Your privacy is important to us
We are committed to protecting your privacy and personal information through responsible information management practices. We collect, use, retain, disclose and dispose of personal information in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA), other applicable legislation and our corporate privacy management practices.
Definition of personal information
Personal information is recorded information about an identifiable person, not including business contact information. Personal information includes such things as a person’s name, address, birth date, personal email address and personal phone number. When we collect personal information, we must identify:
- The purpose for collecting that information
- The legal authority for collecting it
- The name, title, address, phone number and email of an employee who can answer any questions about the collection of that information
Collection and use of personal information
Information collected automatically
When you visit our website, collected information includes:
- The type of web browser and operating system you are using
- Your general geographical location
- The date and time of your visit
- The webpages or services you accessed
- The volume of data transferred to or from our website
- The IP domain name of your internet service provider and IP address of your computer
- The address of the website that referred you to our website
- The address of the first website referred by our website, if applicable.
Information collected automatically is used for such purposes as assessing system performance, improving online services and overall website content and navigation management. We use Google Analytics, a third-party service, to assist with the analysis of non-identifiable web usage and traffic. We do not use cookies.
Information collected directly
The use, retention and disclosure of all personal information collected directly from you are done so under the authority of the FOIPPA or other applicable legislation. Personal information will only be used by our authorized employees for the purpose for which it was originally collected, or for a use consistent with that purpose unless you consent otherwise. The methods for directly collecting information may include, but are not limited, to online forms, paper forms, audio/video recording, email marketing, contests and surveys.
Protection of personal information
We are legislatively and morally obligated to protect your personal information by making reasonable security arrangements against such risks as: unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure or disposal. The protection of personal information is integrated into our day-to-day operations through the design of our privacy management program. If your privacy is breached, you will be immediately notified and will be offered information about how to best mitigate any personal harm.
Retention of personal information
The length of retention of personal information will vary in relation to the specific personal information collected. All personal information collected is maintained in accordance with the Government of British Columbia records retention schedule, as documented in our Administrative Agreement with the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
Disclosure connected to tasks
In connection with certain tasks that we are authorized to complete by legislation, we may disclose some or all of your personal information to other organizations. Disclosure of this nature is deemed to be a permitted use of personal information and will be clearly described during the collection of that information.
Disclosure of aggregated information
Information collected automatically may be aggregated and disclosed in our reports, publications or communications. Disclosure of this nature will be in aggregate for and will not include any identifiable personal information (e.g., the total number of visitors to our website in a calendar year may be disclosed).
Disclosure for other reasons
We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with our legal requirements or with legal process served on us; to protect and defend our rights or property; or in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of any person.
Access to your personal information
You can review any personal information collected about you by submitting a Freedom of Information request. You may request changes to your personal information if you believe it to be inaccurate by submitting a written request to us describing the error.
Links to other websites
Our website includes links to external websites. Once you leave our website, this privacy statement does not apply. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites.
Who to contact
If you have any questions about this privacy statement or would like to request access to your personal information, please contact us:
Information and Privacy Officer
Consumer Protection BC
PO Box 9244 Victoria BC V8W 9J2
Phone: 1.888.564.9963 (toll-free)
Email: privacy@consumerprotectionbc.ca
If you wish to learn more about the FOIPPA, including the process to request access to the records of public bodies, please contact:
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC
PO Box 9038 Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria BC V8W 9A4
Phone: 250.387.5629
Email: info@oipc.bc.ca
Website: www.oipc.bc.ca
Your consent
By accessing our website, or by other means providing personal information to us, you consent to this privacy statement.
Changes to this Privacy Statement
We may occasionally update this Privacy Statement. When it does, the “last updated” date within will be revised.
Established: July 15, 2016
Last updated: February 1, 2022
