About Unclaimed Dividends

What is an Unclaimed Dividend?

Dividends are amounts payable to individuals and businesses who have been creditors in either a bankruptcy or a proposal under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Dividends are disbursed to creditors by either a private-sector trustee or a proposal administrator. Normally, the distribution would take place upon the completion of a bankruptcy; however, in a proposal, dividends may be distributed at various intervals throughout its administration.

In some cases, the trustee may be unable to contact one or more of the creditors. This usually happens if the creditor has relocated and has forgotten to inform the trustee.

If a creditor can't be located, the trustee is required by law to forward the unclaimed dividend to the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy where it is held in trust until the rightful creditor comes forward to make the claim.

Are you a creditor who has filed a proof of claim in a bankruptcy and would like to find out if there are any unclaimed dividends that are owing to you?

• Remember that your first point of contact is the trustee to the estate. He/she can best advise if your proof of claim has been accepted and if a dividend has been distributed.
  
  
• Did you know that if you have moved and the trustee can not locate you, by law, trustees must forward any unclaimed dividends from bankruptcies/ proposals to the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy.
  
  
• You can now find out whether you have an unclaimed dividend owing to you from a bankruptcy by accessing our On-line Unclaimed Dividends Search Service. This contains only the unclaimed amounts sent to us.
  
  
• Please wait at least two years, from the time that the debtor has declared bankruptcy, before checking this service, given the length of time it takes for bankruptcy proceedings to be completed. Also, keep in mind that the bankruptcy file has to be closed and that there have to be dividends available.
  
  
• Remember that you will have to submit proof of your claim in order to prove that you are the rightful creditor and that the unclaimed dividend is due to you.

On-line Unclaimed Dividends Search Service

• Determine quickly and easily if unclaimed dividends from bankruptcies are owed to you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  
  
• Our on-line national database has over $9.6 million dollars in unclaimed dividends from bankruptcies, owing to over 47,000 individuals or businesses.
  
  
• If you would like to use our service, first register with Strategis' secure web site https://strategis.ic.gc.ca Industry Canada's most comprehensive business database. If you require any assistance registering with Strategis, call the Strategis Help Desk at 1-800-328-6189. Now you're ready to search the database http://osb-bsf.ic.gc.ca
  
  
• On-line help available to assist you with all of your searches. Need personalized coaching on your searches? Contact Customer Service at (613) 941-9054.
  
  
• Found an unclaimed dividend owing to you? The Making Your Claim link on our web site will direct you on what documents to send us.