At Morelli Chertkow, we are committed to providing our clients with exceptional service. As providing this service involves the collection, use and disclosure of some personal information about our clients, protecting their personal information is one of our highest priorities.
While we have always respected our clients’ privacy and safeguarded their personal information, we have strengthened our commitment to protecting personal information as a result of British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). PIPA, which came into effect on January 1, 2004, sets out the ground rules for how B.C. businesses and not-for-profit organizations may collect, use and disclose personal information.
We will inform our clients of why and how we collect, use and disclose their personal information, obtain their consent where required, and only handle their personal information in a manner that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.
This Personal Information Protection Policy, in compliance with PIPA, outlines the principles and practices we will follow in protecting clients’ personal information. Our privacy commitment includes ensuring the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of our clients’ personal information and allowing our clients to request access to, and correction of, their personal information.
Scope of this Policy
This Personal Information Protection Policy applies to Morelli Chertkow and its affiliates, Arrowstone Management Limited Partnership and Arrowstone Holdings Ltd.
Definitions
Personal Information –means information about an identifiable individual including name, age, home address and phone number, social insurance number, marital status, religion, income, credit history, medical information, education, employment information. Personal information does not include contact information (described below).
Contact information – means information that would enable an individual to be contacted at a place of business and includes name, position name or title, business telephone number, business address, business email or business fax number. Contact information is not covered by this policy or PIPA.
Privacy Officer – means the individual designated responsible for ensuring that Morelli Chertkow complies with this policy and PIPA.
Policy 1 – Collecting Personal Information
1.1 Unless the purposes for collecting personal information are obvious and the client voluntarily provides his or her personal information for those purposes, we will communicate the purposes for which personal information is being collected, either orally or in writing, before or at the time of collection.
1.2 We will only collect client information that is necessary to fulfill the following purposes:
Policy 2 – Consent
2.1 We will obtain client consent to collect, use or disclose personal information (except where, as noted below, we are authorized to do so without consent).
2.2 Consent can be provided orally, in writing, or electronically or it can be implied where the purpose for collecting using or disclosing the personal information would be considered obvious and the client voluntarily provides personal information for that purpose.
2.3 Consent may also be implied where a client is given notice and a reasonable opportunity to opt-out of his or her personal information being used for mail-outs, the marketing of new services or products, and the client does not opt-out.
2.4 Subject to certain exceptions (e.g., the personal information is necessary to provide the service or product, or the withdrawal of consent would frustrate the performance of a legal obligation), clients can withhold or withdraw their consent for Morelli Chertkow to use their personal information in certain ways. A client’s decision to withhold or withdraw their consent to certain uses of personal information may restrict our ability to provide a particular service or product. If so, we will explain the situation to assist the client in making the decision.
2.5 We may collect, use or disclose personal information without the client’s knowledge or consent in the following limited circumstances:
Policy 3 – Using and Disclosing Personal Information
3.1 We will only use or disclose client personal information where necessary to fulfill the purposes identified at the time of collection or for a purpose reasonably related to those purposes such as:
3.2 We will not use or disclose client personal information for any additional purpose unless we obtain consent to do so.
3.3 We will not sell client lists or personal information to other parties.
Policy 4 – Retaining Personal Information
4.1 We will retain client personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or a legal or business purpose.
Policy 5 – Securing Personal Information
5.1 We are committed to ensuring the security of client personal information in order to protect it from unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal or similar risks.
5.2 The following security measures will be followed to ensure that client personal information is appropriately protected:
5.3 We will use appropriate security measures when destroying client’s personal information such as shredding documents and deleting electronically stored information.
5.4 We will continually review and update our security policies and controls as technology changes to ensure ongoing personal information security.
Policy 6 – Providing Clients Access to Personal Information
6.1 Clients have a right to access their personal information, subject to limited exceptions such as solicitor-client privilege.
6.2 A request to access personal information must be made in writing and provide sufficient detail to identify the personal information being sought. A request to access personal information should be forwarded to the Privacy Officer.
6.3 Upon request, we will also tell clients how we use their personal information and to whom it has been disclosed, if applicable.
6.4 We will make the requested information available within 30 business days, or provide written notice of an extension where additional time is required to fulfill the request.
6.5 A minimal fee may be charged for providing access to personal information. Where a fee may apply, we will inform the client of the cost and request further direction from the client on whether or not we should proceed with the request.
6.6 If a request is refused, in full or in part, we will notify the client in writing, providing the reasons for refusal and the recourse available to the client.
Policy 7 – Questions and Complaints: The Role of the Privacy Officer or designated individual
7.1 The Privacy Officer is responsible for ensuring Morelli Chertkow’s compliance with this policy and the Personal Information Protection Act.
7.2 Clients should direct any complaints, concerns or questions regarding Morelli Chertkow’s compliance in writing to the Privacy Officer. If the Privacy Officer is unable to resolve the concern, the client may also write to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia.
Contact information for Morelli Chertkow’s Privacy Officer or designated individual:
Scott Huyghebaert, Partner
shuyghebaert@morellichertkow.com
Tel: 250-374-3344 ext. 201 | Fax: 250.374.1144
Address: 300 – 180 Seymour Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2E3
