Background checks
in Canada

A CPIC (Canadian Police Information Centre) background check searches the RCMP's national database for criminal records, outstanding warrants, charges, judicial orders, and peace bonds. It is the standard criminal record check used by Canadian employers for pre-employment screening. CPIC checks are available at Standard and Enhanced levels depending on the depth of disclosure required for the role.

Turn delivers CPIC Standard criminal check results in as fast as 15 minutes, significantly faster than the industry average of 1–2 business days. Enhanced CPIC checks, which require additional verification steps, typically take 1–3 business days.

Yes. The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) governs how private-sector organizations collect, use, and disclose personal information during background checks. Employers must obtain informed, written consent before initiating any check, clearly state the purpose of the collection, and limit data collection to what is relevant to the position. Turn's platform automates PIPEDA-compliant consent collection and data handling to keep you compliant.

Yes, Turn supports credit checks for Canadian candidates. However, credit checks in Canada are subject to strict regulations. Employers must have a permissible purpose, obtain explicit written consent, and the check must be relevant to the position, typically financial, accounting, or executive roles. Some provinces have additional restrictions on when employment-related credit checks are permitted. Talk to our team to understand the requirements for your use case.

Alberta and British Columbia have their own private-sector privacy legislation, the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), which operates alongside PIPEDA. Quebec has the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, which was significantly updated in 2023. These provincial laws may impose additional consent, notification, or data handling requirements beyond PIPEDA. Turn's compliance workflows are designed to meet both federal and provincial privacy law requirements.

Yes. Turn integrates directly with leading applicant tracking systems and HRIS platforms including Fountain, Lever, Greenhouse, Rippling, and iCIMS. These integrations let you order background checks, track progress, and receive results without leaving your existing workflow. See our integrations page for the full list.

Turn holds SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 certifications, demonstrating rigorous security controls and data protection practices verified by independent auditors. Turn also maintains ISO 27001-aligned workflows to ensure information security management meets international standards. These certifications support compliance with PIPEDA and provincial privacy laws for Canadian background checks.

Yes. Turn's platform supports background checks in both Canada and the United States, as well as 200+ other countries. From a single dashboard. You can run CPIC checks for Canadian candidates and SSN traces, county criminal searches, and MVR checks for US candidates without switching platforms. Turn handles the compliance requirements for each jurisdiction automatically.