BC Lung Foundation Privacy policy highlights for web users:

At the British Columbia Lung Foundation, we are committed to respecting your privacy and protecting the personal information you may choose to send us.

  • You do not need to disclose personal information to use our website.
  • We do not use any personal information you may voluntarily provide to us, other than for the purposes for which you may provide it. (For example, you may provide personal information in order to make a donation, send us feedback via the website, or subscribe to a newsletter).
  • This website contains links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. We encourage you to read the Privacy Policies of other websites you may visit.

Our full privacy policy, below, explains in detail how we respect your privacy and protect your personal information.

British Columbia Lung Foundation Privacy Policy

At the British Columbia Lung Foundation (hereinafter referred to as “BC Lung”), respecting privacy and the sensitivity of information is an important part of our commitment to our constituencies, supporters, grant applicants, and associated organizations (hereinafter referred to as “constituencies”). The objective of the BC Lung Privacy Policy is to promote responsible and transparent personal information management practices in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Personal Information Protection Act (British Columbia) (PIPA) and other applicable laws respecting the protection of personal information and privacy.
Overview

1. What this Policy Covers

The policy statement has been prepared to affirm our commitment to maintaining your privacy and to inform you of the policies and practices we follow in protecting the personal information of our supporters and others who access or purchase our products and services (“Clients”). Specifically, this Policy concerns how personal information is collected, used, securely maintained and ultimately disposed of properly.

2. Purposes for Collection Of Personal Information

BC Lung collects information provided in writing (including via electronic media) or verbally about our supporters and Clients and does so for the following purposes, depending upon the specific circumstances:

  • to respond to your requests for information, counselling and guidance;
  • to communicate with and understand the needs of our supporters and Clients;
  • to deliver requested products and services;
  • to maintain a record of your involvement with BC Lung;
  • to conduct fundraising activities and inform you about ourselves and our work;
  • to record and process donations;
  • to provide income tax receipts;
  • to manage our relationship with our supporters and Clients;
  • to meet any legal or regulatory requirements;
  • to conduct analysis for management purposes; such other purposes consistent with the foregoing purposes in order to fulfil our charitable mandate;
  • to communicate with grant applicants; and to respond to mandated government reporting requirements.

3. How Personal Information Is Used

BC Lung only collects, uses and discloses Personal Information for purposes that would be considered reasonable in the circumstances, and only such information as is required for the purposes identified. We use only fair and lawful methods to collect Personal Information.

Our use of personal information is limited to the purposes described in this policy.

4. How Personal Information Is Maintained and Disclosed

As a general rule, all information concerning our supporters and Clients is held in strict confidence and, except in limited circumstances is not revealed to anyone else unless expressly or implicitly authorized by such individuals.

We may also disclose personal information to meet regulatory requirements or otherwise with your consent, as required or permitted by law. Where we are obliged or permitted to disclose personal information without consent, BC Lung will not disclose more information than is required.

The BC Lung stores and maintains personal information in conformity with the requirements of PIPA and other applicable laws respecting the protection of personal information and privacy.

5. Links

This website contains links to other websites. Please be aware that the BC Lung is not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. We encourage you to read the Privacy Policies of every site that collects personal information. This Privacy Policy applies to BC Lung only.

6. IP Addresses

As for most websites, our server logs your IP address on our server files. No effort is made to connect your IP address with you as an individual. Rather, we use IP address data in aggregate to get broad demographic/geographic information about how our site is used.

Privacy Principles

It is the policy of BC Lung to control the collection, use and disclosure of personal information in accordance with all requirements of applicable laws. The following principles have been adopted by BC Lung subject to exceptions permitted under applicable law.

1. Accountability

BC Lung is responsible for the personal information collected and maintained by it and which is under its control. In order to fulfill this responsibility:

  • We have designated an official to be responsible for the day-to-day care and control of personal information, namely our Privacy Officer;
  • BC Lung has taken the following measures to ensure compliance with this Privacy Policy: developing procedures to protect personal information;
    • developing procedures to receive and respond to complaints and inquiries;
    • training our staff about our policies and practices respecting personal information; and
    • developing and distributing information to our staff and the general public
    • explaining our policies and procedures respecting personal information.

2. Identifying Purposes

BC Lung is committed to openness to you regarding its collection and use of personal information. As discussed, we collect and use personal information for the above-mentioned limited purposes.

To demonstrate this openness, we require the consent of our constituents and mailing list subscribers prior to using their personal information for any purpose other than that for which it was originally collected.

3. Consent

BC Lung is committed to ensuring that you are aware of how your personal information is used. We are dedicated to obtaining the consent of individuals who provide us with their personal information. To this end, all our employees or agents are instructed to provide information about how personal information is used by us to all interested individuals who inquire, as well as obtain the consent of those who provide their personal information.

Consent can be obtained orally, in writing or electronically, or it can be implied where the purpose for collecting, using or disclosing the personal information would be considered obvious and the individual voluntarily provides it for such purposes. Consent can also be implied where the individual concerned is given notice and a reasonable opportunity to opt out of a use of his or her personal information (for example for mail-outs, fundraising, or public acknowledgement of donations) and the individual does not opt out.

As well, we may periodically request written confirmation from you to ensure that the personal information collected and maintained by us is up-to-date and accurate. We also may ensure that we have your continuing consent to the use and retention of your personal information.

BC Lung will disclose your personal information, without knowledge or consent, only if permitted or required by applicable law including, by way of example:

  • to conform to obligations imposed by law or statute;
  • in an emergency that threatens an individuals’ life, health or personal security;
  • as required pursuant to a criminal investigation.

4. Limiting Collection

BC Lung restricts the collection of personal information only to that information that is necessary for the limited purposes noted above. We are committed to collecting personal information in a fair, open and lawful manner. For this reason, BC Lung does not indiscriminately collect personal information. We collect personal information to fulfill the above-noted purposes only, and for no other purposes.

5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

BC Lung does not use personal information for purposes other than those for which it was originally collected, unless it has first obtained the consent of the person from whom such information was received. We retain personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purpose for which it was collected, or for a legal or business purpose.

6. Accuracy

BC Lung is committed to maintaining accurate, complete and up-to-date personal information. If you are aware of changes to the personal information you have given to us, simply inform us of the changes and we will update our records accordingly.
You may check and correct your personal information by contacting us through our Privacy Officer.

7. Safeguards

BC Lung has developed and implemented security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information kept by us. These security safeguards include:

  • physical security measures, such as locked cabinet storage and restricted access to areas where personal information is stored; an
  • internal employee security measures, including restricted computer access, employee confidentiality agreements and limited access to where personal information is stored.

If we use the services of any third parties to process personal information, we will require them to protect this personal information in a manner acceptable to us and to ensure that this personal information is maintained at a level of security equal to that provided under this Privacy Policy.

If we collect information from you or from third parties we will have obtained the necessary consent to do so, or will do so as otherwise required or permitted by law.

We also ensure that any of our employees who deal with personal information are properly trained and are aware of the necessary and appropriate measures required to protect personal information.

Any personal information kept by us is disposed of once it is no longer needed to meet the purposes for which it was collected, unless we receive your permission to keep such information, or is kept as required by law.

8. Openness

BC Lung makes information about its policies and practices respecting the collection and maintenance of personal information available to all interested parties. We are pleased to answer any questions that you may have regarding the collection and maintenance of personal information; please direct your letter or e-mail to our Privacy Officer.

9. Individual Access

You can also request access to your personal information held by us. However, we reserve the right to confirm the identity of the person seeking access to personal information before complying with any access requests. Please forward your request in writing or via e-mail to our Privacy Officer.

Upon request, we will inform you if we have any of your personal information in our care and control, as well as providing you with the details of such personal information. In responding to your request, we may charge you a fee.

If we are unable to provide you with access to all of the personal information we hold about you, then the reasons for the denial of access will be provided to you.

10. Challenging Compliance

As noted above, BC Lung has designated an official who is responsible for the day-to-day care and control of personal information. This official, the Privacy Officer will receive and respond to all information requests regarding our privacy policies or about your personal information under our care and control.

If you wish to be added or removed from any of the lists BC Lung maintains, please write or email your request to the mailing list administrator at: info@bclung.ca

We investigate all complaints received by us and will respond in writing in a timely manner. If any complaint is found to be justified, then we will take appropriate measures to resolve the matter to the satisfaction of the complainant.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

Since BC Lung regularly reviews all of its policies and procedures, including the laws that impact upon the operation if its businesses, we may change our Privacy Policy from time to time to ensure that it remains compliant with the law.

How to add, remove or amend your personal information

If, at any time, you wish to amend your personal information with us or remove your name from our mailing lists, simply inform us in writing at the address below or by e-mail, to the attention of:

Christopher Lam
Privacy Officer BC Lung Foundation
2675 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC V6H 2K2

Email: privacy.officer@bclung.ca

British Columbia Lung Foundation editorial policy

The British Columbia Lung Foundation (BC Lung) does not endorse or recommend any commercial products, processes, or services. 

BC Lung maintains full editorial control of its website content. Commercial sponsors of this site are in no way involved with decisions regarding design, content, authorship, editorial policy, procedure or practice. Links to other Internet sites are provided for informational purposes and the convenience of its users. When users select a link to an external website, they are leaving the British Columbia Lung Foundation website and are thus subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the external site.

BC Lung does not endorse organizations that sponsor linked, external websites. In addition, BC Lung does not endorse products or services that such organizations may offer. Furthermore, BC Lung does not control or guarantee the currency, accuracy, relevance, or completeness of information found on linked, external websites.