The Ten Principles of Privacy in Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. environment:
Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. collects, uses and discloses personal information in the possession, or under the control, of its clients to the extent required to fulfill its professional responsibilities and operate its business. The firm is committed to maintaining the privacy of personal information provided by its clients and protecting all personal information in its possession or control. This Privacy Policy sets out the principles and procedures that the firm follows in meeting its privacy commitments to its clients and complying with the requirements of federal and provincial legislation.
Each office of Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. is accountable for all personal information in its possession or custody. This accountability extends to any personal information that the firm receives directly from clients who are individuals, or indirectly, through clients that are organizations (e.g., corporations, government entities, not-for-profit organizations)
Bryan G. Allendorf is the designated Chief Privacy Manager to be accountable for compliance with our policies. If you have any questions about the firm’s privacy policies and practices, the firm’s Privacy Officer can be reached by email at bga@taxspecialists.ca, by phone at 905-304-9014, and by letter at our Ancaster office at 157 Meadowbrook Drive, Ancaster, Ontario L9G 4S9.
Each office of Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. must identify the purpose for which it is collecting the personal information before or at the time of collection. In general the firm collects personal information from clients and uses and discloses such information, only to provide the professional services that the client has requested. The types of information that may be collected for this engagement, and the purposes for which it is collected, are set out under Principles 3 and 4 of this privacy statement.
Each office of Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. will obtain consent from its client before or when it collects or used personal information of the client. This information will be collecting lawfully and without deception. Every client will be made aware of why the information is being collected and how it will be used.
A client’s consent may be express, implied or given through authorized representatives. Consent can be withdrawn at any time, with certain exceptions. Collection, use or disclosure of personal information may occur without the knowledge or consent of the client in certain exceptional circumstances as defined in the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
The engagement letter to which this privacy statement will be attached sets out your responsibilities to obtain any consents required under applicable legislation, for collection, use and disclosure to us of personal information of employees and your customers. By signing the engagement letter, you are formally acknowledging this responsibility.
Such personal information could include:
- Home address
- Home telephone numbers
- Personal identification numbers (e.g., social insurance numbers, credit card numbers)
- Financial information (credit ratings, payroll information, personal indebtedness)
- Personnel information (employment history, reference to criminal records)
- Sensitive personal information (race, religion, sexual preference, receipt of welfare or subsidized housing)
Each office of Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. will collect personal information only for the purposes it identifies to the customer. This information will be collected using our policies and procedures that are fair and lawful. The amount and type of personal information collected will be limited to that information necessary for the purpose for which it is collected.
The partners and team members involved in the engagement need access to some or all of the types of personal information, noted under principle #3 above, to obtain evidence to support the firm’s opinion on the company’s financial statements. Such personal information will be significant component of various transactions and events affecting the financial statements that will be subjected to confirmation, testing, analyses and such other procedures as the firm considers necessary to perform an audit, review or compilation in accordance with the appropriate standards.
Each office of Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. will use or disclose personal information only for the reasons it was collected, unless consent is given by the client to use or disclose this information for another reason or it is permitted by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act under exceptional circumstances relating to the protection of the public interest.
All personal information collected by Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. will be retained only as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or for the time period required by law and regulation.
Personal information collected from a client during the course of a professional service engagement may be:
- Shared with the firm’s personnel participating in such engagement;
- Disclosed to partners and team members within the firm to the extent required to assess compliance with applicable professional standards and rules of professional conduct, and the firm’s policies, including providing quality control reviews of work performed;
- Provided to members of the organization’s audit committee and board of directors, and others in the organization that might not otherwise have access to the information, in the course of communicating aspects of the results of our audit; and
- Provided to external professional practice inspectors, who by law, professional regulation, or contract have the right of access to the firm’s files for inspection purposes.
The firm regularly and systematically destroys, erases, or makes anonymous personal information no longer required to fulfill the identified collection purposes, and no longer required by laws and regulations.
Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. must keep personal information as accurate, complete and current as necessary for the purpose identified when the information was collected. It is the responsibility of the individual client to keep Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. informed of any changes to personal information pertinent to the uses identified.
A client may, in writing, request access or challenge the accuracy and completeness of their personal information and request amendments to the information as is appropriate.
Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. protects all personal information. Safeguards are established appropriate to the sensitivity of the information in our possession.
Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. maintains an open policy regarding the policies and procedures used to manage personal information under its control. Clients have access to all information regarding these policies and procedures on request. Up to date information on the firm’s privacy policy can be obtained from the firm’s Privacy Officer.
When requested to do so, in writing, by a client, Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. will, within a reasonable time, disclose what personal information is in our possession for that client, what it is being used for and to whom it has been disclosed. In certain circumstances access may not be able to be provided. If this occurs we will explain the reason why this access is being withheld and any recourse that the client may have, unless prohibited by law.
Each client has the right to challenge each of Bryan G. Allendorf, BGA Tax Specialists, BGA Business Valuations Inc. office’s compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Document Act. We have policies and procedures to receive, investigate and respond to any client’s complaints and question.
To challenge the firm’s compliance with its Privacy Policy, clients are asked to provide an email message or letter to the firm’s Privacy Officer. The firm’s Privacy Officer will ensure that a complete investigation of a client’s complaint is undertaken and will report the results of this investigation to the client, in most cases, within 30 days.
