Privacy Policy

Introduction
The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) governs how all private sector organizations in
British Columbia handles the personal information of clients, employees, and others. Personal information is defined as information that can identify an individual and information about an identifiable individual.

Our accounting firm has always protected the personal information received by us in the course of providing services to our clients and we have formalized our policies as a commitment to maintaining your privacy.

What Information We Collect and Why
We need our clients to provide us with all the relevant facts and information related to our
engagement. This information will include personal information about our clients and about other individuals with whom our clients conduct commercial transactions.

Consent for Collection, Use, and Disclosure
We will always try to collect personal information directly from the person to whom the
information pertains where practical and we will collect personal information from other sources when necessary. If we need to collect information about individuals other than our clients, we shall do so in accordance with the provisions of PIPA. We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that the personal information we collect, use, and distribute is accurate and complete.

By engaging our accounting firm to provide services, we consider an individual to have given our firm consent to the collection, use, and distribution of the individual’s personal information. Once this consent has been obtained by our firm, we will continue to collect, use, and disclose personal information for the purpose of providing the agreed-upon services without obtaining further written or verbal consent to do so.

We may also collect, use, or disclose personal information about an individual without that
individual’s consent as permitted under PIPA.

Our firm will maintain the strictest confidence with respect to any client’s or former client’s information. Accordingly, confidential client information will not, without client consent, be disclosed to any individuals in our firm beyond those who are engaged in providing services to the client. This policy applies to anyone outside the firm, except as required by law or under the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia’s Code of Professional Conduct.

In accordance with professional regulations, our client files must periodically be reviewed by provincial practice inspectors and by other firm personnel to ensure that we have adhered to professional and firm standards. File reviewers are required to maintain the confidentiality of client information.

Security and Retention
In recognition of our professional and legal obligations to protect our confidential client
information, we have made arrangements to protect against unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, disposal, or destruction of personal information.

We will retain client personal information for a reasonable time period as required by our Code of Professional Conduct and the terms of our professional liability insurance policy. When no longer required, client personal information will be disposed of in a secured manner.

Requests for Access and Correction
Individuals have the right to ask, in writing, for access to their own personal information in the
custody or under the controls of our firm as permitted under PIPA. We will respond to requests
as accurately and completely as reasonably possible in the time allowed by PIPA. We are entitled to refuse access in certain situations such as when:

  • The personal information is protected by solicitor-client privilege.
  • Disclosure of the personal information would reveal confidential commercial information that could, in a reasonable person’s opinion, harm the competitive position of our firm.
  • The personal information was collected for an investigation or legal proceeding that has not been concluded, including any appeals.
  • The information was collected by a mediator or arbitrator in conducting a mediation or arbitration where the mediator or arbitrator was appointed under a collective agreement, a law, or by a court.
  • Disclosure could reasonably be expected to threaten the safety or physical or mental health of another individual.
  • Disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause immediate or grave harm to the safety or to the physical or mental health of the individual who made the request.
  • Disclosure would reveal personal information about another individual.
  • Disclosure would identify the individual who has provided personal information about another individual and that individual does not consent to the disclosure of his or her identity.

PIPA also allows individuals to request in writing for our firm to correct errors or omissions. We will correct any factual error or omissions and inform other organizations to whom we have disclosed the incorrect information. If we determine there is no factual error or omission, we will annotate the record with the record that a correction was requested but not made.

Contact
If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy policy, or how we have handled your
personal information, please contact Richard Kosick and Co. at 604-584-6822 or via email at info@kosickcpa.ca.