Unclaimed assets in Canada

Overview

The Bank of Canada is the legal custodian of unclaimed balances from federally regulated banks and trust companies — accounts inactive for ten years where the owner cannot be reached. Its register is free and searchable by name alone. Separately, the CRA holds uncashed government cheques, and only four provinces — British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and New Brunswick — run their own unclaimed property registries. If you live elsewhere, the Bank of Canada register and CRA My Account are your routes.

How to search

1. 1

   Dormant bank balances — the Bank of Canada

   Federally regulated banks and trust companies must transfer accounts inactive for ten years, where the owner cannot be contacted, to the Bank of Canada's Unclaimed Properties Office. Transfers happen once a year, between mid-November and December. Since December 2023 foreign-denominated accounts are included, converted to Canadian dollars.

   • Search the register by name. It is free and needs no account.
   • Repeat for every former surname, maiden name and spelling variation.
   • Search deceased relatives too — estate finds are common here.
   • Submit the claim form with proof of ownership. The office charges no processing fee.

   How long it is held: balances under C$1,000 are kept for 30 years; balances of C$1,000 or more for 100 years, after which they pass to the Receiver General. Interest is paid for the first ten years of custody.

2. 2

   Uncashed government cheques — CRA My Account

   Tax refunds, benefit payments and credits that were issued but never cashed sit with the CRA. This is the largest single pool in Canada by count, and the easiest to check.

   • Sign in to CRA My Account and look under uncashed cheques.
   • Request a duplicate payment for anything listed.
   • Check My Service Canada Account separately for unclaimed CPP, OAS or EI payments.

   Government of Canada cheques have no expiry date, so nothing here is ever too old to claim.

3. 3

   Provincial registries — only four exist

   Provincial programmes cover property under provincial jurisdiction, which the Bank of Canada never sees — credit union and caisse populaire accounts, unclaimed successions, bonds and refunds.

   • Quebec — Revenu Québec runs a register updated weekly; heirs have ten years from the opening of a succession to claim.
   • British Columbia — the BC Unclaimed Property Society at bcunclaimed.ca, free to search and free to claim.
   • Alberta — run by Tax and Revenue Administration since 2008, with dormancy periods from one to fifteen years.
   • New Brunswick — administered by the Financial and Consumer Services Commission since 2022.

   No other province or territory currently runs a public register.

4. 4

   Lost life insurance — OLHI

   The OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance runs a free lost policy search covering the large majority of Canadian insurers — the step most estate guides omit.

   • Submit a search request with the deceased person's details.
   • OLHI circulates the request to participating insurers.
   • Any insurer holding a policy contacts you directly.

   There is no single Canadian pension registry; for a workplace pension, contact the plan or former employer directly.

Asset types held

Documents you'll typically need

• Government photo ID
• Proof matching the name and address on the balance — old statements, tax slips or correspondence
• Supporting documents for balances over C$1,000, which the Bank of Canada scrutinises more closely
• Notarised documents in some cases — the office charges no fee, but proving entitlement can cost you
• If the owner has died: a death certificate, the will or letters of administration, and proof you are the executor or beneficiary