2024-03-28 22:16:57

Privacy Policy

Last revised August 1, 2017

Your privacy is important to us.

Genome British Columbia (“Genome BC”, “we”, “our” or “us”) has prepared this Privacy Policy (“Policy”) in compliance with applicable privacy laws to explain to you how we collect, use, and share personally-identifiable information (“Personal Information”), whether obtained via the Websites or otherwise. Any capitalized terms not specifically defined herein shall have the meanings set out in Genome BC’s Terms of Use.

This Policy addresses Personal Information about individuals and does not apply to information about corporate or commercial entities. This Policy does not impose any limits on the collection, use or disclosure of (1) your business contact information; or (2) publicly available information recognized under the British Columbia Personal Information Protection Act.

We have designated a Privacy Officer who is accountable for our compliance with this Policy. We will adopt procedures to protect Personal Information, receive and respond to complaints and inquiries, train staff regarding privacy policies and procedures and communicate policies and procedures to you.

What we collect

From time to time, Genome BC may collect Personal Information when you share such Personal Information with us by registering to receive our newsletters, applying for funding, signing up or registering for an account on one or more of our Websites, posting or publishing information on the Websites, submitting information, proposals and/or User Content to Genome BC via one of our Websites, or using other interactive features of the Websites.

Genome BC also collects the following information automatically through cookies and other tracking technologies as you navigate through the Websites, IP address, domain name, the referring web page from which you enter the Websites, the pages you visit on the Websites and the amount of time you spend here. Such information may be used to improve our Websites, and we may share that information with any of our enterprise partners, suppliers or affiliates. You can control the use of such technologies at the individual browser level. If you choose to disable the technologies, it may limit your use of certain features or functions on the Websites.

Genome BC may obtain information from other sources such as third party services (e.g. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn). If you link, connect, or log in to your Account from time to time with a third party service, the third party service may send us information such as your registration and profile information from that service. This information varies and is controlled by that service or as authorized by you via your privacy settings at that service.

Genome BC will limit its collection of Personal Information to what is reasonably necessary to provide a service and which is reasonably necessary for the purposes consented to by you. We may also collect Personal Information as authorized by law.

How we use your information

We use Personal Information that we collect about you or that you provide to us:

The purposes listed above are a reasonably necessary part of your relationship with Genome BC.

When your Personal Information is to be used or disclosed for a purpose not previously identified, the new purpose will be disclosed to you prior to such use, and your consent will be sought unless the use is authorized or required by law.

Public Activities

From time to time, Genome BC may offer opportunities for you to engage in public activities. These “Public Activities” including without limitation commenting and posting on the Websites, are designed to be visible to the public.

Any Personal Information and other information that you voluntarily disclose through your Public Activities, including without limitation User Content, becomes available to the public and may be accessed, used and stored by Genome BC and others, without notice to or consent from you and without compensation to you. Genome BC is not responsible for any Personal Information that you disclose through your Public Activities, and Genome BC has no responsibility to publish, take down, remove, or edit any Public Activities.

How we obtain consent

Genome BC will obtain your consent to collect, use or disclose Personal Information except where we are authorized or required by law to do so without consent.

Your consent may be express or implied, or given through your authorized representative.

Consent may be provided orally, in writing, electronically, through inaction (such as when you fail to notify Genome BC that you do not wish your Personal Information collected/used/disclosed for optional purposes following reasonable notice to you) or otherwise. For example, oral consent could be expressed over the telephone at the time information is being collected; electronically when submitting an agreement, application or other information; or in writing when signing an agreement or application form.

You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions, provided reasonable written notice of withdrawal of consent is given by you to Genome BC. Upon receipt of your written notice, Genome BC will inform you of the likely consequences of the withdrawal, which may include the inability of us to provide certain services for which the delivery of that information is a prerequisite.

How we protect your information

Our computer systems are designed to prevent unauthorized access and unauthorized disclosure of Personal Information in our custody or control and we will take all reasonable safeguards that are necessary to protect your Personal Information, to prevent unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, disposal or similar risks.

We will dispose of your Personal Information in an appropriate and secure manner when it is no longer required.

You should be aware that confidentiality and security are not assured when information is transmitted through e-mail or wireless communication. We will not be responsible for any loss or damage suffered as a result of a breach of security or confidentiality when information is transmitted by e-mail or wireless communication.

How you change your information

We will make a reasonable effort to ensure that Personal Information we are using or disclosing is accurate and complete. We will rely on you to ensure that certain information, such as your physical address, e-mail address or telephone number, is current, complete and accurate.

If you notify us of the inaccuracy or incompleteness of Personal Information, we will amend the information as required.

When a challenge regarding the accuracy of Personal Information is not resolved to your satisfaction, we will annotate the Personal Information under our control with a note that a correction was requested but not made.

How you access your information

You have a right to access your Personal Information held by Genome BC.

Upon written request and authentication of identity, we will provide you with Personal Information under our control, information about the ways in which that Personal Information is being used and a description of the individuals and organizations to whom such Personal Information has been disclosed.

We may charge a reasonable fee for providing Personal Information in response to an access request and will provide an estimate of any such fee upon receiving a written access to Personal Information request. We may require a deposit for all or part of the fee.

We will make Personal Information available within 30 days or provide written notice where additional time is required to fulfill the request.

In some situations, we may not be able to provide access to certain Personal Information. We may also be prevented by law from providing access to certain Personal Information.

Where an access request is refused in whole or in part, we will notify you in writing, giving the reason for refusal and outlining further steps which are available to you.

Changes to Policy

To keep pace with economic and technological changes, Genome BC may revise this Policy from time to time. The revised Policy will be posted on our website, and will come into effect 30 days after it is posted.

Privacy related inquiries

Please direct any complaints, concerns or questions regarding the Policy to our Privacy Officer:

Write to:
Tony Brooks, Privacy Officer
c/o Genome British Columbia
400-575 West 8th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Z 0C4

privacy@genomebc.ca