At a glance Primat (legal name GagnonGodin Agence de recouvrement inc.) is a Terrebonne, Quebec-based debt collection and investigation agency that has been operating since 2020.
Primat collects unpaid accounts on behalf of other companies. If they're contacting you, a creditor has handed your account to them.
Get written verification of the debt before you pay anything or hand over personal details. Don't recognize the debt? Dispute it in writing. If the agency calls outside the legal hours or harasses you, file a complaint with your provincial regulator.
What is Primat?
Primat is a third-party collection and investigation agency based in Quebec. Their legal name is GagnonGodin Agence de recouvrement inc. The agency also trades under the GagnonGodin name. They've operated since 2020.
Primat doesn't own the debts it collects. The creditor hires Primat to recover the money, and the agency earns a commission on what it collects.
Alongside debt collection, Primat does investigation work like skip tracing and asset searches. Its clients are businesses across Canada, from small companies to large corporations.
Contact Primat
1-514-471-0435
Contact this debt collection agency to verify details, dispute the debt or resolve your account.
Visit agency websiteWhy is Primat calling me?
Primat is likely calling because a creditor hired them to collect an unpaid debt. They may also leave voicemails and send letters, emails and texts. And since the agency does skip tracing, it may have tracked down your contact details that way.
The debt is often genuine. It might also be old, already settled, or belong to someone else entirely. Sometimes collectors are trying to reach whoever had your phone number before you.
Don't confirm or pay anything over the phone until you know the debt is genuine. Ask for written verification of the creditor, the amount, the account number, and the date of last activity.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
Who does Primat collect for?
Primat collects unpaid accounts for businesses across Canada, from small companies to large corporations.
Primat's clients include Air Canada, KPMG, Metro, RE/MAX Canada and Quebec's Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.
Companies that use Primat for debt collection
Submitted by consumers. We try to verify these reports but cannot always confirm them.
Know another company Primat collects for?
Primat phone numbers
These numbers are commonly associated with Primat:
| Phone number | Type |
|---|---|
| Main | |
| Local Office |
Some numbers are submitted by users. We call to verify each one and recheck periodically, but numbers can change.
Got a call from a number not shown here?
If you receive a call from a different number claiming to be Primat, verify the debt in writing and confirm the details before paying.
Is Primat a legitimate collection agency?
Yes. Primat is the brand name of GagnonGodin Agence de recouvrement inc., a Quebec company incorporated in 2020 and still trading. The agency also operates as GagnonGodin.
Scammers do impersonate real agencies, so check the sender before you pay anything.
Use the contact details on this page or the agency's own site, primat.ca, rather than trusting a call or email you weren't expecting.
Will Primat affect my credit score?
A collection account from Primat 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
Check your own report to see whether Primat has reported the account and whether the information is correct.
What to do if Primat calls you (step by step)
Step 1: Ask for written verification. Get the original creditor's name, amount, account number and the date of last activity. Don't confirm anything until you've reviewed it in writing.
Step 2: Don't share personal details. No address, date of birth or banking information until you've confirmed the debt is yours.
Step 3: Check your credit report to see what Primat has reported about you. Get your free credit score and report with Borrowell.
Step 4: Dispute the debt in writing if it's wrong. Keep copies of everything you send.
Step 5: Check the statute of limitations in your province before you pay or acknowledge the debt in writing.
Step 6: Settle if the debt is correct. Sometimes, Primat might accept a one-time lump sum for less than the full balance. Get any agreement in writing before you pay.
Step 7: Pay by a traceable method like online banking, e-Transfer, or card. Get a receipt.
Step 8: Get help if you can't pay. Talk to a Licensed Insolvency Trustee or non-profit credit counsellor.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
Not in Ontario, Alberta, BC, Nunavut or the NWT? Find a trustee in your province
What if the debt is old?
Every province has a time limit on how long a collection agency like Primat can sue you for an unpaid debt.
| Province / Territory | Limitation period |
|---|---|
| Ontario, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia | 2 years |
| Quebec | 3 years |
| Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon | 6 years |
Once the limitation period expires, Primat 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 Primat
Sometimes, you can stop collection calls from a collection agency by sending a cease and desist letter. Once Primat 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 Primat 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 Primat
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 Primat 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.
Primat locations
Locations that Primat operate in:
Provinces served
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
Legal Name
GagnonGodin Agence de recouvrement inc.
Also known as
Primat.ca
FAQs
What if I don't recognize the debt?
Ask Primat for written verification before doing anything else. The letter should name the original creditor, the amount owed, the account number and the date of last activity.
Pull your credit report to see if the debt appears there. If you still don't recognize it after checking those details, dispute it in writing.
Is Primat the same as GagnonGodin?
Yes. Primat is the brand and online platform. GagnonGodin Agence de recouvrement inc. is the legal name behind it, and the agency uses both names. A letter or call from either one is the same company.
Can Primat garnish my wages or freeze my bank account?
Not immediately. Primat has to sue you, win a court judgment, then get a garnishment order.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
Can I be taken to court over a Primat debt?
Yes. Primat collects for the creditor, so the creditor is the one who'd sue, usually after the account comes back unpaid. A creditor can still file after your province's limitation period expires, but you can raise the expiry as a defence. Whether they sue at all depends on the balance and the creditor's instructions.
Can Primat contact my employer, family or friends?
Only to confirm your contact details, and they can't discuss your debt with them. In Ontario, they can contact your employer once to confirm you work there.
How long does a Primat collection stay on my credit report?
Six years from the date you first fell behind, then it drops off automatically. Paying it updates the status to paid, but doesn't remove it early.
Source: Equifax Canada – How long does information stay on my credit report?
Can I negotiate a settlement with Primat?
Often, you can negotiate a settlement with a collection agency. Primat collects for the creditor and doesn't own the debt, so the creditor has to approve any reduced amount. Get the agreement in writing, including the amount and how the account will be reported, before you pay.
What happens if I ignore Primat?
The debt doesn't disappear. Contact continues. It can be reported to the credit bureaus, and the creditor can take you to court. If you can't afford to pay, get advice from a Licensed Insolvency Trustee or from a credit counsellor.
How do I pay Primat?
Pay through Primat's payment page or call them at 514-471-0435.
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Joe launched CollectionAgencies.ca in 2025. He has worked in Canadian personal finance since 2023. He maintains the directory, researches collection agencies across Canada and manages the site's editorial content. Agency listings are sourced from provincial licensing records and legislation.