Client Privacy at Avery Cooper
The Federal Government’s Personal Information and Protection of Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) regulates private sector collection, use and disclosure of personal information collected in the course of commercial activities. The legislation became effective January 1, 2004. Avery Cooper & Co. Ltd. and Avery Cooper Financial Corporation are committed to ensuring we meet the requirements of the Act and are in full compliance.
What is Personal Information?
Personal information includes, but is not limited to, employee and employer name, home address and telephone number, age and date of birth, gender, marital status, Social Insurance Number, occupation, salary and other income, similar information about dependents, and health information.
Why Does Avery Cooper Collect Personal Information?
Avery Cooper collects, uses and discloses personal information from clients:
- to enable communication;
- to provide products and services requested, for example, to prepare personal income tax returns or to prepare T5 slips, T4 slips or T4 summaries;
- to process payment for the products and services requested; and
- to meet statutory and regulatory requirements.
Personal information is disclosed to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to fulfill the purposes described above, or as required by law. We do not provide personal information to other third parties unless we are legally required to do so and we would not provide personal information to a third party without the individual’s express consent. Where we are required to provide personal information to a third party, we will make all reasonable efforts to ensure the third party has appropriate security procedures in place for the protection of the personal information being transferred.
How Do We Protect Personal Information?
All members of the Avery Cooper team are committed to our policy of respecting and protecting Personal Information. We use appropriate security safeguards to protect our clients’ personal information from risks such as loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure or alteration. Safeguards, including physical, administrative and electronic security measures, are detailed in Avery Cooper’s policies on Confidentiality and Security of Confidential Information.
All members of the Avery Cooper team are required to abide by the privacy standards we have established. They are also required to work within the principles of ethical behavior as set out in our staff guidelines and must follow applicable laws and regulations. In the course of daily operations, access to personal information is restricted to those employees whose job responsibilities require them to access it.
How Do We Obtain Consent?
Unless we hear otherwise from the client, their use of our products and services constitutes consent for Avery Cooper & Co. Ltd. and/or Avery Cooper Financial Corporation to collect, use and disclose personal information for the purposes stated in this policy.
Prior to July 1, 2014, all clients were requested to provide their Express Consent to future e-mails. Any non-respondents are not included in future information or promotional mail-outs.
Commencing July 1, 2014, all engagement letters include a separate form of Express Consent to receive electronic communications from us.
How Is Consent Withdrawn?
The client may refuse or withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal and contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. The client decides to provide (or not provide) the firm with their personal information; the choice is always the clients. However, it is important for the client to note that their decision to withhold particular information may impact our ability to provide the product or service or communicate with them.
The client may refuse or withdraw their consent by contacting us at any of the following:
Toll-free number: 1-800-661-0787
Phone: 1-867-873-3441
Fax: 1-867-873-2353
E-mail Address: info@averycooper.com
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1620, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P2
Physical Address: Laurentian Building, 4918 – 50th Street, Yellowknife, NT
Clients can also Reply to any one of our e-mails with Unsubscribe in the Subject Line to withdraw from future electronic communications.
Our staff will explain the client’s options and any consequences of refusing or withdrawing consent, and will record the client’s choices.
How Can Clients Access Their Personal Information?
Any client has the right to access their personal information under the control of Avery Cooper & Co. Ltd. and/or Avery Cooper Financial Corporation. Upon request in writing to the Privacy Officer at the addresses noted above, the client will be informed of the existence, use and disclosure of their personal information and will be given access to that information.
If access cannot be provided, for example, if doing so would reveal information about a third party, the firm will notify the client, in writing, of the reasons for the refusal.
How Can Clients Correct Their Personal Information?
If a client determines that the personal information we have collected and are using requires correction, they can contact us at any of the above-noted phone/fax numbers or addresses. Our staff will take the client’s name and other information allowing us to make the appropriate corrections.
How Can Clients or Others Challenge Our Compliance with Privacy Legislation?
If you have a question regarding this policy, or a concern or complaint regarding the privacy practices of Avery Cooper, please contact the Privacy Officer in writing using any of the above-noted addresses. We will review the request and respond promptly with information on how we intend to address the concerns.