We are currently investigating evidence that the "Bree" (TryBree) cash advance app systematically bypasses Canadian financial regulations by disguising exorbitant interest rates as voluntary tips, subscription fees, and progressive fast-funding fees.
If you are trapped in a cycle of debt with Bree, it is important to understand your rights. Here is a breakdown of the federal and provincial laws that Bree's business model may be violating:
Recent updates to the Canadian Criminal Code lowered the maximum legal interest rate to an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 35%.
The "All Costs Included" Rule: Crucially, Canadian law dictates that all mandatory costs, fees, penalties, and commissions paid to advance credit must be legally calculated as part of the interest rate.
The Violation: Disguising these costs as "express transfer fees," "forced tips," or "mandatory monthly subscriptions" does not exempt them from this legal calculation. When added together, the short repayment terms combined with Bree's fees frequently push the true APR well over the 35% criminal limit—sometimes exceeding 500%.
Under Canadian federal privacy laws, consumers have the fundamental right to withdraw consent and have their personal and financial data deleted.
The Violation: Multiple users report that Bree hides the account deletion option, the app crashes when attempting to remove banking information, or customer service outright ignores requests to stop automated withdrawals. Holding financial data hostage to force continuous subscription billing is a direct violation of PIPEDA.
Because Bree strictly ties loan repayments to the user's next scheduled paycheque (usually within 14 to 30 days) and does not allow installment payments, their product legally acts as a Payday Loan. However, they appear to operate without the mandatory provincial licenses required to issue these loans and bypass strict provincial fee caps.
In Ontario, the absolute maximum cost of borrowing for a payday loan is capped by law at $15 per $100 borrowed. Operating as a payday lender without a specific provincial license, or structuring fees (like tips and express funding) that exceed this strict cap, is illegal.
Quebec law is the strictest in the country. The CPA expressly forbids abusive interest rates (effectively capping them at 35%) and strictly prohibits deceptive "bait-and-switch" advertising. Advertising "$750 limits" to lure consumers, but only approving users for $20 after they have linked their bank and paid a subscription, is a severely deceptive practice. Furthermore, the CPA mandates that absolutely all fees required to obtain a loan must be included in the official credit rate.
Both provinces have specific laws governing "High-Cost Credit Grantors." Any lender offering products with an effective APR exceeding 32% must hold a specific high-cost credit license, display their true APR clearly, and adhere to strict cancellation rights. We are investigating whether Bree holds these mandatory provincial licenses while charging their high progressive fees.
If you have been forced to pay these fees, trapped in a monthly subscription you cannot use, or penalized by unauthorized bank withdrawals, your rights may have been violated.
A class action lawsuit is the most effective way for consumers to fight back against predatory lending models and demand compensation.