Frequently asked questions

Please contact the issuing department or agency responsible for each of your payments to notify them of your address change. The Government of Canada is switching to electronic payments. Please visit the direct deposit page and select the payment you want to receive by direct deposit.

Please contact your payment issuing department or agency to inform them and to request another payment. After verification is completed, which may include the completion of legal forms, a new cheque will be issued or a new payment will be deposited.

The superannuation program is administered by the Public Service Pension Centre of Public Works and Government Services Canada in Shediac, New Brunswick. Please go to Your public service pension and benefits portal - Retired member, or call 1‑800‑561‑7930 (within Canada and the continental USA) or 506‑533‑5800 (from outside Canada or the continental USA - collect calls are accepted).

Normally, the issuing department or agency for the payment is usually identified on the cheque stub. Often, there is also a phone number to call if you have questions. If there is no stub, please contact the Payment Products and Services Directorate, of Public Works and Government Services Canada, at 1‑800‑593‑1666, or email the Receiver General for Canada (requetesrg.rgenquire@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca).

Receiver General cheques are never stale dated, meaning you can cash them no matter how old they are. The financial institution (bank, credit union, trust company, caisse populaire) in Canada has the right, however, to validate the cheque by faxing a copy to the Cheque Redemption and Control Directorate in Matane, Quebec. For more information you can visit the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.

No. By law, banks in Canada cannot charge a fee for cashing a Government of Canada cheque. For more information you can visit the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada website.

In most cases, money received during the month of death has to be repaid, but there are some exceptions. Please contact the issuing department or agency for details on how to stop the payments.

Please contact the department responsible for details on how to stop the payments. If the deceased was receiving more than one federal payment, please contact each issuing department or agency.

Although all payments to and from the Government of Canada are made in the name of the Receiver General, enquiries regarding taxes and tax payments should be made directly to the Canada Revenue Agency.

Please do not deposit your cheque before the printed date. Due to mail processing, it is possible that certain cheques may be delivered in advance.

To have payments automatically deposited to your bank account on the appropriate date, please visit the direct deposit section to obtain additional information.

The Receiver General issues payments on behalf of departments and agencies; for details regarding payments, the recipient must contact the issuing department or agency.

To determine which payment options are available to you, please contact the issuing department or agency for the services/programs that you are receiving.

The invoice was sent to you from the issuing department or agency for the services/programs that you are receiving, and all questions should be addressed to this department directly.

In some instances the estate is required to pay the invoice. Please contact the issuing department or agency for more information on how to make the payment.

Through an open competitive process, the Bank of America Merrill Lynch® was awarded a contract to manage the Government of Canada's foreign banking requirements; based on several factors, including their global reach.

For most recipients, their payment can be in the currency of the country where they live; therefore they should be getting a better exchange rate. Although cashing cheques may result in lower fees, electronic foreign payments are not subject to postal disruptions and are considerably faster.

If you are receiving cheques, the cheques will continue to display the Canada wordmark and logo on the top portion. The remainder of the cheque will be designed and signed by a Bank of America Merrill Lynch® official and may change depending on the requirements of the country.

As a result of this contract, you should benefit from a better exchange rate and may see a reduction in banking fees.

Exchange rates fluctuate over time, so it is impossible to pre-determine the rate. However, the Bank of America Merrill Lynch® will be able to offer a competitive rate.

Where the cheque has been requisitioned in Canadian currency and converted to local currency the amount on the cheque stub reflects the Canadian dollar value of the payment before it was converted to local currency.

For benefit payments, the first direct deposit will be made approximately 3 months after receipt of your completed enrolment form. The amount of your payment may vary depending on the exchange rate.

Verify that your country of residence is one of the participating countries.

Currently direct deposit is available for most program payments. To determine if direct deposit is available for the program for which you are receiving benefits, you may call the department that issues your cheque.

Direct deposit is an electronic transfer of funds deposited directly into the bank account that you supplied at the time of your enrolment. Direct deposit replaces the need to issue payments by paper cheque.

Receiving your payments from the Government of Canada by direct deposit offers many benefits. It allows you to access your money faster and is more convenient as your payment will not be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather. It is reliable and your payment will always be deposited on time in the bank account that you supply at the time of your enrolment in direct deposit. Direct deposit is secure because your payment cannot be lost or stolen, and it is much less costly than issuing a cheque.

You can sign up to receive your Canada Revenue Agency payments by direct deposit through most Canadian financial institutions. You can contact your bank to enquire if this service is available.

Canadians are being strongly encouraged to enrol in direct deposit for all their federal government payments. Direct deposit is fast, convenient, reliable and secure. Go to the direct deposit page to enrol in direct deposit for your Government of Canada payments. Canadians who have not yet enroled in direct deposit will continue to receive cheques.

You can enrol all of your Government of Canada payments in direct deposit.

The Receiver General's direct deposit website provides information on the various options and methods available to enrol your payments.

Yes, by selecting the Canada Revenue Agency on the Direct Deposit enrolment form, you will also automatically enrol your OTB or ACLAR payment in direct deposit.

The Government of Canada considers privacy and security of utmost importance in the issuance of payments. Any information you provide to the Government of Canada when enroling in direct deposit is protected under the Government of Canada Privacy Act.

The Government of Canada considers privacy and security of utmost importance in the issuance of payments. Any information you provide to the Government of Canada when you enrol for direct deposit is protected under the Government of Canada Privacy Act and as described in Receiver General Payments (Personal Information Bank PWGSC PCU 712).

The Receiver General will use and disclose personal information for direct deposit purposes only to the federal institutions from which you are receiving payments and to your financial institution in order to issue direct deposit payments. Personal information such as your Social Insurance Number (SIN) will not be disclosed to your financial institution.

Access to your bank account is governed by your account agreement with your financial institution. Please consult with your financial institution for more information regarding their privacy and security measures.

Yes. Certain departments are authorized to use the SIN, such as Service Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency. It is therefore necessary to provide your SIN when enroling in direct deposit. Both departments are using the SIN as your account number for the identity validation and payment process. Other departments may use a different identifier such as a pension number.

The Receiver General will use and disclose personal information for direct deposit purposes only to the federal institutions from which you are receiving payments and to your financial institution in order to issue direct deposit payments. Your SIN will not be disclosed to your financial institution.

Yes. An officially designated individual who is authorized to act on someone else's behalf may enrol that person in direct deposit. Please ensure that the payment issuing department or agency has been informed of your appointment as a representative with Power of Attorney.

You will find the contact information on the Receiver General's direct deposit website.

Your payment details are held separately by each department to ensure your privacy. If you are enroled in direct deposit with one department, that information is not shared with any other department. You will therefore need to enrol in direct deposit with the department issuing your payments by cheque.

The Receiver General's Direct Deposit website provides information on the various options and methods available to enrol your payments in direct deposit.

No. Notices will not be mailed to inform you when a payment has been deposited into your account. In most instances, your bank statement will indicate that you have received a payment from the Government of Canada and may provide additional information with regards to the type of payment you receive. If you are receiving recurring payments, they will continue to be issued on the same date.

However, departments will continue to issue important notices and notification of changes concerning your payment by mail. In limited circumstances, information may also be sent by using electronic mail (email).

Yes. However, as an exception, the Income Tax refund and Goods and Services Tax (GST)/ Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) credits issued by the Canada Revenue Agency must be deposited into the same bank account that you supplied to us at the time of enrolment in direct deposit.

Please contact your payment issuing department or agency to confirm the process for depositing to different accounts. You will find the contact information for certain departments on the direct deposit section of the Receiver General's website. If your payment is not included on this list, you can find contact information for the issuing department or agency on the Government of Canada website or by calling 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232).

You can visit the direct deposit section of the Receiver General's website to obtain information on how to enrol for your Government of Canada payment(s) by telephone, online, in person or by mail.

Please visit the direct deposit section on the Receiver General's website to complete an enrolment form or the Contact the Receiver General for Canada section to obtain additional information for Canadians living abroad.

Please refer to "When can I have my benefits deposited directly to my bank account?" of the Questions for recipients of foreign payments section for additional information.

The diagram below identifies where you can find your banking information including the branch number, the financial institution number and the account number. This information can be found at the bottom of the cheque.

You may also: 

• attach a "void" cheque to your direct deposit enrolment form; or
• complete an enrolment form during your next visit at your financial institution where a bank teller will assist you with your banking information. This service is available at most financial institutions.

Please ask your bank teller for assistance with the completion of your Direct Deposit enrolment form during your next visit to your financial institution.

Yes. If you don't have a void cheque, your financial institution's stamp is required in order to ensure accuracy of information and to assist in the validation of your identity. Alternatively, you may be able to print a sample void cheque or direct deposit form from your online bank portal for the purpose of completing the direct deposit enrolment form.

Yes, directly depositing money into your bank account is no different than any other deposit made into your joint account.

For additional information or assistance with the completion of a direct deposit enrolment form, please contact the Receiver General for Canada. For the completion of an enrolment form on paper, you can also ask your bank teller for assistance during your next visit at the bank.

You will find the mailing address on the Direct deposit enrolment form. Please contact the Receiver General for Canada if you need additional information.

If after several payments you are still receiving cheques, please contact the payment issuing department or agency to verify that the form was received.

You will find contact information in the Direct deposit section of the Receiver General’s website. If your payment issuing department or agency is not included on this list, you can find the contact information for any other issuing department or agency on the Government of Canada website or by calling 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232).

If you have completed an enrolment form and mailed it in, the processing of your request will likely take more time than if you enrol by telephone or online.

Your payments are released for printing or depositing based upon pre-set schedules that are determined by the departments and agencies making the payments.

If you do not receive a payment when expected, please contact your financial institution or the department or agency issuing your payment. You can find contact information for any other issuing department or agency on the Government of Canada website or by calling 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232).

Please contact the department or agency responsible for each of your payments to notify them of your address change. You will find contact information on the Receiver General's direct deposit website.

Please contact your payment issuing department to provide your new banking information. You will find the contact information for various departments on the Receiver General's direct deposit website.

If you are an individual living in Canada and your payments are included in the list below, you can also complete an enrolment form, provide your new banking information and mail it to the address indicated on the form. You can obtain a form under the "Most requested" section of the direct deposit page of the Receiver General's or at most financial institutions.

• Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
• Canada Child Benefit (CCB)
• Goods and Services Tax (GST)/Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) Credits
• Income Tax Refund
• Old Age Security (OAS)

Note: It is recommended that you do not close your old bank account until your first payment has been deposited to your new bank account.

See "I receive more than one type of payment. Can I request that my payments be deposited in different bank accounts?" for additional information on requesting payments to be deposited in different bank accounts.

The Receiver General issues payments on behalf of other departments and agencies. For inquiries related to the amount, please contact the payment issuing department or agency.

You can find contact information on the Receiver General's direct deposit website.

If your payment is not included in the above sections, you can find contact information for any other issuing department or agency on the Government of Canada website or by calling 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232).

In some instances, your financial institution will provide you with some payment details on your banking statement (paper or online), such as CPP for Canada Pension Plan and OAS for Old Age Security. If you require additional information, you can:

• call the Receiver General at 1‑800‑593‑1666 , where an agent will assist in identifying the payment using personal identifiers based on the payment issuing department or agency. For example, departments or agencies may use your Social Insurance Number (SIN), an account or pension number, a business or a vendor number to manage your file
• contact your payment issuing department or agency directly to obtain detailed information regarding your payment. You can find the contact information for any other issuing department or agency on the Government of Canada website or by calling 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232)

In cases where, beyond any doubt, the direct deposit payment does not belong to you, then you should request that your financial institution return the funds electronically to the Government of Canada.

Receiver General cheques are never stale dated, as stated in Canadian Payments Association Rule G2, General Rules Pertaining to Government of Canada Paper Instruments.

First, look for the 2 most prominent security features, the watermark and the fibres.

You should then refer to Canadian Payments Association Rule G7 verification and collection procedures for Receiver General warrants. For more information, you can visit the Automated Clearing Settlement System Web Page of the Canadian Payments Association, email them at info@payments.ca, or call them at 1‑613‑238‑4173.

For more information you can visit the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada website.

Receiver General cheques are never stale dated, as stated in Canadian Payments Association Rule G2 general rules pertaining to Government of Canada paper instruments.

For tips on how to validate a Government of Canada cheque or warrant, look for the 2 most prominent security features, the watermark and the fibres. You should then refer to Canadian Payments Association Rule G7 verification and collection procedures for Receiver General warrants Web Page of the Canadian Payments Association, email them at info@cdnpay.ca, or call them at 1‑613‑238‑4173.

It is recommended that you first contact the official responsible to follow-up on your behalf (please refer to your contract or order). To obtain contact information for the department or agency where an invoice was submitted for products or services provided, please consult the issuing department or agency section of the Government of Canada website or call 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232).

Please visit the Business/Suppliers page for enrolment options. To obtain additional information, please consult the list of Contacts for Accounts Payable by Federal Departments and Agencies or call 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232).

Since a common identifier is not used by all federal departments and agencies, you must contact each department or agency individually to enrol your payments in direct deposit. You can visit the Receiver General's Direct Deposit website's Business/Suppliers page section for enrolment options. To obtain additional information, please consult the list of Contacts for Accounts Payable by Federal Departments and Agencies or call 1‑800‑593‑1666 (Receiver General call centre) or 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232).

Most federal government departments are able to provide additional details via email notification. In some cases you may be required to contact the department(s) you normally conduct business with to obtain detailed information regarding your payment. You can visit the Receiver General's Direct Deposit website's Business/ Suppliers page for enrolment options. To obtain additional information, please consult the list of Contacts for Accounts Payable by Federal Departments and Agencies or call 1‑800‑593‑1666 (Receiver General call centre) or 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232).

Each fall, the Public Accounts of Canada are tabled in the House of Commons. You can consult previous years of the Public Accounts of Canada starting with 1995 at Library and Archives Canada. For the current year, you can go directly to the page of the Public Accounts of Canada.

The Payment on Due Date (PODD) rate is based on the average Bank of Canada discount rate for the previous month plus 3 percent. Complete information is available at Payment on due date.

If your account has been inactive for less than 10 years, contact your financial institution. When there has been no owner activity in relation to the balance for more than 10 years, and the owner cannot be contacted by the institution holding it, the balance is turned over to the Bank of Canada, which acts as custodian on behalf of the owner. You can search for an unclaimed balance by using the search form from the Bank of Canada.

If you haven't found the information you need, you can contact the Receiver General for Canada.

Pursuant to the Department of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Act, the Receiver General for Canada has no mandate to address claims of right. Also, claims of right do not impose any legal obligation on this Department. We recommend that you consult with a lawyer of your own choosing in order to be informed of your legal rights regarding claims of right.