Introduction
The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) governs how all
private sector organizations in British Columbia handle
personal information of clients, employees, and other. Personal
information is defined as information that can identify an
individual and information about an identifiable individual.
Our firm has always protected the personal information received
by us in the course of providing services to our clients and we
have formalized our policies as a commitment to maintaining
your privacy.
What Information We Collect and Why
We need our clients to provide us with all the relevant facts
and information related to our engagement. This information
will include personal information about our clients and about
other individuals with whom our clients conduct commercial
transactions.
Consent for Collection, Use, and Disclosure
We will always try to collect personal information directly
from the person to whom the information pertains where
practical and we will collect personal information from other
sources when necessary. If we need to collect information about
individuals other than our clients, we shall do so in
accordance to the provisions of PIPA. We will make reasonable
efforts to ensure that the personal information we collect,
use, and distribute is accurate and complete.
By engaging our firm to provide services, we consider an
individual to have given our firm consent to the collection,
use, and distribution of the individual’s personal information.
Once this consent has been obtained by our firm, we will
continue to collect, use, and disclose personal information for
the purpose of providing the agreed upon services without
obtaining further written or verbal consent to do so. We may
also collect, use, or disclose personal information about an
individual without that individual’s consent as permitted under
PIPA.
Our firm will maintain the strictest confidence with respect to
any client's or former client's information. Accordingly,
confidential client information will not, without client
consent, be disclosed to any individuals in our firm beyond
those who are engaged on providing services to the client. This
policy applies to anyone outside the firm, except as required
by law or under the Institute of Chartered Accountants of
British Columbia’s Rules of Professional Conduct.
In accordance with professional regulations, our client files
must periodically be reviewed by provincial practice inspectors
and by other firm personnel to ensure that we have adhered to
professional and firm standards. File reviewers are required to
maintain confidentiality of client information.
Security and Retention
In recognition of our professional and legal obligations to
protect our confidential client information, we have made
arrangements to protect against unauthorized access,
collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, disposal,
or destruction of personal information.
We will retain client personal information for a reasonable
time period as required by our Rules of Professional Conduct
and the terms of our professional liability insurance policy.
When no longer required, client personal information will be
disposed of in a secured manner.
Requests for Access and Correction
Individuals have the right to ask, in writing, for access to
their own personal information in the custody or under the
controls of our firm as permitted under PIPA. We will respond
to requests as accurately and completely as reasonably possible
in the time allowed by PIPA. We are entitled to refuse access
in certain situation such as when:
- The personal information is protected by solicitor-client
privilege.
- Disclosure of the personal information would reveal
confidential commercial information that could, in a
reasonable person’s opinion, harm the competitive position of
our firm.
- The personal information was collected for an
investigation or legal proceeding that has not concluded,
including any appeals.
- The information was collected by a mediator or arbitrator
in conducting a mediation or arbitration where the mediator
or arbitrator was appointed under a collective agreement, a
law, or by a court.
- Disclosure could reasonably be expected to threaten the
safety or physical or mental health of another individual.
- Disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause
immediate or grave harm to the safety or to the physical or
mental health of the individual who made the request.
- Disclosure would reveal personal information about
another individual.
- Disclosure would identify the individual who has provided
personal information about another individual and that
individual does not consent to disclosure of his or her
identity.
PIPA also allows individuals to request in writing for our
firm to correct errors or omissions. We will correct any
factual error or omissions and inform other organizations to
whom we have disclosed the incorrect information. If we
determine there is no factual error or omission, we will
annotate the record with the record that a correction was
requested but not made.
Contact
If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy policy,
or how we have handled your personal information, please
contact our Privacy Officer in writing at:
Strategex Group Chartered Accountants
210 – 1075 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 3C9
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