B.C.’s attorney general introduces changes for credit fraud protection bill

B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma responds to questions outside B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver on Monday November 27, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VICTORIA — British Columbia’s Attorney General says the province is working to “modernize” consumer protection laws to help safeguard residents against credit fraud and other misleading business practices.

Niki Sharma says it comes after speaking with residents who “felt powerless” after having “their financial lives turned upside down because of credit fraud, identity theft and misleading business practices.”

She said the changes to Business Practices and Consumer Protection Amendment Act, introduced at the legislature on Thursday, will allow people to access their credit report and score monthly for free, and ensure people can set up security alerts and credit freezes at any time.

Sharma says banks and other lenders will also have to verify identity when a security alert happens to prevent fraudulent loans.

She says the changes also mean credit repair services will no longer be able to make “misleading promises of guaranteed credit score improvements,” or be allowed to charge for services upfront.

The changes will bring B.C. in line with consumer-protection laws in other provinces, including Ontario and Quebec.

“These changes are about empowering consumers, giving them control over their credit information, protecting them from fraud and ensuring transparency in the services that they rely on,” Sharma told a news conference on Thursday.

“This is the next step in our work to help ensure a fairer, more transparent and accountable marketplace for all British Columbians.”

A news release from Sharma’s office says the amendments were also developed in consultation with industry professionals and consumer advocacy groups.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2025.