Jun 10, 2026
For decades, women in Canada were routinely denied credit unless a husband or father co-signed. That changed with the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) of 1977, which prohibited discrimination in federally regulated services — including banks — on the basis of sex and marital status. Banks, credit card companies and other federally regulated lenders are now legally required to assess each applicant on their own merits.
And yet, many women are still financially vulnerable — not because of discrimination, but because of how credit is structured. The story of an 83-year-old widow named June makes that vulnerability painfully clear.
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June had always paid her bills on time and carried no debt. She drove an older car, spent well below her means and paid off her credit card balance in full each month. By every measure, she was a responsible borrower. Then her husband died — and with him, her entire credit history.
Out of nowhere, June received a notice that her credit card was being closed and the bank refused to issue her a new one. What June hadn’t realized was that the account was in her late husband’s name and she was only listed as an “authorized user.”
When he died, most of her credit history was wiped out. With a limited credit file of her own, June didn’t qualify for a card in her own name.
While this story is hypothetical, it is a reality many Canadian widows experience as they try to rebalance their financial health after the death of a partner.
The problem with being an authorized user
June’s situation is more common than most people realize — and in Canada, it can happen to anyone whose credit history is largely tied to their spouse’s account.
Being added as an authorized user on someone else’s card can show up on your credit report with Equifax Canada or TransUnion Canada, and it can help build your score. But there’s a catch: You’re entirely at the mercy of the primary cardholder’s financial habits. That means if they miss payments or carry a high balance, that damage can reflect on your credit score, too. And when the primary cardholder dies, that account history can disappear from your credit file entirely — taking years of good money habits with it.
In Canada, once the two national credit bureaus — Equifax and TransUnion — are notified of someone’s death, they place a death notice on the deceased’s credit report, and credit scores can no longer be calculated for that file. More importantly, for surviving spouses named as an authorized user, their access to that account and potentially their associated credit history can get wiped out.
Older women are at particular risk in this situation. Statista Research reports there were 1.6 million widows in Canada in 2022 — outnumbering widowers by more than 3 to 1 — with more than 58% of those women aged 75 and older. Many couples of that generation managed money the way June and her husband did: One person handled the bills, while the other was added for convenience. There was no reason to think twice about it at the time. Unfortunately, that arrangement can have serious and unintentional consequences down the road.
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The lesson for couples today is that both partners should hold at least one credit card in their own name. Applying takes only minutes. Paying the balance in full each month costs nothing in interest. But it could spare a surviving spouse the experience of starting over from scratch.
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How to build your credit from nothing
Building credit in your later years can be challenging, particularly if your income in retirement is fixed. But there are clear, practical steps available to Canadians — no matter their age.
Ask for help from your financial institution
If you find yourself in a situation similar to June’s, the first step is to contact your bank or credit card provider and ask to speak with a representative or a manager who may have more authority to assist. Ask whether they can make an exception, if additional documentation would help, or whether you can transfer the account or open a new card. Not every request will succeed, but it’s always worth inquiring about.
Become an authorized user
If the bank can’t help, consider asking a trusted family member — such as an adult child with a solid credit history — to add you as an authorized user on their card. This solves the immediate practical problem: You will have a card you can use.
But it still doesn’t solve the underlying issue. Being an authorized user builds credit slowly at best, and it leaves you exposed to another person’s financial habits. It’s a short-term fix rather than a long-term solution.
Consider a secured credit card
One of the most effective ways for Canadians to build credit is with a secured credit card. You put down a deposit — typically between $50 and $500 — and that deposit becomes your credit limit. You use the card, repay the balance and use it again. The card issuer reports your payment history to Equifax and/or TransUnion each month. Over time, a positive track record can earn you approval for a traditional unsecured credit card.
Most Canadian secured cards look identical to regular credit cards on your credit file and don’t show as “secured” to lenders — that condition exists in your contract with the issuer, not on your credit report.
Look into a credit-builder loan
Credit-builder loans are available in Canada through credit unions and online lenders such as Borrowell, KOHO and Spring Financial. They work in reverse of a standard loan: The lender holds the funds in a secured account while you make fixed monthly payments. Once the loan is paid off, you receive the money. Each payment is reported to the credit bureaus, building your payment history along the way — and payment history is the single biggest factor in your credit score.
Borrowell, for example, reports that users of its Credit Builder product see an average credit score increase of 41 points within five months.
One more option worth exploring: Some Canadian lenders are beginning to use open banking and cash-flow underwriting — a method that assesses how you earn and spend money using real-time analysis of your money habits rather than relying solely on your credit file. This can make it easier to access credit when your traditional credit history is thin.
What Canadians can do now
Whether you’re currently working through a situation like June’s or want to protect yourself before one arises, here are practical next steps:
- Make sure both partners hold at least one credit card in their own name — not just as an authorized user. This is the single most important step couples can take.
- Check your own credit report for free at Equifax Canada or TransUnion Canada, available by mail or phone at no cost, or online for a fee. Confirm what accounts appear in your name versus accounts where you are listed as an authorized user only.
- Open a secured credit card if you have a thin credit history and use it for small, regular purchases. Pay the balance in full each month. After 12 to 18 months of consistent use, your score should improve enough to qualify for a traditional card.
- Explore credit-builder loans through Canadian credit unions or online lenders if you need additional credit-building tools. These require no upfront spending — just monthly payments.
- Contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) for free, unbiased information on credit reports, credit scores and your rights as a consumer when dealing with federally regulated financial institutions.
Financial independence isn’t only about income. It’s also about having a credit identity that’s completely your own — and that no one else’s death can erase.
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Danielle is a personal finance writer whose work has appeared in publications including Motley Fool and Business Insider. She believes financial literacy key to helping people build a life they love. She’s especially passionate about helping families and kids learn smart money habits early.
