Bromwich+Smith is one of the larger Licensed Insolvency Trustee firms in Canada, operating from Calgary since 2002 with 28 offices spread across nine provinces. If you are researching them, you are almost certainly weighing a consumer proposal or a bankruptcy, which means you are already further down the road than most people who land on this site. This review covers what they do, what the public record actually says about them, and the one question I think you should answer before you book the call.
Need help with debt?
Before you file, check whether you need to
A consumer proposal leaves a mark that lasts three years after you finish paying it. If your income can still support structured repayment, a debt management program does not carry an insolvency record at all. Consolidated Credit Canada will tell you free of charge which side of that line you fall on.
I want to be upfront about something, because it shapes how you should read the ratings section below. Bromwich+Smith holds an A+ accreditation with the Better Business Bureau going back to 2016, and a 2.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot. Both of those are true at the same time, and the explanation is more interesting than either number alone.
Bromwich+Smith at a glance
| Type of firm | Licensed Insolvency Trustee |
| Registered name | Bromwich & Smith Inc. |
| In business since | September 2002 |
| Head office | 800 5 Ave SW, Suite 800, Calgary, Alberta |
| Offices | 28 locations across 9 provinces |
| Not available in | Quebec and the territories |
| Main services | Consumer proposals, personal bankruptcy, debt advice |
| Consultation | Free, confidential, no obligation |
Ratings and trust signals, checked October 2026
I check these at source rather than repeating what a company says about itself. Here is the picture, and it is genuinely mixed.
| BBB rating | A+, accredited since 23 August 2016 |
| Trustpilot score | ★★★★☆ 2.8 out of 5 |
| Trustpilot volume | 21 reviews only |
| Five star share | 28% |
| One star share | 67% |
Now the context, because a 2.8 looks alarming until you see the denominator. That score rests on 21 reviews. For a firm handling insolvency files across 28 offices, 21 reviews is a rounding error, and a handful of unhappy filers can move a score that size by a full point. Compare that with the Consolidated Credit Canada profile, which carries 6,934 reviews. One of those samples tells you something. The other mostly tells you who felt strongly enough to post.
There is also a structural point about this industry that is worth saying plainly. Insolvency is not a service people enjoy buying. The process involves surrendering control, disclosing everything, and living on a budget someone else approved. Firms in this category attract negative reviews at a higher rate than, say, a credit counsellor who simply lowers your interest rate, because the underlying experience is harder. That does not excuse poor service, but it does mean you should weight a thin Trustpilot sample less heavily than you would for a restaurant.
The BBB accreditation carries more weight here, in my view, simply because it has run continuously since 2016 and reflects complaint handling rather than volunteered sentiment.
Sources: BBB business profile and Trustpilot, both checked 21 October 2026.
What Bromwich+Smith actually does
They are a Licensed Insolvency Trustee firm, which is a specific and federally regulated thing. Only an LIT can file a consumer proposal or administer a bankruptcy in Canada. That licence is what separates them from a debt settlement company or a credit counselling agency, and it is the main reason to use a firm like this.
- Consumer proposals. A legally binding offer to your unsecured creditors to repay a portion of what you owe, usually over up to five years. Once creditors holding the majority of your debt by value accept, it binds all of them.
- Personal bankruptcy. Surrender of non-exempt assets in exchange for discharge from most unsecured debts.
- Assessment and advice. A free review of your position, including options short of filing.
If the terminology is new, our explainer on what a Licensed Insolvency Trustee is and who needs one covers the basics, and we go deeper on the mechanics in how a consumer proposal works.
Where Bromwich+Smith are located
This comes up constantly, so here is the full list. They run 28 offices across nine provinces, with the heaviest coverage in Ontario and Alberta.
| Province | Offices | Cities |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 9 | Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, London, Kingston, Ottawa |
| Alberta | 7 | Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray |
| British Columbia | 5 | Burnaby, Surrey, Victoria, Kelowna, Kamloops |
| Saskatchewan | 2 | Regina, Saskatoon |
| Manitoba | 1 | Winnipeg |
| Nova Scotia | 1 | Halifax |
| New Brunswick | 1 | Saint John |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 1 | St. John’s |
| Prince Edward Island | 1 | Charlottetown |
There is no Quebec office and no presence in the territories. If you are in Quebec you will need a different firm. Worth noting too that Licensed Insolvency Trustees are federally licensed, so proximity matters far less than it once did. Most files now run remotely, and the office list matters mainly if you want to sit across a desk from someone.
If you are in Alberta specifically, where they are headquartered, it is worth reading our guide to filing a consumer proposal in Alberta alongside this, and our review of Money Mentors, the Alberta non-profit that handles the non-insolvency side.
What it costs
Here is something people get wrong about trustee fees. You do not negotiate them. LIT fees for consumer proposals and bankruptcies are set by a federally regulated tariff and are paid out of the payments you are already making into the proposal. You are not writing a separate cheque on top.
What that means practically is that cost is not a useful way to choose between Licensed Insolvency Trustees. Bromwich+Smith will not be cheaper or more expensive than a competent competitor for the same filing. What differs is service quality, responsiveness and how clearly the options get explained to you before you commit. Which is exactly what thin review samples are bad at telling you, and why a free consultation with more than one firm is worth the afternoon.
Need help with debt?
Worth ruling out the cheaper route first
If your income can cover the principal over about five years, a debt management program usually clears the debt for less total cost and leaves no insolvency record. It takes one free assessment to find out whether that applies to you.
Pros and cons
👍 In their favour
- Properly licensed, so they can actually file a proposal or bankruptcy
- Over two decades in business, since 2002
- A+ BBB accreditation held continuously since 2016
- 28 offices, the widest coverage outside the national accounting firms
- Free and genuinely no obligation initial consultation
- Fees are tariff regulated, so there is no haggling or hidden pricing
👎 Against
- Trustpilot sits at 2.8 out of 5, with 67% one star
- Only 21 Trustpilot reviews, too thin to draw firm conclusions either way
- No Quebec or territories coverage
- As an LIT firm, insolvency is the product, so expect that framing
- If your income can still service the debt, filing may be heavier than you need
Bromwich+Smith or credit counselling first?
This is the question I would want answered before booking anything, and it is not really about Bromwich+Smith. It is about whether you need to file at all.
| Consumer proposal via an LIT | Debt management program | |
|---|---|---|
| Reduces the principal owed | Yes | No |
| Reduces or stops interest | Yes | Usually |
| Creates an insolvency record | Yes | No |
| Credit file impact | R7 for three years after completion | R7 while active only |
| Legally binds creditors | Yes | No, voluntary |
| Who can provide it | Licensed Insolvency Trustee only | Credit counselling agency |
The rough test: total what you owe, work out what you can genuinely pay each month without borrowing again, and divide. If the answer is under about 60 months, a debt management program is likely the lighter route and leaves no insolvency record. If it is well over 60 months, or if the principal itself is unaffordable, a proposal is the honest answer and an LIT is who you need.
We have reviewed the main alternatives separately, including Farber Debt Solutions on the insolvency side and BDO Debt Solutions for the largest national alternative, Consolidated Credit Canada on the counselling side. If you have not yet ruled out the middle ground, our rundown of bankruptcy alternatives worth looking at first is the place to start.
Who Bromwich+Smith suits
A reasonable fit if: your unsecured debt is beyond what five years of payments would clear, you are in one of the nine provinces they cover, you want a firm with a long operating history and a physical office nearby, and you have already established that a repayment arrangement will not work.
Look elsewhere if: you are in Quebec, your income could still support repaying the principal, or you are shopping on price, since the tariff makes that comparison meaningless between licensed firms.
If you are in Alberta and still weighing provincial options, our Alberta debt relief guide covers what is available locally.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Bromwich and Smith located?
Is Bromwich and Smith legitimate?
How much does Bromwich and Smith charge?
Is a consumer proposal worth it?
How can I get out of debt quickly in Canada?
Does Bromwich and Smith operate in Quebec?
Can I deal with them remotely?
Company details, office locations and ratings in this review were verified on 21 October 2026 from the firm’s own published information, its BBB business profile and its Trustpilot listing. Ratings change, so check current figures before deciding.
Mark Turner is a retired financial writer that now enjoys blogging about different financial topics, such as commodities, inflation, debt, retirement, alternative investments and Canadian politics.
