The Public Guardian and Trustee of BC (PGT) is committed to protecting the privacy of people whose personal information is held by government through responsible information management practices.  Any personal information provided to the PGT is collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or other applicable legislation.

Personal information is recorded information about an identifiable individual.  Personal information includes such things as an individual's name, address, birth date, e-mail address and phone number.  When the PGT collects personal information it identifies:

• the purpose for collecting the personal information,
• the legal authority for collecting it, and
• the title, business address and business telephone number of someone at the PGT who can answer questions about the collection of that information.

What kind of information is being collected?

If you visit our web site to browse, read pages, or download information, we may gather and store certain information about the visit:

1. The Internet Protocol Address and domain name used. The Internet Protocol address is a numerical identifier assigned either to your Internet service provider or directly to your computer. This address can be translated to determine the domain name of your service provider (e.g. gov.bc.ca, xcompany.com or yourschool.edu);
2. The type of browser and operating system;
3. The date and time of the visit; and
4. The web pages or services accessed.

Information collected automatically is used for purposes such as assessing system performance, improving web services and web site management.  The PGT does not use this data to determine your identity unless required to do so as part of an internal investigation or other law enforcement purpose.

Personal information collected, used, disclosed and retained by the PGT is done so under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or other relevant legislation.  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 or your legal representative expressly consent otherwise.  We do not disclose personal information to other public bodies or individuals except as authorized by law.

What safeguards are in place?

The PGT protects your personal information by making reasonable security arrangements against such risks as unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure or disposal.  Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation and day-to-day operating practices as part of a continuing commitment to the protection of personal information.  

The length of retention will vary in relation to the nature of the service.  If the PGT uses your personal information to make a decision that directly affects you, it retains that information for at least one year so that you have a reasonable opportunity to obtain access to it.  Information collected or created by the PGT is maintained in accordance with records retention schedules and other legislative requirements.

Links to other sites

The PGT website includes links to websites operated by government agencies, non-profit organizations and private businesses.  When you link to another site, this privacy policy will not apply, however, you may be subject to the privacy policy of that new site, if one exists.  The PGT is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites.

A cookie is a small file stored on your computer by your web browser when using some internet sites.  Cookies can also store personal information such as your name, e-mail address, home or work address, or telephone number.  Persistent cookies can use this type of personal information to identify you whenever you access a web site.  Sessional cookies are used to help you move around our web site and do not store personal information.  Sessional cookies are valid only during the time you are actually using the web site.

The PGT does not use persistent cookies (which may store personal information) but may use sessional cookies (which do not store personal information).

Who to contact for more information about this privacy policy.

Any questions regarding this privacy policy can be directed to the PGT's Information and Privacy Lawyer at 604-660-5104.

Where to go for more information about the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Visit the Corporate Privacy and Information Access Branch of the Ministry of Management Services for more information about the Act and related resources.