What is General Credit Services?
General Credit Services Inc. is a debt collection agency founded in 2002. Its legacy operations date back to 1967 through acquisitions including Accurate Collection Services, Central Credit Services, Fraser Collection Services and SKYLINK Receivables.
General Credit Services is also referred to as General CSI and GCS.
Since December 2022, General Credit Services has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Everyday People Financial Corp.
The head office is in Vancouver, British Columbia, with additional contact centres in Vaughan, Ontario, and Montréal, Québec.
Source: General Credit Services – About
Why is General Credit Services calling me?
A call, letter, text message, email or voicemail from General Credit Services means a creditor has passed your account to them for collection.
Sometimes the debt is yours. But it could be an old, already paid, or belong to someone else entirely.
Always ask for written verification before confirming anything. Don't share personal details over the phone until you have the debt confirmed in writing.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
Who does General Credit Services collect for?
General Credit Services collects for companies across multiple sectors, including telecommunications, financial services, insurance, utilities and government.
Consumer reports link General Credit Services to five creditors, most often in telecom, insurance and banking.
| Industry | Consumer-reported creditors |
|---|---|
| Telecommunications | TelusStart.ca |
| Banking & Financial Services | |
| Government & Municipal | |
| Insurance |
Know another company General Credit Services collects for?
Is General Credit Services a legitimate collection agency?
Yes. General Credit Services Inc. is a legitimate debt collection agency. General Credit Services publicly lists its offices and contact details across multiple provinces.
General Credit Services is a member of the Canadian Society of Collection Agencies, the Credit Association of Greater Toronto, and the Receivables Management Association.
Will General Credit Services affect my credit score?
A collection account from General Credit Services will severely damage your credit score once it's reported to Equifax or TransUnion.
It stays on your credit report for 6 years from the date of your first missed payment, known as the date of first delinquency. Paying it won't remove the mark from your credit file but updates the status to paid, which looks better to future lenders.
Source: Equifax Canada – How long does information stay on my credit report
What to do if General Credit Services calls you (step by step)
Your rights when General Credit Services contacts you
General Credit Services must comply with provincial debt collection regulations in every province where it operates.
Every province has rules against harassment, false or misleading statements and contact outside permitted hours. The specific rules vary.
Provincial collection rules
The rules that apply to you are based on the province where you live, not where the collection agency is headquartered. Check the regulations for your specific jurisdiction.
Rule | Ontario | Québec | Alberta | British Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Written notice before calling | Yes. 6-day wait after sending notice. | Yes. | No specific requirement in regulation. | Yes. 5-day wait after sending notice. |
Contact hours (Mon to Sat) | 7:00 am to 9:00 pm | 7:00 am to 9:00 pm | 7:00 am to 10:00 pm (any day) | 7:00 am to 9:00 pm |
Contact hours (Sunday) | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Not permitted | 7:00 am to 10:00 pm | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm |
Statutory holidays | No contact | No contact | No contact | No contact |
Call frequency limit | 3 times per 7 days (same debt) | No fixed limit. Must not amount to harassment. | 3 times per 7 days (same creditor) | No fixed limit. Must not amount to harassment. |
Contact at work | Must stop if you ask | Must stop if you ask | Must stop if you make other arrangements | Must stop if you ask |
Correct as of March 2026. Rules for other provinces vary. Check with your provincial consumer protection office for the specific rules in your jurisdiction.
Sources: Government of Ontario – Stop collection agency calls, Government of Canada (FCAC) – Debt collection: know your rights, Consumer Protection BC – Debt collection, Government of Alberta – Collection and Debt Repayment Practices Regulation
What if the debt is old?
Every province has a time limit on how long a collection agency like General Credit Services can sue you for an unpaid debt.
Ontario, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia
Quebec
Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon
Once the limitation period expires, General Credit Services can still sue you, but you can raise the expired limitation period as a complete defence. The defence isn't automatic. You have to file a defence in court and plead the expired limitation period. If you don't, the court will grant default judgment as if the limitation didn't apply.
Making a payment or acknowledging the debt in writing restarts the limitation period, but only if it hasn't already expired.
These limitation periods apply to most consumer debts like credit cards, lines of credit, and personal loans. Different rules may apply to government debts, court judgments, or secured debts like mortgages.
For more information, read our guide about debt statute of limitations.
How to stop calls from General Credit Services
Sometimes, you can stop collection calls from a collection agency by sending a cease and desist letter. Once General Credit Services receive it, they have to stop calling. The debt doesn't go away, and they can still take legal action. You can use our cease and desist letter templates.
Provincial law doesn't give you this right in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island or the Yukon.
Regardless of province, if the debt's on a loan, line of credit, or credit card, send the letter by registered mail under federal law. Federal law is the only law in Canada that also stops an original creditor's in-house collectors, not just a collection agency. You can send it to your original creditor and its collection agent, a collection agency or a law firm.
If General Credit Services is making collection calls to you from its Ontario location, then you can send a cease and desist letter available under Ontario's law.
Restrictions on calls to your workplace
Many provinces and territories place restrictions on collection agencies when they attempt to call you at your workplace.
How to file a complaint about General Credit Services
In Canada, debt collection is regulated province by province, not federally. The rules ban harassment, calling outside set hours, discussing your debt with your family or employer, and threatening legal action they have no intention of taking.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Debt collection: know your rights
If you think General Credit Services is breaking any debt collection or privacy laws, contact the consumer protection authority in your province.
Before making a written complaint, document the dates and times of contact, the phone number used, what was said, and copies of any emails, letters or texts.
Some consumer protection agencies regulating the conduct of collection agencies will not process your complaint unless you first send a written complaint to the collection agency summarizing the conduct in question and making a request for remedial action.
For contact details and links to your provincial office, visit the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Consumer Affairs Offices directory.
