About Us

Our vision

Provide leadership in protecting the integrity of the Canadian bankruptcy and insolvency system, a pillar of the marketplace.

Our mission

Contribute to a fair and efficient marketplace by protecting the integrity of the bankruptcy and insolvency system for the benefit of investors, lenders, consumers and the public.

Our mandate

Supervise the administration of all estates and matters under insolvency legislation.

Our strategic objectives

  • Maintain an efficient and effective regulatory framework;
  • Promote awareness of the rights and responsibilities of the stakeholders in the insolvency system;
  • Ensure trustee and debtor compliance with the legislative and regulatory framework; and
  • Be an integral source of information on Canadian insolvency matters.

Our areas of activity

The OSB helps ensure that bankruptcies and insolvencies are conducted in a fair and orderly manner. The Office:

  • supervises the administration of estates in bankruptcy, commercial reorganizations, consumer proposals and receiverships, under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA);
  • maintains a publicly accessible record of bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings under the BIA and of proceedings under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA);
  • licenses private-sector trustees to administer estates and appoints administrators of consumer proposals;
  • records and investigates complaints from creditors, debtors, and members of the general public regarding possible wrongdoing by someone involved in the insolvency process under the BIA;
  • records and investigates complaints regarding the conduct of monitors under the CCAA;
  • sets and enforces professional standards for the administration of estates filed under the BIA; and
  • promotes awareness of the rights and responsibilities of the stakeholders in the insolvency system.

OSB Management

Superintendent of Bankruptcy

Bill James (biography)
Telephone: 613-941-1000
Fax: 613-946-9205

Deputy Superintendent

Patricia Alférez
Telephone: 613-946-2157
Fax: 613-948-6367

Director General, Program Policy and Regulatory Affairs

Elisabeth Lang
Telephone: 613-946-2166
Fax: 613-946-2168

Director General, Outreach and Services Innovation

Ginette Trahan
Telephone: 613-941-2854
Fax: 613-946-9205

Director, Corporate Services

Rita Morin
Telephone: 613-941-3471
Fax: 613-941-2862

Corporate Secretary

Joanne Huot-Law
Telephone: 613-941-2694
Fax: 613-952-1854

Regional Director, Western Region

Tim Low
Telephone: 604-666-8045
Fax: 604-666-4610

Regional Director, Ontario Region

Jack Steinman
Telephone: 416-954-6310
Fax: 416-954-6311

Regional Director, Eastern Region

Samra Rabie
Telephone: 514-283-3422
Fax: 514-283-5130

OSB Advisory Committee

Mandate

The mandate of the Advisory Committee is to provide external advice to the Superintendent of Bankruptcy; Assistant Deputy Minister, Small Business, Tourism and Marketplace Services and Deputy Minister, Industry Canada, on the OSB’s key business priorities.

Membership

The Advisory Committee membership is comprised of external professionals who bring insight and advice on the OSB’s business objectives and priorities.

Joan Huzar, Chairperson
Consumer Advocate

Kevin Brennan
Insolvency and Restructuring Professional

Edward Sellers
Insolvency Lawyer

Charles McAllister
Provincial Public Sector Executive

Guylaine Belley
Business Engineer

John D. Eisner
Credit Counselling Services Executive

Dave Daum
Bank Executive, Real Estate Lending

Ex-Officio Members

Marie-Josée Thivierge
Assistant Deputy Minister
Small Business, Tourism and Marketplace Services, Industry Canada

Bill James
Superintendent of Bankruptcy

Patricia Alférez
Deputy Superintendent of Bankruptcy

Secretary

Joanne Huot-Law
Corporate Secretary

OSB service standards

The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy is committed to providing you with quality services and at the specified service level described below. To achieve this, we pledge to

  • be courteous by responding to your inquiries promptly and politely;
  • be just and impartial by offering a fair service; and
  • be accessible by providing information from the public record in a timely manner.

We offer bilingual services from our 14 offices across Canada from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. (See Contact Us to find the office nearest you.)

OSB service standards
Services Standards If we do not meet this deadline
Bankruptcy and Insolvency Registration Registration will be complete within two business days of receiving completed documents. …contact the local Designated Assistant Superintendent of Bankruptcy, who will respond within one business day.
Bankruptcy Assistance Program (Learn more about the Bankruptcy Assistance Program) Bankruptcy registration forms will be forwarded to a licensed trustee within two business days. After that, you will have access to the bankruptcy process within 30 days. …contact your local Designated Assistant Superintendent of Bankruptcy, who will respond within three business days.
Complaints relating to BIA proceedings We will acknowledge your written complaint by phone or in writing within three business days.
We will try to resolve the complaint and inform you about it by phone or in writing within 30 business days. Because some complaints are complicated and take more time, we will let you know if this is the case within the 30-day period.		 …contact your local Designated Assistant Superintendent of Bankruptcy, who will respond within one business day.
Inquiries relating to BIA proceedings We will answer your inquiries or refer you to someone who can within three business days. …contact your local Designated Assistant Superintendent of Bankruptcy, who will respond within one business day.
Bankruptcy and Insolvency Records Search
(Learn more about the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Records)		 If you have an account with us, we will respond to your telephone requests for search services immediately.
At your request, we will confirm these findings by fax within one business day of the search.
We will process your written request within one business day.		 …contact the Manager, Information and Client Services, at 613-941-1000. Your complaint will be handled within one business day.
Inquiries relating to CCAA proceedings We will answer your inquiries or refer you to someone who can within three business day. … contact the Designated Assistant Superintendent, CCAA at 1-877-376-9902, by mail at ccaa_lacc@ic.gc.ca or by fax at 1-877-827-7139.
Complaints relating to CCAA proceedings We will acknowledge your complaint by phone or in writing within three business days.
We will try to resolve the complaint and inform you about it by phone or in writing within 30 business days. Because some complaints are complicated and take more time, we will let you know if this is the case within the 30-day period.		 … contact the Designated Assistant Superintendent, CCAA at 1-877-376-9902, by email at ccaa_lacc@ic.gc.ca or by fax at 1-877-827-7139.

Contact information

Public Inquiries

Bankruptcy and Insolvency Records: 1-866-941-2863 (8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST)

CCAA National Team: 1-877-376-9902

For other inquiries, please contact the OSB at 1-877-376-9902.

Media Inquiries

Please contact Industry Canada's Media Relations team at 613-943-2502 or at mediarelationscontacts@ic.gc.ca. Media relations officers are available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday to Friday.