Our Need for Personal Information
In order to be able to provide proper service to our clients, we need access to all relevant facts and information that relate to our client’s income tax. This information will necessarily include personal information about our clients and about individuals other than our clients.
Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
Where practical, we endeavor to collect personal information directly from the person to whom the information pertains. When necessary, we will collect personal information from other sources.
By retaining Tax Planning Centre for income tax preparation, an individual consents to our necessary collection, use or disclosure of the individual’s personal information in order to properly advise and represent the individual.
It is our policy to collect personal information about individuals other than our clients in accordance with the provisions of the Personal Information Protection Act.
The Act deems that an individual has consented to our collection, use or disclosure of personal information about that individual if, at the time the consent is deemed to be given, the purpose would be considered obvious to a reasonable person. In such circumstances, we will collect, use or disclose personal information without obtaining a written or verbal consent to do so.
The Act also permits us to collect, use or disclose personal information about an individual in some circumstances without the individual’s consent. Those include (but are not limited to) circumstances in which:
- the collection, use or disclosure is clearly in the interests of the individual and consent cannot be obtained in a timely way;
- the personal information is available to the public from a prescribed source;
- the collection, use or disclosure of personal Information is required or authorized by law.
When we collect, use or disclose personal information, we will make reasonable efforts to ensure that it is accurate and complete.
Security of Personal Information
We recognize our professional and legal obligations to protect the confidential information of our clients. We recognize as well our legal obligations to protect the personal information we have gathered about our clients and about other individuals during the course of our business.
We have therefore made arrangements to secure against the unauthorized access,
collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, disposal or destruction of personal information.
Requests for Access to Personal Information
The Act permits individuals to submit written requests to us to provide them with:
- their personal information under our custody or control;
- information about how their personal information under our control has been
and is being used by us;
- the names of the individuals and organizations to whom their personal
information under our control has been disclosed by us.
We will respond to requests in the time allowed by the Act and will make a reasonable effort to assist applicants and to respond as accurately and completely as reasonably possible. All requests may be subject to any fees and disbursements the law permits us to charge.
An individual’s ability to access his or her personal information under our control is not absolute. The Act provides that we must not disclose personal information when:
the disclosure would reveal personal information about another individual; the disclosure would reveal the identity of an individual who has provided personal information about another individual and the individual providing the personal information does not consent to disclosure of his or her identity.
Requests for Correction of Personal Information
The law permits individuals to submit written requests to us to correct errors or omissions in their personal information that is in our custody or control. We will:
- correct the personal information and, if reasonable to do so, send correction notifications to any other organizations to whom we disclosed the incorrect information; or
- decide not to correct the personal information, but annotate the personal information that a correction was requested but not made.
Contacting or Communicating with Us
if you have any questions with respect to our policies concerning the handling of your personal information, or if you wish to request access to, or correction of, your personal information under our care and control, please contact our Privacy Officer at:
Philip J. Primeau
Suite 203, 1899 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby, B.C. V5C 5T1
Tel: 1-866-763-5550 + ext. 700
If you are dissatisfied with our handling of your personal information, we invite you to contact our Privacy Officer in writing, setting out the reasons for your concern. If, after our Privacy Officer has reviewed and responded to your concern, you remain dissatisfied, you may wish to contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner at:
P.O. Box 9038, Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9A4
Tel: (250) 387-5629
Fax: (250) 387-1696
