It’s true! BC Unclaimed is the caretaker for unclaimed funds in British Columbia and works to reunite individuals with their funds from sources like credit union accounts, court proceedings, estates, and insurance policies, just to name a few. Right now, there’s approximately $218 million in unclaimed money. Since the non-profit society was established in 2003, BC Unclaimed has returned more than $22 million in unclaimed funds to the rightful owners and donated almost $60 million to support charities and non-profits across the province.

No one thinks they’d forget about their money, but it happens more often than you might think. It can be as simple as someone moving away and not updating their address or forgetting to cash a cheque. In other cases the money wasn’t forgotten, instead people may not even be aware they are entitled to the funds, such as money from an inheritance or a court case. Over the last 20 years, BC Unclaimed has reunited nearly 11,000 British Columbians with their money. For many people, particularly those living on fixed incomes, finding unclaimed funds can be a life-changing experience. Most claims are relatively small, but there have been significant payouts as well. The largest single claim BC Unclaimed has paid was a staggering $1.98 million from a court case.

Sherry MacLennan, the Society’s executive director, encourages everyone to check the BC Unclaimed database regularly to see if they have money waiting for them: "We receive new submissions of unclaimed money monthly so make it a habit to check our database. You never know if there's a windfall waiting for you." It’s easy to find out if you have unclaimed funds in your name—simply visit the BC Unclaimed website and type in your name! If you do find a match, there’s a straightforward verification process to confirm your identity as the rightful owner. BC Unclaimed now proudly offers on-demand translation services by phone, ensuring that all British Columbians can search for and claim what’s rightfully theirs, regardless of their language.

Aside from reuniting people with their unclaimed money, BC Unclaimed also unlocks the power of forgotten funds to change lives. Through its partnership with the Vancouver Foundation, unclaimed funds are allocated to support crucial social programs that improve the quality of life of all British Columbians. BC is currently the only North America jurisdiction where a portion of inactive funds are donated each year for charitable purposes. This unique program is a “win-win” for BC residents. There’s no cost to search for or claim forgotten funds through BC Unclaimed, and you can claim the money at any time.

To check if you have any unclaimed money, visit bcunclaimed.ca and start your search today!