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Unclaimed money Canada · Free guide

Find money owed to you in Canada

Independent, free guide. Not affiliated with BC Unclaimed or government.

Think the government, a bank or an estate might owe you money? Uncashed CRA cheques, forgotten bank accounts, unclaimed property and inheritances are held by official programs. Here is where to look, and how to claim it yourself.

Free to search. You can do it yourself. Official programs don't charge to search, and most charge nothing to claim (a few, like Alberta, may charge an administration fee). You don't need to pay a "finder". GuidePointBC links you to the official sites. Names entered in the search stay in your browser.
$1.88 billion
in 10,833,150 uncashed CRA cheques, as of July 2026. Source: Canada Revenue Agency

Missing money Canada

How to find money owed to me: start here

Is that unclaimed money message a scam?

How to spot fake "we found money for you" messages, check official websites and report a scam.

CRA uncashed cheques

Old tax refunds, benefit and credit cheques. They never expire. Check in CRA My Account.

Unclaimed and forgotten bank accounts

Accounts inactive for 10 years go to the Bank of Canada. Search its online list.

Government benefits you may be missing

CPP, OAS, EI and credits. Different from tracking this year's refund.

Unclaimed inheritance

Estates, life insurance and money left by someone who has died.

Unclaimed property BC

Search BC Unclaimed for free, with step-by-step claim help.

Unclaimed property Alberta

Alberta's free registry and its 10% cap on finder fees.

Unclaimed property Ontario

Ontario has no provincial search: its Unclaimed Intangible Property Act never came into force and was repealed in 2011. Here's what to check instead.

Unclaimed property Canada: the official lists

Other provinces and territories have no general searchable program. Check federal sources and your Public Guardian and Trustee.

Coming Jan 1, 2027: unclaimed federal pension balances from terminated federally regulated plans can move to the Bank of Canada, where they can be claimed in a similar manner to unclaimed bank balances. Source: OSFI

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I find money owed to me in Canada?

Search each official list: BC Unclaimed or your province's program, the Bank of Canada unclaimed balances search, and CRA My Account for uncashed cheques. Most official searches are free; the Bank of Canada says there is no fee to search for or start a claim (Bank of Canada).

Is there one national unclaimed money database in Canada?

No. Federal bank balances, CRA cheques and each province's unclaimed property are separate. Only BC, Alberta, Quebec and New Brunswick have general public searches.

How much unclaimed money does the government hold?

As of July 2026, the CRA reported 10,833,150 uncashed cheques worth $1,878,270,000.

Do I need to pay someone to find missing money?

No. Official searches and claims are free or low-cost. You can do it yourself.

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