Get help managing your government debts

Do you have questions about debt collection?

Find answers to common questions, contact information and other helpful information.

The Receivables Management Office focuses on helping individuals and businesses resolve outstanding debts to government, including addressing overdue accounts and billing and payment issues.

Contact us if you need any help or advice. 

Helpful information on common topics

• Refunds
• Multiple payments
• Dishonoured payment and non-sufficient funds (NSF) charges
• Assistance with payments
• Consequences of late payments
• Verifying a call or text is legitimate
• Dealing with debt after a death
• International student health fees
• Health fee group invoices
• Updating your contact information
• Authorizing a representative to speak for you
• Handling a bank hold on your account
• Our approach to asset seizure
• Contact us

Refunds

If you've requested a refund or made an adjustment to your account, you can expect a refund cheque within 6 to 8 weeks.

If it's been longer than 6 to 8 weeks and you have still not received your refund, please contact us.

Multiple payments

If you have payments to make across multiple programs or portfolios, visit:

• Payment options for individuals
• Payment options for businesses

You can find information about each area's payment options, or you can call us at the numbers in the contact us section. 

Dishonoured payments and non-sufficient funds (NSF) charges

If your payment encounters any issues and is returned by your bank (such as non-sufficient funds), you'll need to arrange for another payment to be made. 

A $30 fee will be applied to all dishonoured payments. This fee is separate from any charges your bank may charge. 

Assistance with payments

We understand that each person's situation is unique. Our team is here to assist you with payments and outstanding amounts for government programs and accounts.

Explore the options that may be available in your situation. If financial hardship is a concern and you have outstanding government debts, don't hesitate to call us at the numbers below. We may have options to support you.

Applying for hardship assistance

Individuals with low annual incomes facing debt related to Ambulance Services or the Medical Services Plan (MSP) in B.C. can explore hardship assistance options.

Please contact us to learn more. We're here to help. 

Ambulance bills assistance

If you've received an invoice for ambulance services in B.C. and your annual income is under $42,000 you may qualify for support.

Please contact us to learn more. We're here to help. 

Medical service plan (MSP) support

For outstanding MSP premium debt, consider applying for Retroactive Premium Assistance. This program offers financial adjustments for outstanding MSP premiums. 

Learn more and apply conveniently online. 

Other available support programs

If you're facing difficulties with payments, other government programs are available to help you with specific debts. Please contact us to learn more.

Explore programs like: 

• Fair PharmaCare: Assisting B.C. families with eligible prescription drugs, dispensing fees and some medical supplies. Learn more about eligibility. 
• BC Health Kids Program: Helping families cover basic dental care, prescription eyewear and hearing assistance for their children. Learn more about program benefits. 
• Student Aid BC: Supporting post-secondary education costs through student loans, grants and scholarships. Explore available financial aid opportunities. 

Consequences of late payments

If a debt becomes overdue, contacting us right away enables us to work with you to resolve it or to develop a plan to avoid additional consequences. 

Possible outcomes if debt is ignored: 

• Penalties may be added to your account
• Interest may accumulate on the outstanding amount
• Liens may be registered against property or personal belongings
• The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) may withhold money owed to you and apply it to outstanding government debts
• Your employer may deduct money from your paycheque
• Your bank may receive a demand to pay from your account
• Seizure of personal belongings may occur

Our goal is to assist you and prevent severe repercussions, such as significant penalties or legal action.

Please reach out to us for support.

Verifying a call or text is legitimate

We want you to feel confident that any communication from us via call or text message is genuine. Contact us anytime to verify the authenticity of any correspondence.

We may use 866-329-9899 to contact you for general collection purposes, 250-387-3629 for tax programs and 250-387-7488 for non-tax programs.

We may also use the following numbers to contact you. 

Receivables Management Office phone numbers

Program	Phone number
Ambulance (BCEHS)	346766 778-600-0723 833-866-9711
B.C. student loans	346766 778-600-0723 833-866-9709
Court fines	346766 778-600-0723 844-248-6634
Employment and income assistance	346766 778-600-0723 844-248-6632
Fair PharmaCare	346766 778-600-0723
Health fee for international students	346766 778-600-0723 877-383-0014 877-383-3751
Medical Services Plan (MSP)	346766 778-600-0723
Speculation and vacancy tax	346766 778-600-0723 866-566-3066
B.C. emergency benefit for workers	346766 778-600-0723 844-248-6638
BC recovery benefit	346766 778-600-0723 844-248-6638

In future, we may contact you through text messaging about other programs. Be sure to check this list to confirm which text messages are legitimate.

We will never contact you by text message about:

• B.C. affordability credit
• B.C. renter’s tax credit
• Climate action tax credit

If you receive a text about the above programs, it’s likely fake. If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us to confirm its legitimacy.

For overdue MSP accounts, we work with partner agencies. Learn more about the private collection agencies (PCAs) the Province partners with.

Dealing with debt after a death

Dealing with government debt after the passing of a loved one can be challenging. We're here to support you through this process.

Authorization process

If you held power of attorney, note that it's no longer valid after the person's passing. To validate your authority in managing the deceased's debt with us, you can provide documentation, such as a copy of their will confirming your role as the executor of their estate.

Acceptable documentation 

Different programs may require specific documentation. We're here to guide you through the necessary steps and documentation required during this challenging time. Please call us to understand the types of documentation accepted for the particular debt you’re addressing.

International student health fees

If you were an international student with a valid study permit, but your studies have concluded, you may continue receiving invoices for the international student health fee.

Contact Health Insurance BC if you're still receiving invoices after you have finished your studies. You'll need to provide evidence confirming the end date of your studies, such as a letter from your school.

Learn more about health fees for international students.

Health fee group invoices

Schools and school districts that are set up for group billing can pay the health fee on behalf of their international students. 

Health fee group invoices must be paid by cheque. When sending payment, include:

1. Cheque, payable to the Ministry of Finance
2. Remittance stub detached from your invoice
3. The list of students included in your group invoice from RSBC

If there is a discrepancy between the invoice amount and the amount you are paying, indicate this on the student list sent with your payment.

Important: Only send payment for students who are in your group for the current month.

Keep your list of students up to date. If you add students to this month’s list, you will be billed for them in a future month.

Send your cheque, remittance stub, and list of international students to:

Revenue Services of BC
PO Box 9489 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9W6

Updating your contact information

Keep your address current to stay informed and prevent missing any important communication from us.

To update your mailing address or other contact information, you can easily call us toll-free at the phone numbers below. Additionally, for specific accounts, visit AddressChangeBC online and follow the instructions to update your address.

We also strongly recommend updating your address with the Government of Canada, including federal organizations like the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Authorizing a representative to speak for you

At times, you may want someone you trust to assist you in managing your account, including:

• Communicating with us
• Making decisions, or
• Acting on your behalf

To ensure your privacy, we require proper authorization before discussing your account with another person.

Here are the options for authorizing someone to speak with us:

Single call verbal authorization

You can call us together with your representative to verbally authorize them to speak with us for that specific phone call. This authorization is valid for that conversation only, and you can do this as needed.

Long term authorization

If you need longer-term authorization or consent beyond a single phone call, contact us for assistance at the numbers below. 

Power of attorney

If you have power of attorney, send us a copy to confirm your authority to represent someone else when communicating with us.

Handling a bank hold on your account

Our supportive team

Our team is here to assist and guide you through these challenging situations. Contact us for support or advice when facing difficulties in managing your debts. 

Resolution process

If we are unable to reach you about an outstanding debt, we may need to issue a demand on your bank.

It's important to keep your contact information with us up to date.

Bank response

Once your bank receives our demand, they may take actions such as cancelling a credit card or placing a hold on your account.

Account hold

When your bank places a hold on your account, it temporarily suspends access until resolved. The quickest resolution to lift this hold is by depositing funds into your account. Contact your bank to determine the required amount for the hold's removal. In some cases, an in-person deposit may be necessary.

Preventative steps

To avoid a bank demand, ensure we have your current contact information. If you are facing difficulties in repaying your debt, contact us for guidance and potential solutions.

Our approach to asset seizure

While our goal is to prevent the seizure of assets and find ways to resolve debts, there may be cases where we involve a bailiff. In such situations, communicating directly with the bailiff becomes crucial. They possess the necessary information, including details about the process if an asset is seized.

Before reaching this stage, we make every effort to find alternative solutions. 

Resolution procedures

Should all attempts to resolve a debt be exhausted, it may be referred to a bailiff. Once involved, the bailiff possesses the necessary information to discuss potential remedies with you. 

Contact information

If you've received a written warning, we encourage you to contact the Receivables Management Office (RMO) promptly at the number provided in the letter.

Should you already be in communication with a bailiff, cooperation and communication with them is essential. 

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Contact us

Contact us at the numbers below Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (PST).

You can call us toll-free at the numbers below for the following programs: