Privacy Policy

Website Privacy Policy

We do not automatically gather any personal information from you on this web site. Some personal information will be required of members to allow them to participate in private APEGS forums.

We will not disclose any personal information collected to any other party without your prior concent. We will disclose any information required for us to comply with a valid court order.

Some of our web pages may utilize ‘cookies’ and other tracking technologies. A ‘cookie’ is a small text file that may be used, for example, to collect information about website activity. Some cookies and other technologies may serve to recall personal information previously indicated by a web user. Most browsers allow you to control cookies, including whether or not to accept them and how to remove them.

If you choose to participate in an APEGS on-line forum or discussion group, we may ask you to volunteer personal information such as your name and e-mail address for the purposes of effective administration of the forum or discussion group.

For questions or comments about this policy please call APEGS at (306) 525-9547 or 1-800-500-9547.

APEGS PIPEDA Policy

After January 1, 2004, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) applied to the personal information gathered and disseminated by APEGS. APEGS has developed this policy to comply with PIPEDA and to ensure that personal information of individual members is not disclosed or retained without the consent of the individual member. Members of APEGS have a right to access personal information held by APEGS and to challenge its accuracy, if need be. Before APEGS uses any personal information for any purpose other than that which was specifically authorized by the individual or by law, the member’s consent must be obtained again.

Personal Information

Personal Information includes any factual or subjective information, recorded or not, about an identifiable individual. This includes information in any form such as:

  • Age, name, ID numbers, income, ethnic origin, or blood type.
  • Opinions, evaluations, and social status or disciplinary actions.
  • Employee files, credit records, loan records, medical records, existence of a dispute between a consumer and a merchant, intentions (for example to acquire goods or services, or to change jobs).

Personal Information does not include the name, title or business address or telephone number of an employee of an organization.

Under The Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act, S.S.c.E-9.3, APEGS is required to keep a register containing the name and address of every member, licensee, and holder of a Certificate of Authorization as follows:

19 (1) In accordance with the bylaws, the council shall keep a register in which the name and address of every member, licensee and holder of a certificate of authorization is to be recorded.

(2) The register is to be:

(a) kept at the head office of the association; and

(b) open for inspection by all persons, without fee, during normal office hours of the association.

(3) A certificate purporting to be signed by the registrar and stating that a named person was or was not, on a specified day or during a specified period, a member, suspended member, licensee, the holder of a certificate of authorization, professional engineer or professional geoscientist according to the register, or an extract from the register that is certified by the registrar, is admissible in evidence as proof, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, of its contents without proof of the registrar’s appointment or signature.

Information required to be retained will be available to parties to inspect at APEGS head office in compliance with the Act.

Certain exceptions to the use of information without an individual’s knowledge or consent are contained in PIPEDA Section 7 and elsewhere. APEGS again states that it will not disseminate, use or collect information unless in strict accordance with PIPEDA.

Ten Principals

APEGS has based its Privacy Policy on the Ten Principals of the code provided in Schedule 1 of PIPEDA.

  1. Be accountable.
  2. Identify the purpose.
  3. Obtain consent.
  4. Limit collection.
  5. Limit use, disclosure, and retention.
  6. Be accurate.
  7. Use appropriate safeguards.
  8. Be open.
  9. Give individuals access.
  10. Provide recourse.

APEGS Staff

Frontline and Management staff have been informed and trained on the APEGS Privacy Policy and Procedures. No information is to be gathered, used or disclosed except in accordance with this Policy. Consent must be recorded in writing and obtained from the individual who allows the dissemination of personal information prior to the release of any information to anyone. Disclosure to third parties of information is limited to what is required by law.

APEGS staff have been trained in the storage and retention of documents and all records collected are kept under lock and key in a secure manner. If inaccuracies in information held by APEGS are discovered or suspected the member is requested to apply to APEGS in writing for a copy of the records and advise APEGS of any necessary amendments. Proof of an individual’s identity which is satisfactory to APEGS staff is a requirement prior to the release of any information.

Application for Admission

As an engineer-in-training/geoscientist-in-training all applications for admissions including Academic credentials are gathered for the sole purpose of assessing a person’s qualifications for membership in the Association pursuant to the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act. The information collected will be used only for its expressed purpose and for no other purpose unless the expressed written consent of the applicant is first obtained. The consent of the applicant is necessary before the disclosure of the information to other professional Associations for registration purposes in those Associations, for example.

APEGS Volunteers and Employees

This policy applies to all councilors, committee members, volunteers, and APEGS staff as well as any third party contractors with APEGS. All of the above are made aware of this policy and are required to comply with the requirements of PIPEDA and this policy.

Retention of Information

Documents and recorded information are securely kept for the minimum time required by law, however, some documents such as degrees or certificates are kept in some cases for the life of the individual. APEGS reviews personal information periodically and destroys, erases or renders anonymous information no longer required for its purpose or legally. Our current retention period is as follows:

Document Minimum Retention Period Maximum Retention Period
Member Files Indefinite Indefinite
Application Forms including all supporting documentation Kept in Member file retained as above Kept in Member file retained as above
Examination Papers 1 year Until an applicant becomes a registrant
Investigation Files 6 years following closure or discipline hearing 6 years following closure or discipline hearing
Discipline Files Indefinite Indefinite

Evolving Policy

This Policy is subject to change as APEGS becomes aware of privacy decisions regarding the interpretation of PIPEDA, or as APEGS internal policies change.