Privacy Policy

At Equitas Consultants Inc. we are committed to respecting our clients and the personal information that we obtain in the course of our relationship with them. As consultants we believe we have a professional obligation to keep confidential all information we receive within a consultant-client relationship. In addition, we are committed to properly collecting, using and disclosing the personal information we obtain from our clients in accordance with the new Privacy Law listed below and other laws of Ontario and Canada. This Privacy Policy outlines how we manage our clients’ personal information and safeguard their privacy.

Privacy Rights

On January 1, 2004, all businesses engaged in commercial activities must comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.  These obligations extend to consultants and law firms, including Equitas Consultants Inc.  The Act gives all Canadians rights concerning the privacy of their personal information.

Equitas Consultants Inc. is responsible for the personal information we collect and hold. To ensure this accountability, we have developed this policy. Ron Prehogan, Equitas Consultants Inc.’s President, ensures that proper personal information procedures and policies are in place, and that all firm members abide by the procedures that are established to protect our clients’ personal information.

Collection of Personal Information

The consultants and other staff members at Equitas Consultants Inc. must collect personal information from our clients to fully understand and address their business issues and to provide them with services. Normally, personal information is collected during the initial client contact and on an ongoing basis as we work with our clients.  In most cases, the personal information is collected directly from our clients. However at times, we may obtain personal information about our clients from other sources, with our clients’ permission: for example, a government agency or registry, and financial, accounting or other advisors that work with our clients.

Use of Personal Information

We limit our collection of personal information to what is required to provide services to our clients, for billing purposes, and to provide information and firm updates.  If our clients tell us that they no longer wish to receive information or firm updates, we will not send anything further to them. We do not sell, trade or exchange any personal information that we receive from our clients with third parties to market their products.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Any personal information we receive is held in strict confidence. However, we may need to disclose personal information to provide our clients with the legal services they have requested, or if we are required to do so by law.

Updating Information and Correcting Errors

Since we use our clients’ contact and other personal information to provide services to them, it is important that the information be accurate and up-to-date. While a file is active, we ask our clients to inform us of any changes in their personal information so that we can update our files and records. When a client advises us that the personal information we hold is not accurate, complete or up-to-date, Equitas Consultants Inc. will take all reasonable steps to correct it.

Security of Personal Information

Equitas Consultants Inc. endeavours to takes all reasonable precautions to ensure that our clients’ personal information is kept safe from loss, unauthorized access, modification or disclosure. Further we will retain our clients’ files only so long as is necessary in the circumstances. Safeguards in place to protect our clients’ personal information include premises security, restricted file access, proper destruction procedures, and technological safeguards like security software, firewalls, internal password procedures and security policies.

Access to Personal Information

Our clients may ask for access to their personal information that we hold at any time.

Summary information is available upon request.  More detailed requests that require archive or other retrieval costs may be subject to some professional and disbursement fees.

Equitas Consultants Inc., in limited circumstances, may deny access when:

• denial of access is required or authorized by law;
• information relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings against a client;
• granting access to a client would have an unreasonable impact on other people’s privacy;
•  to do so would prejudice negotiations with a client
• protecting Equitas Consultants Inc.’s rights and property; or
• the request is frivolous or vexatious.

If we deny a client’s request for access, or refuse a request to correct information, we will send a letter to the client outlining why their request has been denied.

Requests for Access or other Privacy Questions or Concerns

If you have any questions or concerns about Equitas Consultants Inc.’s personal information practices, or if you wish to request access to the personal information we hold, or wish to file a complaint, please write to our President, Ron Prehogan, at:

Ron Prehogan
President
Equitas Consultants Inc.
700-100 Queen Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1J9

If you are not satisfied with our response, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada can be reached at:

112 Kent Street,
Ottawa Ontario, K1A 1H3
1.800.282.1376

Statistics

All references to percentages relating to Family Transition failure are attributed to “Preparing Heirs: Five Steps to a Successful Transition of Family Wealth and Values” by Roy Williams and Vic Preisser, 2003.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

Since Equitas Consultants Inc. regularly reviews all of its policies and procedures, we may change our Privacy Policy from time to time.

Employment Inquiries

When someone applies to Equitas Consultants Inc. for a job, we need to consider each applicant’s personal information, as part of our review process. We normally retain personal information from candidates after a decision has been made, unless they ask us not to retain such information. If we offer a person a job, which is accepted, the information will be retained in accordance with our privacy procedures for employee records.

For More Information

To find out more about federal privacy laws, contact the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at:

112 Kent Street,
Ottawa Ontario, K1A 1H3
1-800-282-1376

or visit their website at https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/ .