The City of Pitt Meadows (City) is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and committed to protecting the privacy of residents, employees, and clients. It is the City’s goal to not only meet the obligations of the legislation, but to exceed the requirements by implementing “best practices” with respect to the collection, use, disclosure, access, protection and security of personal information.
The City requires third-party service providers to demonstrate full compliance with the City’s privacy obligations, principles and processes as outlined in this policy.
Definitions
Contact Information is defined as any information that would enable an individual to be contacted at their place of work.
Personal Information is defined as recorded information about an identifiable individual (excluding contact information). Examples of personal information include: name, residential address and telephone number, ethnic origin, sex, marital status, employment history, financial information (including financial history), health care history, etc.
Indirect Collection is defined as the collection of personal information from a source other than the individual for whom the information is about.
Service Provider is defined as a person retained under a contractual agreement to perform services for the City.
Collection of Personal Information
The City collects personal information which relates directly to its operational and/or administrative mandate for the purpose of providing related programs and services. The City does not collect personal information unlawfully or unfairly. In most circumstances, the City collects personal information directly from the relevant individual. Indirect collection occurs in very limited and specific circumstances, or as required by law.
How Personal Information is Used
Personal information is used only by authorized City employees and third-party service providers to fulfill the purpose for which it was originally collected or for a use consistent with that purpose.
Personal Information Disclosure
The City and its service providers treat personal information in its custody and/or control with a high degree of confidentiality. Personal information is only disclosed for the purposes of the program and/or services for which it was collected, as required by law, or in specific circumstances (with consent of the relevant individual). The City does not sell, share or disclose your information to others for any type of mailing list. Personal information will not be disclosed outside of Canada without an individual’s explicit consent unless required by law.
Safeguarding of Personal Information
The City administers the highest security standards to ensure the personal information in its custody and/or control is secure at all times. City employees and service providers are responsible for ensuring the physical and technical security of all data (including data at rest or in transit) and must meet all applicable security standards.
Retention of Personal Information
The City and its service providers utilize records retention policies customized for each area. This customization takes into account the length of time information must be retained. If an individual’s personal information is used to make a decision, a record of that decision will be kept for a minimum of one year after the decision has been made. Once personal information is no longer needed it is authorized for destruction and confidentially disposed of.
Using the City Website
The City website automatically collects and stores the following information from visitors to the website:
- the internet protocol (IP) address and domain name used (the IP address is a numeric identifier assigned to either the individual’s internet service provider or directly to the computer)
- the type of browser and operating system
- the date and time of the visit
- the webpage(s) accessed
- amount of time spent on each page
Information automatically collected is used only for the purposes of administering the website, assessing system performance, improving services and website management. The City will not use this data to determine the inquirer’s identity unless required to do so as part of an internal investigation for law enforcement purposes.
Personal information such as names, email addresses and demographic information is only obtained when individuals supply it voluntarily through contacting us via email or using the forms available on our website. This information will only be used for statistical purposes and to support your relationship with the City of Pitt Meadows.
Links to Other Websites
The City website includes links to webpages operated by other organizations. These links are not intended to be referrals and are posted only for convenience. The City has no responsibility for, liability, or control over these links or websites. Please refer to the individual privacy policies and terms and conditions of use for external sites.
Online Transactions and Services
You can pay for some municipal services, such as a business licence or dog licence renewal, as well as recreation programs on this website. These transactions are protected by current security standards (SSL encryption). This means that your credit card and other payment information is transmitted securely to third party payment service providers. After your transaction is complete, we do not store your credit card or other payment information.
When you register for one of our online services, we compile a profile for you for that service. Your profile includes your name, address, account number(s), customer identification number and some other information, relevant to the specific service. If you register for multiple services or have existing services, your profiles may be linked.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the collection, use, disclosure or safe-guarding of personal information associated with this website, please contact info@pittmeadows.ca.
Access to Personal Information and Questions Regarding Privacy
Inquiries, complaints, or access requests should be addressed to:
Kate Barchard, Privacy Officer, City of Pitt Meadows
604.465.2462 | kbarchard@pittmeadows.ca
For more information, please visit: the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
The City of Pitt Meadows may change this Policy when it is appropriate to do so. As such, it is recommended users review the Policy regularly.