Consumer Proposal Ottawa
A consumer proposal can cut your unsecured debt by up to 80%, stop creditor calls the day it’s filed and let you keep your home and car.
Our Licensed Insolvency Trustees help people across Ottawa, from Centretown and the Glebe to Westboro and Nepean with free, confidential consultations at our downtown office on Albert Street.
The sooner you act, the more options you have.
Safe, secure & confidential
How does a consumer proposal work in Ottawa?
A consumer proposal in Ottawa works through a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT), who files a legally binding offer to your creditors to repay part of your unsecured debt. It can cut what you owe by up to 80%, and the federal Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act sets the same rules across Canada.
You make one fixed, interest-free monthly payment for up to five years and keep your home, car and other assets. Once your trustee files, collection calls, interest charges and wage garnishments stop.
Who qualifies for a consumer proposal in Ottawa?
You qualify for a consumer proposal if you owe between $1,000 and $250,000 in unsecured debt and can’t repay it in full but can afford a regular monthly payment.
You also need to:
- Be an individual, not a corporation.
- Live in Canada or own property in Canada.
- Be at least 18 years old.
The $250,000 limit excludes your mortgage. If you don’t qualify, see our other debt relief options in Ottawa, or we will assess your situation for free.
What do clients say about our consumer proposal service?
Clients rate Harris & Partners 4.8 out of 5 from more than 2,200 Google reviews and “Excellent” on Trustpilot, for clear advice and judgment-free support.
Based on OSB data, 3 in 4 people in Ottawa choose a consumer proposal over bankruptcy.
Among those facing insolvency, it's how most clear debt and keep their home.
Among those facing insolvency, it's how most clear debt and keep their home.
Consumer proposal vs bankruptcy vs debt consolidation: Which is right for you?
A consumer proposal in Ottawa reduces your debt while you keep your assets, bankruptcy clears more debt but may cost you assets, and debt consolidation is a new loan that doesn’t reduce what you owe.
The right choice depends on your income, assets, and total debt, and a trustee will walk you through all three.
| Consumer proposal | Bankruptcy | Debt consolidation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reduces debt? | Yes, up to 80% | Yes, most debt cleared | No |
| New loan needed? | No | No | Yes |
| Interest | 0% | 0% | Variable, often high |
| Stops collection calls? | Yes, on filing | Yes, on filing | No |
| Your assets | Keep all assets | May lose some assets | Keep all assets |
| Credit report | R7 until 3 years after completion or 6 years after filing, whichever comes first | R9 for 6–7 years after discharge (first bankruptcy) | Depends on repayment history |
| Government-regulated? | Yes | Yes | No |
How could a consumer proposal help you in Ottawa?
A consumer proposal in Ottawa could cut your debt, stop creditors chasing you, and let you keep your assets, all through one interest-free monthly payment.
- Reduce your debt by up to 80%: Creditors often accept significantly less than the full balance.
- Stop creditors the day you file: Collection calls and wage garnishments must stop, with legal protection under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
- Keep your home, car and other assets: You don’t surrender property, unlike in bankruptcy.
- One interest-free payment every month: Interest freezes on filing, and your trustee sets the payment around your budget, spread over up to five years.
- Qualify easily, with a high approval rate: There’s no credit check, and 9 in 10 proposals we file are accepted by creditors.
How to file a consumer proposal in Ottawa
A consumer proposal in Ottawa has four main stages, from a free consultation with a Licensed Insolvency Trustee to a Certificate of Full Performance once your payments and counselling are complete.
- 1. Book a free consultation: A trustee reviews your debts, income and assets and explains every option, not just consumer proposals. It takes under an hour, and you have no obligation to commit.
- 2. Draft and file your proposal: If a proposal suits you, we prepare it with a monthly payment you can afford and file it with the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy. Collection calls, interest and wage garnishments stop immediately.
- 3. Creditors vote: Creditors have 45 days to respond. If creditors holding the majority of your debt by value accept, the proposal binds all of them.
- 4. Make your payments and finish the program: You pay your trustee once a month for up to five years and attend two financial counselling sessions. After your last payment, you receive a Certificate of Full Performance and the included debts are cleared.
Why choose Harris & Partners for your consumer proposal in Ottawa
We’ve helped Canadians get out of debt since 1964, with plain-English advice from people who care about your financial stability. There are no intimidating offices and no legal jargon.
We’re one of Canada’s largest insolvency filers, with more than 100 years of combined trustee experience and long-standing creditor relationships that help get proposals approved.
Ottawa residents who file with us can legally reduce their unsecured debt by up to 80% and repay the rest in affordable instalments.
Why choose Harris & Partners for your consumer proposal in Ottawa
How much could you save with a consumer proposal?
In this example, a consumer proposal cuts monthly repayments on $38,290 of debt from $1,409 to $210 over 60 months.
Repayments over 60 months
Before help
$1,409
After help
$210
Example only; your payment depends on your income, assets and debts.
Estimate your monthly payment
What types of debt are covered by consumer proposals in Ottawa?
A consumer proposal can include most unsecured debts, combining them into one interest-free monthly payment:
- Credit cards – balances across any number of cards
- Payday loans – ending the borrowing cycle
- Personal loans and lines of credit – from banks or private lenders
- CRA tax debt – income tax arrears, GST/HST you owe personally and CERB overpayments
- Student loans – once seven years have passed since you left school
- Medical bills and utility arrears – including unpaid hydro and gas
Mortgages and car loans are secured debts, so they stay outside the proposal. Filing does stop wage garnishments from your unsecured creditors, which makes it easier to keep up those secured payments.
Where is the Harris & Partners Ottawa office?
Our Ottawa office is downtown, at:
116 Albert St, Suite 300, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G3.
Meet your Licensed Insolvency Trustee
Joshua Harris is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and Partner at Harris & Partners, and the trustee for our Ottawa office.
He’s the third generation of his family to work as a trustee at the firm, after his grandfather and father.
He holds a Master’s degree in International Business, became a Chartered Insolvency and Restructuring Professional (CIRP) in 2018 and a Licensed Insolvency Trustee in 2020.
Address
116 Albert St, Suite 300, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G3
How to get there
By O-Train: Take Line 1 (Confederation Line) to Parliament station, a short walk from the office.
By car: Take Highway 417 (the Queensway) and exit towards downtown.
Office hours
Monday to Friday: 09:00-17:00 (by appointment only)
Ottawa consumer proposal FAQs
These answers cover the questions Ottawa residents ask most about consumer proposals, from tax debt and credit ratings to cost.
How do I file a consumer proposal in Ottawa?
You file a consumer proposal in Ottawa by working with a Licensed Insolvency Trustee, the only professional who can legally file one in Canada. After reviewing your finances, the trustee builds your offer to creditors and submits it to the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy. Creditors have 45 days to respond, and payments last up to five years.
Is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee consultation free in Ottawa?
Most Licensed Insolvency Trustees in Ottawa offer a free, no-obligation first consultation. The trustee goes through your debts, income and assets, then sets out every route available to you, such as consumer proposals, bankruptcy and debt management plans. The federal government regulates trustees, and they must explain all options, including ones they don’t provide themselves.
How much does a consumer proposal cost in Ottawa?
You pay nothing upfront for a consumer proposal in Ottawa – federal rules set the trustee’s fees, which your monthly payments cover. Your monthly amount is based on your income, essential living costs, household size and assets, and typically comes to far less than your total unsecured debt. The same payments cover both required counselling sessions.
Can CRA tax debt be included in a consumer proposal in Ottawa?
Most personal CRA debt can go into a consumer proposal, including income tax, GST/HST you owe as an individual, and CPP or EI overpayments. The CRA holds the same unsecured creditor status as your credit card and loan providers and gets a vote. Once you file, a stay of proceedings stops CRA wage garnishments and blocks new bank account freezes.
How does a consumer proposal affect your credit score in Ottawa?
A consumer proposal reduces your credit score and adds an R7 rating – the credit bureau code for proposals – to your credit report. The R7 does less damage than bankruptcy’s R9 rating and comes off three years after your final payment or six years after filing, whichever happens first. You can begin rebuilding your score before the proposal ends.