At BC Society of Engineering and Geoscience (BCSEG) (referred to as "we", "us", or "our"), we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency in how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines our practices regarding the collection, use, and protection of personal data in accordance with applicable privacy laws, including BC PIPA, PIPEDA, Law 25, CCPA, and GDPR. The BCSEG Governance Committee is responsible for the maintenance of this policy.
1. What Information We Collect
We take steps to ensure the information collected is adequate, relevant, not excessive and used for limited purposes. Specifically, we may collect the following types of information:
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address.
- Billing and Account Information: Payment information, transaction history, account information
- Membership Information: For members, we may collect additional details like membership number, job title, and professional affiliation
- Website Interaction Data: Information about how you interact with our website, including IP addresses, browser types, browsing behaviour (including page interactions, length of visit), and time-zone setting.
2. Where We Collect Your Information
This policy applies to information collected, used, or disclosed through:
- BCSEG mailing list sign-up form
- Profile creation on website
- Membership applications
- Event sign-up
3. How We Use Your Information
We take steps to ensure that the personal information collected is used in accordance with this policy. Specifically, we use your personal information for the following purposes:
- To provide member services.
- To fulfil the purposes for which the information was provided or that were described when it was collected.
- To carry out our obligations and enforce rights arising from any contracts, including for billing and collection or to comply with legal requirements.
- To notify about changes to the BCSEG website or any products or services offered or provided through it.
- To improve the BCSEG website, products or services, marketing, or customer relationships and experiences.
- To allow interactive features, social media, or similar features on the BCSEG website.
- In any other way as described when the information was provided. It is the responsibility of the BCSEG Board of Directors, staff, contractors, and volunteers to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal information.
4. How We Protect Your Information
We take the security of your personal information seriously. We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including encryption and access control policies.
However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
5. Data Transfer
BCSEG may transfer limited personal information (first and last name) that is collected or provided as described in this policy to contractors, service providers, and other third parties used to support our business (such as analytics and search engine providers that assist us with the BCSEG website improvement and optimization) and who are contractually obligated to keep personal information confidential, use it only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them, and to process the personal information with the same standards set out in this policy.
By submitting personal information or engaging with the BCSEG website, consent to this transfer, storage, or processing is provided.
6. Data Safeguards
The security of personal information is very important to BCSEG. The use of physical, electronic, and administrative measures designed to secure personal information from accidental, or unauthorized, loss or deletion and from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure.
Sensitive data is encrypted at rest and in transit using standards like AES-256 and SSL/TLS via our service providers.
7. Consent
We are committed to collecting, using, and disclosing personal information in accordance with British Columbia's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Consent is obtained before or at the time personal information is collected.
We seek consent by requiring confirmation of reading and accepting this privacy policy. You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions, by contacting us at privacy@bcseg.ca. Please note that withdrawing consent may impact our ability to provide certain services.
We do not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for purposes other than those identified at the time of collection or reasonably necessary to fulfil those purposes, unless you provide additional consent or as permitted by law.
If you have questions about how we manage consent or your personal information, please use the contact information listed within the Contact Us section of this policy.
8. Photographs and Media
We are committed to collecting, using, and disclosing personal information in accordance with British Columbia's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Consent is obtained before or at the time personal information is collected. During events or activities organized by BCSEG, photographs, videos, or other media may be captured for use in promotional materials, including on our website, social media platforms, and advertising campaigns. By signing up for and/or attending our events, you acknowledge and consent to the possibility of your image being captured and used for these purposes.
If you do not wish to have your image used, please notify us before or at the start of the event by contacting our event coordinator or Data Protection Officer at privacy@bcseg.ca. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your request, such as designating no-photo zones or excluding identifiable images of you from public materials.
We will not use photographs or media in a way inconsistent with the purposes for which they were collected. If you have concerns about the use of your image or likeness, please contact our Data Protection Officer at privacy@bcseg.ca.
9. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. BCSEG may disclose aggregated information about users, and information that does not identify any individual, without restriction.
BCSEG may also disclose your personal information:
- To comply with any court order, law, or legal process, including to respond to any government or regulatory request, in accordance with applicable law.
- To enforce or apply our terms of use and other agreements, including for billing and collection purposes.
- If we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of BCSEG, customers, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
These third parties are required to maintain the confidentiality of your data and use it solely for the purpose for which it was shared.
We may also disclose your information as required by law, or to comply with legal processes, such as a subpoena or court order.
10. Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:
- The right to access and correct your personal information.
- The right to request deletion of your personal information.
- The right to object to or restrict the processing of your personal information.
- The right to withdraw your consent at any time (where applicable).
If you wish to access, correct, or delete personal information, you can do so by logging into your profile on our website. Or, to exercise any of these rights, please contact the BCSEG data protection officer at privacy@bcseg.ca.
You have the right to object to the use of personal information for direct marketing purposes. You can opt-out at any time by clicking the 'unsubscribe' link in our emails, logging into the profile on our website and unsubscribing to contact lists or contacting us directly. You have the right to file a complaint with a supervisory authority. For matters related to British Columbia, you may contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia (http://www.oipc.bc.ca/). For international or inter-provincial concerns, you may reach out to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (http://www.priv.gc.ca/).
11. Minors Information
11.1 Personal Information and Consent for Minors
Our organization is committed to safeguarding the privacy of minors who participate in our events, such as STEAM education programs, presentations, and activities involving K-12 students. We do not collect, use, or disclose personal information of minors without prior, verifiable consent from a parent or legal guardian. Personal information collected will be limited to what is necessary for event participation and safety, such as emergency contact details and allergy information.
11.2 Photography and Media Consent
Photographs, videos, or other media may be taken during events to document activities and promote educational initiatives. We will not capture or share identifiable images of minors without obtaining prior, written consent from a parent or legal guardian. Any shared media will comply with applicable laws and standards for child privacy protection.
If there are any concerns or questions, please contact the Data Protection Officer at privacy@bcseg.ca.
11.3 Data Retention and Deletion
All personal information related to minors will be securely stored and retained only for the duration necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected. Afterward, the information will be securely deleted, unless otherwise required by law or expressly consented to by the parent or guardian.
12. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit our website. They help us recognize your device, enhance your browsing experience, and provide personalized content. Cookies may be first-party (set by our website) or third-party (set by other services).
12.1 Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for the functionality of the website and cannot be disabled.
- Performance Cookies: Collect anonymous data on how users interact with the website to improve performance.
- Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences to enhance your experience.
- Targeting/Advertising Cookies: Deliver personalized ads based on your interests. These cookies may share data with third parties.
12.2 How We Use Cookies
We use cookies to:
- Ensure the website operates correctly.
- Analyze website traffic and user behaviour.
- Personalize content and ads.
- Remember your preferences and login details.
12.3 Your Content
When you visit our website, we request your consent to use non-essential cookies. You can manage your cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner or settings. Essential cookies are exempt from this requirement as they are necessary for the website to function.
12.4 Managing Cookies
When You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may impact the functionality of the website. Instructions for managing cookies in popular browsers:
- Google Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
- Safari: https://support.apple.com/en-is/guide/safari/sfri11471/16.0/mac/11.0
- Microsoft Edge: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/manage-cookies-in-microsoft-edge-view-allow-block-delete-and-use-168dab11-0753-043d-7c16-ede5947fc64d
12.5 Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies on our website are set by third parties, such as analytics or advertising providers. These third parties are responsible for their data practices, and we recommend reviewing their privacy policies.
12.6 Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. The effective date at the top indicates the latest revision.
Contact us at privacy@bcseg.ca If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies.
13. Updates to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. The updated policy will be posted on our website, and the "Effective Date" will be revised accordingly.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us at:
BC Society of Engineering and Geoscience
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Effective Date of policy: 2025-03-10