fraud and identity theft,” says Kuzmic. “Consumers can also help protect themselves by checking their credit reports regularly to detect any suspicious activity as quickly as possible. If a consumer finds their information to be inaccurate or incomplete, they can file a dispute online or by mail, ” noted Kuzmic.
The introduction of Credit Lock in Ontario underscores the Equifax Canada commitment to consumer protection. Equifax Canada is ready to work with all provincial partners to offer this free, powerful tool and help consumers live their financial best.
About Equifax
At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by nearly 15,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.ca.
Contact:
Andrew Findlater
SELECT Public Relations
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(647) 444-1197
Angie Andich
Equifax Canada Media Relations
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