Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act

 

At Lonely Critters we are committed to providing our clients with exceptional service.  As providing this service involves the collection, use and disclosure of some personal and health care information about our clients, protecting their personal information is one of our highest priorities.

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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 Ontario’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPEDA).  PIPEDA, which came into effect on January 1, 2004, sets out the ground rules for how Ontario businesses may collect, use and disclose personal information.

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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.

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This Personal Information Protection Policy, in compliance with PIPEDA, 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.

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Definitions

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Personal Information –means information about an identifiable individual.  Examples of personal information we collect may include: home address and phone number, pet information required to provide care including medications. Personal information does not include contact information (described below).

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Contact information – means information that would enable an individual to be contacted at a place of business and includes name, business telephone number, business address, business email or business fax number.  We require contact information supplied by you in cases of emergency if you cannot be reached. Examples of emergency may include pet illness, break in at the home, furnace repair, plumbing issues. Contact information is not covered by this policy or PIPEDA.

 

Privacy Officer – means the individual designated responsibile for ensuring that Senior Homecare by Angels complies with this policy and PIPEDA. 

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Policy 1 – Collecting Personal Information

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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.

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1.2  We will only collect client information that is necessary to fulfill the following purposes: 

• To verify identity; name, address, telephone number

• Information relevant to the protocol when we become aware of a change in your service, whom to contact; in an emergency situation, the point of contact

• To issue invoices for services provided

 

Policy 2 – Consent

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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). 

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2.2  Consent can be provided orally, in writing, electronically, or through an authorized representative 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. 

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2.3  Consent may also be implied unless a client opts-out of his or her personal information being used for Lonely Critters mail-outs and or the marketing of new services or products.

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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 Lonely Critters 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.  If so, we will explain the situation to assist the client in making the decision. 

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2.5  We may collect, use or disclose personal information without the client’s knowledge or consent in the following limited circumstances: 

• When the collection, use or disclosure of personal information is permitted or required by law;

• In an emergency that threatens an individual’s life, health, or personal security;

• When the personal information is available from a public source (e.g., a telephone directory);

• When we require legal advice from a lawyer;

• For the purposes of collecting a debt;

• To protect ourselves from fraud;

• To investigate an anticipated breach of an agreement or a contravention of law 

 

Policy 3 – Using and Disclosing Personal Information

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3.1  We will not use or disclose client’s personal information for any additional purpose unless we obtain consent to do so. 

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3.2  We will not sell client lists or personal information to other parties. 

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3.3  We will ask the client to provide any exclusions to those receiving information. (PRIVACY STATEMENT SUMMARY)

 

Policy 4 – Retaining Personal Information

 

4.1  If we use client’s personal information to make a decision that directly affects the client, we will retain that personal information for at least one year so that the client has a reasonable opportunity to request access to it. 

 

4.2  Subject to policy 4.1, we will retain client’s personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or a legal or business purpose. 

 

Policy 5 – Ensuring Accuracy of Personal Information

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5.1  We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that client’s personal information is accurate and complete where it may be used to make a decision about the client or disclosed to another organization. 

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5.2  Clients may request correction to their personal information in order to ensure its accuracy and completeness.  A request to correct personal information must be made in writing and provide sufficient detail to identify the personal information and the correction being sought.  All requests should be forwarded to Lonely Critters. 

 

Policy 6 – Securing Personal Information

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6.1  We are committed to ensuring the security of client’s personal information in order to protect it from unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal or similar risks. 

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6.2  The following security measures will be followed to ensure that clients personal information is appropriately protected: 

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Examples of safeguards contained in our procedures include: the use of locked filing cabinets; physically securing homes where personal information is held; the use of user IDs, passwords, encryption, firewalls; restricting employee access to personal information as appropriate (i.e., only those that need to know will have access; contractually requiring any service providers to provide comparable security measures.

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6.3  We will use appropriate security measures when destroying client’s personal information such shredding documents and deleting or making anonymous electronically stored information. 

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6.4  We will continually review and update our security policies and controls as technology changes to ensure ongoing personal information security. 

 

Policy 7 – Providing Client’s Access to Personal Information

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Upon request, we will also tell clients how we use their personal information and to whom it has been disclosed if applicable. 

 

Policy 8 – Questions and Complaints:  The Role of the Privacy Officer

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8.1  The Privacy Officer is responsible for ensuring Lonely Critters’ compliance with this policy and the Personal Information and Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

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8.2  Clients should direct any complaints, concerns or questions regarding Lonely Critters’ compliance in writing to the Privacy Officer.  If the Privacy Officer is unable to resolve the concern, the client may also write to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada 30 Victoria Street, 1st Floor, Gatineau, QC  K1A 1H3. 

 

Contact information for Lonely Critters' Privacy Officer:

 

Rhonda Macaulay

130 Baffin Road

London, ON  N5V 1E9