The City of Terrace website is an important communication and interaction point with residents. Among other things, the site describes each department’s functions and services, provides information about new initiatives, events and future plans, offers opportunities for residents to provide feedback on issues or to do business with the City.
As a visitor to our site, we respect your right to privacy and the protection of your personal information in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act’s privacy provisions (FIPPA). Described below is our privacy commitment to those who visit our website.
IP Addresses and Cookies
The City's website logs the IP address of all site visitors. An IP address is the number automatically assigned to the computer or to the ISP (Internet Service Provider) that is requesting a website content page.
We use IP addresses to analyze trends, administer the site, track visitors' movements, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.
Collection, Use and Disclosure
The personal information collected via our website is the same personal information we collect from you over the counter, by mail, or by any other method. The manner of collection is the only difference. Personal information collected online is collected, used, disclosed, protected, retained and disposed of, by the same staff that collects your personal information by any other method.
If you are just browsing our website, you are an anonymous visitor. However, if you use the site to submit a bylaw complaint, apply for a city job, apply for the Home Owner Grant, etc., we will need to collect personal information from you. For example, enquiries require the collection of contact information that is used to confirm your residence in Terrace, contact you for additional information if necessary, and send you a response. Only staff who respond to enquiries have access to the contact information they need.
The above example illustrates two requirements of FIPPA that the City applies to all instances in which it collects personal information via are website. First, only personal information that is required to fulfill a request (i.e. respond to an enquiry, process a bill payment) is collected. Secondly, the personal information is only used and/or disclosed to staff on a “need to know” basis. That means only staff tasked with processing bill payments, for example, would have access to your personal information.
Acceptance and Consent
By accessing any of the pages within the City of Terrace's website, you signify your acceptance of our Privacy and Web Policies. If you do not agree to these policies, please do not use our website. Your continued use of the City of Terrace website following the posting of changes to these terms will mean that you accept those changes.
Prior to providing your personal information via our website, you have the right to know how your personal information will be used or disclosed. This is called informed consent and is a right under FIPPA subject to specific exceptions (i.e. collecting personal information for a law enforcement purpose). An example of informed consent is knowing whether or not your personal information will be used for purposes other than your expectation that it only be used to pay a parking ticket. If you have questions about the use and/or disclosure of your personal information, you have the right to ask staff collecting it.
Consent to collect your personal information is presumed to be given if you provide it via our website. Your personal information is not collected until you have pushed the “send” button. We have collected once we have received it. You are not required to provide your personal information online. It is a service provided as a convenience, but you always have the right to provide your personal information by any other available method. The manner in which your consent is granted may vary depending on the sensitivity of the information that you are providing to us. Where the information is less sensitive, implied consent will be considered appropriate.
Storage of Personal Information
The personal information collected via the website is stored on City servers that are part of the City’s secure network. No personal information is stored outside of Canada.
Protection of Personal Information
The City protects your personal information by “...making reasonable security measures against such risks as unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure or disposal [section 30 of FIPPA]”. These security measures are integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day operations regarding the management of personal information held electronically or paper format. Security measures include: using secure online transaction software that complies with industry standards and/or requirements, passwords to prevent access to computers and policies and procedures to maintain compliance with FIPPA’s privacy provisions.
As a service to our citizens, the City provides links to external websites which may or may not have their own privacy policies. The City does not endorse these sites nor are they covered by the City of Terrace's privacy policy statement.
To understand how they manage personal information, we recommend that you read the privacy policy of any website before you divulge individually identifiable information. We are not responsible for the content or practices of web sites operated by third parties that are linked to our sites. These links are provided as a service to our visitors. Unless otherwise stated, they do not constitute our endorsement, sponsorship, or approval of their content, policies, or practices.
Access, Correction and Complaints regarding your Personal Information
FIPPA provides the right of access to your personal information subject to “…limited exceptions to the rights of access… [Section 2 of FIPPA]”. You also have the right to request correction of your personal information. Corrections normally pertain to factual information (i.e. your gender, date of birth etc.). Personal opinions are typically not correctable, but can be annotated to express, as an example, disagreement.
If you believe your personal information is being managed in a manner that FIPPA hasn’t authorized, you have the right to complain to the City. If you are not satisfied with the City’s response, you can complain to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. Here is the Privacy Commissioner’s website: http://www.oipc.bc.ca/
Learn more about the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act of BC
Changes to this Privacy Policy
- Revisions to this Privacy Policy will occur to incorporate changes to our online services or the way in which we do business online. Therefore, please review our statement periodically.
- Our Privacy Policy does not apply to any other website.
- It is current to December 16, 2019.
Contact
For more information about this privacy statement, please contact the City of Terrace:
City of Terrace
3215 Eby Street
Terrace, BC V8G 2X8
Canada
Phone: 250-638-4700
Email: athompson@terrace.ca