Privacy Policy
As part of our commitment to public accountability and protection of personal privacy, the BC Safety Authority adheres to the British Columbia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act).
The Act
- gives the public a right to access records under the custody and control of the BC Safety Authority;
- specifies limited exceptions to the rights of access;
- gives an individual a right to access, and ask for correction, of their own personal information;
- prevents the unauthorized collection, use, or disclosure of personal information by the BC Safety Authority; and
- provides for an independent review by the Information & Privacy Commissioner of decisions made under this Act.
Requests for Information
Information requests are classified as either formal or informal requests.
A Formal Request for Information under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act is a formal process to access public records that are neither routinely available nor available through informal procedures. The Act establishes a public right of access to records under the custody or control of BC Safety Authority. The Act also recognizes that there are situations when information should not be released. These exceptions are stated in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
If you wish to make a Formal Request for Information under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, you must make the request in writing, and submit the request to the BC Safety Authority Head Office, Attn: Records, Information and Privacy Analyst. You can either complete the Request for Information Form or you can submit a request in writing clearly indicating the type of record requested. The BC Safety Authority will respond to your request within 30 business days from the date of receipt. Depending on the circumstances of the request, the BC Safety Authority may extend the response time should the need arise. If a time extension is requested, you will be advised of the reason and when a response can be expected.
A request for third party personal information (personal information that is not the applicant’s own information) must include a signed letter of consent authorizing the applicant to collect personal information about the third party individual from the BC Safety Authority.
Under certain circumstances, a charge may be applied to a request for information. Whereas there is no charge for request of the applicant's own personal information, commercial applicants may be charged the actual cost of providing service at the discretion of the BC Safety Authority. If a fee for service is required, a written estimate will be provided to the applicant, and a deposit may be required before the request is processed. Records will be released once payment is received.
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Fee Schedule - Formal Request for Information |
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Locating and retrieving a record |
$30.00 per hour after the first 3 hours |
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Producing a record (including copying time) |
$30.00 per hour |
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Preparing a record for disclosure and handling charges |
$30.00 per hour |
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Shipping a record |
At cost |
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Copying a record - Either on photocopy or black & white laser printout |
$0.25 per page (8.5" x 11") |
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Copying a record - Colour laser printout (digital photographs) |
$1.50 per page (8.5" x 11") |
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Copying a record - Either floppy disks or compact disks |
At cost |
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Copying a record - Computer tapes |
At cost |
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Copying a record - photographs (colour or black & white) |
At cost |
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Copying a record - drawings or plans (size E) |
At cost |
An Informal Request for Information is a request for information that is routinely available for public consumption. Most information for public consumption is available on the web site or in publications. An informal request can also include a request for your personal information and general information that is not readily available. Such requests may require an "informal review" for protection of privacy by a Manager or Supervisor prior to release. All requests for information submitted to the BCSA must be in writing and applicants may be charged applicable fees whether requests for information are formal or informal.
If you wish to make an Informal Request for Information, you can contact a BC Safety Authority Representative at any one of our offices, our toll free number 1-866-566-7233 or e-mail info@safetyauthority.ca.
Request for Correction of Personal Information
The BC Safety Authority will make every reasonable effort to ensure that personal information in our custody or control is accurate and complete.
If your personal information has changed, you may make a request to the BC Safety Authority, Head Office, Attn: Registrar, to correct the information on our files.
Protection of Privacy
The BC Safety Authority will only collect personal information that it is authorized to do so. Subject to some exceptions, personal information must be collected from the individual directly. The BC Safety Authority will not use or disclose personal information except as permitted in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and Safety Standards Act. Personal information will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected, for use consistent with that purpose, or with your consent.