Privacy Policy | Provincial Moving & Storage

Effective date: Sept 16, 2023

1. Introduction and Accountability

Provincial Moving and Storage is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our customers, prospective customers, employees, website visitors, and others with whom we conduct business.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information in accordance with British Columbia's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and other applicable privacy legislation.

Personal information means information about an identifiable individual, such as a name, residential address, telephone number, email address, financial information, photographs, moving details, or recorded telephone conversations.

We collect, use, and disclose personal information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances, with consent or other authorization permitted by law.

Provincial Moving and Storage is responsible for personal information in its custody or under its control, including information handled by employees and third-party service providers acting on our behalf.

Privacy Officer

Rachael Cronk is the designated Privacy Officer for Provincial Moving and Storage. The Privacy Officer oversees our privacy practices, addresses privacy concerns, and coordinates requests for access to or correction of personal information.

Contact information is provided in Section 10.

2. Personal Information We Collect

We limit the collection of personal information to what is reasonably necessary to provide our services, manage business operations, and meet applicable legal obligations.

Depending on the nature of our relationship with an individual, we may collect:

Contact and Identification Information

Names, telephone numbers, and email addresses.
Residential, business, billing, pickup, delivery, and storage addresses.
Other contact information reasonably necessary to communicate with customers.

Moving, Packing, and Storage Information

Requested and scheduled service dates.
Descriptions, inventories, and photographs of belongings.
Property access information, including parking, stairs, elevators, and loading arrangements.
Special handling instructions and storage requirements.
Estimates, booking confirmations, contracts, and service records.

Billing and Payment Information

Billing information, invoices, and receipts.
Payment confirmations and transaction records.
Information necessary to process payments, refunds, and billing enquiries.

Payments may be processed through authorized third-party payment service providers.

Communications and Service Documentation

Emails, text messages, and written correspondence.
Telephone conversations and recordings.
Customer instructions, feedback, and complaints.
Photographs and documentation relating to property conditions, damage claims, repairs, insurance matters, or disputes.

Website Information

When individuals visit our website, certain technical information may be collected through website technology, including IP addresses, browser and device information, pages visited, and information collected through cookies or similar technologies.

Additional information is provided in Section 6.

Employee Personal Information

Where applicable, we collect personal information reasonably necessary to establish, manage, or terminate employment relationships, including contact details, payroll and banking information, scheduling, attendance, training, and employment records.

Employee personal information is handled in accordance with PIPA and applicable employment legislation.

How Information Is Collected

We collect information through website forms, telephone calls, emails, text messages, in-person communications, estimates, bookings, contracts, payment transactions, photographs, and service documentation.

Information is generally collected directly from individuals. In some circumstances, it may be provided by an authorized representative, employer, property manager, or another person arranging services on someone's behalf, where permitted by law.

3. How We Use Personal Information

Provincial Moving and Storage collects and uses personal information for the following purposes:

Customer Enquiries and Estimates

To respond to enquiries, assess service requirements, prepare estimates, and provide quotations.

Scheduling and Providing Services

To organize and perform moving, packing, storage, and related services, including coordinating dates, addresses, inventory details, property access, and special handling requirements.

Customer Communications

To communicate about estimates, bookings, scheduling, service updates, invoices, payments, and other matters relating to requested services.

Billing and Business Administration

To process payments, prepare invoices, maintain necessary records, and fulfill accounting, contractual, and legal obligations.

Telephone Call Recording

Telephone conversations may be recorded using RingCentral or related telephone technology to:

Confirm customer instructions, bookings, and service details.
Maintain accurate records of communications.
Support employee training and customer service quality.
Investigate complaints, damage claims, or other concerns.
Resolve billing, contractual, or service-related disputes.

We provide appropriate notice of call recording and obtain consent where required by law. Access to recordings is limited to authorized personnel and service providers who reasonably require access for legitimate business purposes.

Claims and Dispute Resolution

To investigate and resolve customer concerns, damage claims, insurance matters, contractual disagreements, and other disputes.

Business Operations and Service Improvement

To maintain customer relationships, manage necessary business records, support employee training, evaluate service quality, and improve operations.

Marketing and Promotions

To communicate information about our services, promotions, or company updates where appropriate consent has been obtained or applicable law otherwise permits.

Website Operations

To operate, maintain, secure, and improve our website and respond to online enquiries.

Employment Administration

To establish, manage, and terminate employment relationships and fulfill applicable employment obligations.

Legal Requirements

To comply with applicable laws, respond to lawful requests, maintain required records, and establish, exercise, or defend legal rights.

We do not use personal information for unrelated purposes without obtaining additional consent where required or having another lawful basis under applicable legislation.

4. Consent and Individual Choices

Provincial Moving and Storage obtains consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information where required by PIPA.

We make reasonable efforts to inform individuals of the purposes for collecting their information at or before collection, unless otherwise permitted by law.

Depending on the circumstances, consent may be obtained verbally, in writing, electronically, or through an individual's actions where implied or deemed consent is permitted under PIPA.

For example, when a customer voluntarily provides contact details and moving information to request an estimate, consent may be reasonably inferred for using that information to prepare the estimate and respond to the enquiry.

The appropriate form of consent depends on the sensitivity of the information and the circumstances.

We do not require consent to collect, use, or disclose personal information beyond what is reasonably necessary as a condition of providing services.

Withdrawal of Consent

Individuals may withdraw their consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of their personal information at any time by providing reasonable notice to our Privacy Officer, subject to applicable legal or contractual restrictions.

Upon withdrawal of consent, Provincial Moving and Storage will stop collecting, using, or disclosing the affected personal information, unless continued handling is permitted or required by law.

Withdrawal of consent may affect our ability to provide certain services or fulfill contractual obligations. We will inform individuals of any reasonably foreseeable consequences of withdrawing consent.

Collection, Use, or Disclosure Without Consent

PIPA permits or requires personal information to be collected, used, or disclosed without consent in certain circumstances, including:

Compliance with valid legal orders or other lawful requirements.
Investigations or legal proceedings where authorized by law.
Emergencies or circumstances involving health and safety where permitted by PIPA.
Certain employment-related purposes, subject to applicable statutory requirements and notice obligations.
Other circumstances expressly permitted or required by applicable legislation.

We rely on these exceptions only where the applicable legal requirements are satisfied.

5. Sharing Personal Information With Third Parties

Provincial Moving and Storage does not sell or rent customers' personal information.

We may share personal information with employees, management, service providers, and other authorized parties where reasonably necessary to provide services, conduct business operations, fulfill contractual obligations, or comply with applicable law.

Third-Party Service Providers

We use third-party services to support business operations, including:

SmartMoving: Customer relationship management, estimates, bookings, and moving operations.
Remedy Payments: Payment processing and related transactions.
QuickBooks: Accounting, invoicing, and financial recordkeeping.
Google: Email, electronic documents, and cloud-based business services.
RingCentral: Telephone communications, call recording, and related services.

We may also use other providers for website hosting, technology services, payment processing, professional services, and moving or storage operations.

Third-party providers maintain their own privacy policies and terms governing their handling of personal information and are subject to applicable privacy laws.

Provincial Moving and Storage takes reasonable steps to select service providers with appropriate privacy and security practices and to protect personal information shared with them. Where providers process information on our behalf, we take appropriate contractual or other measures to address confidentiality, security, and privacy obligations.

We share only the personal information reasonably necessary for the services being performed and remain responsible for personal information under our control.

Some service providers may store or process personal information outside British Columbia or Canada. Information stored or processed in another jurisdiction may be subject to that jurisdiction's laws, including lawful access by government authorities.

Other Authorized Disclosures

We may disclose personal information where required or permitted by law, including in connection with legal proceedings, insurance matters, claims, investigations, or an actual or proposed business transaction, subject to applicable PIPA requirements.

We do not disclose personal information for unrelated purposes without appropriate consent or other legal authorization.

6. Website Privacy, Cookies, and External Links

Our website uses third-party website technology and may collect certain technical information when visitors access or interact with the site.

Depending on the website features and integrations in use, this may include IP addresses, device and browser information, pages visited, and cookies or similar technologies.

Cookies and related technologies may be used to support website functionality, security, performance, visitor experience, and, where enabled, website analytics or advertising measurement.

Some cookies may be placed by third-party services integrated into our website.

Visitors can manage or restrict cookies through their browser settings or any cookie preference controls made available on our website.

Where required by applicable privacy legislation, we will provide appropriate notice and obtain consent before using non-essential tracking technologies.

Our website may also contain links to independently operated third-party websites. These websites have their own privacy policies and practices, which we encourage visitors to review.

Provincial Moving and Storage is not responsible for the privacy practices of independently operated external websites.

7. Retention, Disposal, and Security

Retention of Personal Information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or to satisfy legitimate legal, contractual, accounting, or business requirements.

Customer records, including estimates, contracts, invoices, correspondence, inventories, and photographs, may be retained to support ongoing customer relationships, necessary transaction histories, accounting obligations, and potential claims or disputes.

Telephone Recordings

Telephone recordings maintained through RingCentral or related systems are retained only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which they were collected, including confirming instructions, supporting customer service, investigating concerns, and resolving disputes.

Recordings are deleted when they are no longer required for these purposes or other legitimate legal or business obligations.

Physical and Electronic Records

Physical documents containing personal information are retained only where reasonably necessary.

Loose or duplicate office paperwork containing customer information that is no longer required is shredded and disposed of monthly. Other physical records may be retained where necessary for business, contractual, accounting, or legal purposes.

Electronic records are securely deleted or anonymized when no longer required, subject to applicable retention obligations.

Where personal information is used to make a decision that directly affects an individual, we retain that information for at least one year after the decision, as required by PIPA, unless the individual consents to earlier removal.

Secure Disposal

When personal information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy, delete, or anonymize it using methods appropriate to its format and sensitivity. This includes addressing information held by service providers acting on our behalf, where applicable.

Protecting Personal Information

We use reasonable administrative, physical, and technological safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including:

Limiting access to authorized personnel.
Maintaining appropriate confidentiality and information-handling procedures.
Protecting physical documents and electronic records.
Using password protection, access permissions, and available security features.
Providing appropriate employee guidance regarding privacy responsibilities.

Although reasonable safeguards are used, no electronic storage system or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Privacy Breaches

If a suspected or confirmed privacy breach occurs, we will take reasonable steps to contain and investigate the incident, assess potential risks, address security weaknesses, document the response, and notify affected individuals, regulators, or other parties where required by law or otherwise appropriate.

8. Access to and Correction of Personal Information

Provincial Moving and Storage recognizes the right of individuals to request access to their personal information held under our control, in accordance with PIPA.

Individuals May Request:

Access to Personal Information: A copy of their personal information held by Provincial Moving and Storage, including customer records, correspondence, booking information, and telephone recordings, where applicable.

Information About Use and Disclosure: Information about how their personal information has been used and the individuals or organizations to whom it has been disclosed, as provided under PIPA and subject to applicable legal exceptions.

Correction of Personal Information: Correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information maintained by the Company.

Submitting a Request

Requests for access or correction must be submitted in writing to our Privacy Officer:

Rachael Cronk
Privacy Officer
Provincial Moving and Storage
Email: info@provincialmoving.ca
Phone: (250) 588-8898
Mailing Address: 1-4560 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC V8Z 3G4

Requests should clearly identify the information sought and provide sufficient details to help us locate the relevant records.

We will make reasonable efforts to assist individuals with their requests and may require reasonable identity verification before releasing or correcting personal information.

Response Time

We will respond to written requests within 30 days of receipt, calculated in accordance with PIPA, subject to extensions or other exceptions permitted by law.

If a lawful extension is necessary, we will provide notice as required by PIPA.

Fees

Where permitted under PIPA, we may charge a minimal fee for providing access to personal information other than the individual's employee personal information.

We do not charge individuals for access to their own employee personal information.

Where an access fee applies, we will provide a written fee estimate before processing the request and may require a deposit where permitted by law.

Limitations on Access

In certain circumstances, PIPA requires or permits us to withhold information, including information protected by legal privilege or information that would improperly disclose another individual's personal information.

Where information can be reasonably separated from material that must or may be withheld, we will provide access to the remaining information as required by law.

If access is refused in whole or in part, we will provide the reasons for refusal and information about applicable review rights, as required by PIPA.

Correction Requests

We take reasonable steps to ensure personal information is accurate and complete where it is used to make decisions affecting individuals or disclosed to other organizations.

Where we are satisfied on reasonable grounds that a requested correction should be made, we will correct the information as soon as reasonably possible and provide the corrected information to organizations to which it was disclosed during the preceding year, as required by PIPA.

If a correction is not made, we will annotate the information to indicate that the correction was requested but not made.

9. Marketing, Privacy Complaints, and Policy Updates

Marketing Communications

Provincial Moving and Storage may occasionally send information about our services, promotions, or company updates where appropriate consent has been obtained or applicable law permits.

We comply with applicable electronic marketing requirements, including Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).

Individuals may opt out of marketing communications by using an unsubscribe mechanism included in a message or contacting info@provincialmoving.ca.

We process unsubscribe requests within applicable legal timelines.

Opting out of marketing does not prevent necessary service-related communications regarding bookings, payments, invoices, or other legitimate business matters where permitted by law.

Privacy Complaints

Individuals who have concerns about how their personal information has been collected, used, disclosed, retained, or protected may contact our Privacy Officer.

We will review privacy complaints, assess relevant information, take reasonable corrective action where appropriate, and communicate the outcome as appropriate.

Individuals who are dissatisfied with our response may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (OIPC) to request assistance, make a complaint, or seek a review where permitted by law.

OIPC Website: https://www.oipc.bc.ca/

Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not specifically directed toward children.

We do not knowingly solicit personal information directly from children under 13 without appropriate authorization from a parent or legal guardian.

Where we become aware that personal information was collected from a child without the consent or other authorization required by law, we will take appropriate steps to address the situation.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our business operations, technology, privacy practices, or applicable legislation.

When changes are made, we will update the effective date of the policy. Where required by law, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent before implementing changes affecting the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information.

We will make information about our privacy policies and practices available upon request and review our practices periodically to support compliance with applicable legislation.

10. Contact Information

For questions, concerns, complaints, access requests, correction requests, or additional information about our privacy practices, please contact:

Rachael Cronk
Privacy Officer
Provincial Moving and Storage

Email: info@provincialmoving.ca
Phone: (250) 588-8898
Address: 1-4560 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC V8Z 3G4
Website: www.provincialmoving.ca

Provincial Moving and Storage is committed to handling personal information responsibly, transparently, and in accordance with British Columbia's Personal Information Protection Act and other applicable privacy legislation.