Privacy

Privacy Statement

BCCAT is committed to protecting your privacy.  BCCAT may collect, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) and other applicable legislation. ‘Personal information’ is defined broadly in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act as recorded information about an identifiable individual, other than contact information, which is the information used to contact a person at a place of business. The purpose of this privacy statement is to inform you of the personal information that may be collected from you when visiting BCCAT and how that information may be used. This website uses Google Analytics with IP Masking to better understand how visitors engage with our sites. You can learn more here: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.

Definitions

The following definitions are used for the purposes of this policy:

Personal Information means recorded information about an identifiable individual, and includes things such as gender, age, address information, ethnicity, financial information, registration, course, educational credit and grades information, ID numbers and any other data assigned to an individual.

Summarized Data means information records that have been combined such that the combined data reflects the attributes of a group rather than an individual.

Collection of Personal Information

This policy covers our treatment of Personal Information that we collect, either through communications or interaction we may have with you (such as emails, telephone conversations, face-to-face or written correspondence) or through our website. This policy also covers our treatment of any information shared with us by third parties.

Sometimes we may collect Personal Information about you from other sources, provided that such sources confirm to us that they are permitted to share such information, such information is publicly available, or the collection is required or authorized by law. Examples of collection from other sources include collections from:

  • educational institutions who use or participate in our services and with which you are registered; and
  • a government agency or registry in connection with the services we provide you and to prevent fraud, check the identity of new clients, and similar matters.

We collect Personal Information under the authority of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training and the educational institutions to which we provide services.

What personal information is being collected?

BCCAT monitors traffic patterns, site usage, and related site information and may collect or compile certain information that is not personally identifiable in order to make BCCAT more useful by learning about the number of visitors and by monitoring traffic patterns and the types of technology that visitors use.

  • The web browser and operating system you are using;
  • The date and time of the visit;
  • The pages or services accessed;
  • If you were on another website before visiting BCCAT, the URL (web address) of that previous website if it referred you to BCCAT;
  • The URL (web address) of the first website you visit immediately upon leaving BCCAT if you were referred to that website by BCCAT;
  • The Internet Protocol (IP) network domain name (e.g. shaw.ca) and address (e.g. 192.10.100.20) of the computer you are using. IP address and domain are identifiers that may be used to distinguish between users and identify your internet service provider or your computer itself.

BCCAT collects personal information under the authority of section 26(c) of FOIPPA.

Cookies

BCCAT collects information about your visit, including personal information, through the use of cookies. A cookie is a small file stored on your computer by your web browser when using some websites and may remain on your computer after the Internet session finishes (until the cookie expires or is deleted by you).

Use of Personal Information

BCCAT collects personal information through cookies to better understand general user trends at an aggregate level and improve web performance, web services, and website maintenance. Personal information will only be used by authorized staff to fulfill the purpose for which it was originally collected or for a use consistent with that purpose, unless you expressly consent otherwise.

Access to and Correction of Personal Information

Upon receiving a written access and/or correction request, and where the identity of the requestor can be confirmed, information held by BCCAT that is identifiable to the requestor, as well as information on all use and disclosures of that information, will be released to the requestor except where that release is not required or is prohibited by law, and if necessary BCCAT will correct the Personal Information of the requestor.

Where appropriate, BCCAT may instead transfer your request to a third party government body or educational institution if the information was provided by or for that third party, that third party was the first to obtain the information, or the information is in the custody or control of that third party. Your rights to access your Personal Information are not absolute. We may deny access when denial of access is required or authorized by law.

Is My Personal Information Secure?

BCCAT takes reasonable steps to ensure that your Personal Information is kept safe from loss, unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. You control what Personal Information you provide to BCCAT. You can visit the BCCAT website without providing any Personal Information at all. We cannot guarantee the confidentiality or security of any email communications or information sent by you to us via email.

Retention of Personal Information

Personal Information will be retained in accordance with this policy only for as long as may be necessary or relevant for the purpose of collection, or as may be required or permitted by law, after which time it will be made anonymous, destroyed or transferred to a relevant government body or educational institution with which you are registered, unless you request we continue to retain your information. Information that you may provide to BCCAT that is in excess of what is necessary for the identified purpose of collection will not be retained by BCCAT.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

Since BCCAT regularly reviews all of its policies and procedures, we may change this policy from time to time, in accordance with BC privacy legislation, and such changes will be effective from the date of revision and posting on our website.

Last updated: June, 2020