Last updated: June 25, 2025
At the Victoria Division of Family Practice, we take your privacy seriously. We believe protecting personal and cultural information is about more than just compliance, it’s about trust, respect, and relationships.
What information we collect
We only collect the information we need to do our work. This may include:
- Personal information such as your name, email, phone number, or employment details if you register for programs, events, or apply for opportunities.
- Cultural information such as teachings, stories, or protocols shared with us by Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, Elders, Nations, or communities.
We always explain why we’re collecting information at the time we collect it, and we only ask for what is reasonable and necessary.
Consent
We obtain consent before collecting, using, or sharing your information. Consent may be written, verbal, or implied (for example, when you give us your contact details so we can follow up). You can withdraw your consent at any time.
For Indigenous cultural information, consent and protocols are guided by the community sharing the information.
How we use and share information
We only use information for the purposes we collected it. We do not sell information for marketing purposes. When we do share information, it is only with trusted service providers or partners who are contractually required to protect it.
Cultural information is never shared outside the context it was given without community approval.
Safeguards
We protect your information with a combination of physical, technical, and organizational safeguards. This includes secure digital storage, role-based access, and ongoing privacy training for staff. Safeguards are matched to the sensitivity of the information, and for cultural information, we also follow community protocols.
Access and your rights
You have the right to know what information we hold about you, how it’s been used, and who it’s been shared with. You can request access, ask for corrections, or withdraw your information at any time. Indigenous individuals and communities may also request the return of cultural content.
We will respond to requests within 30 business days unless legislation allows us more time.
Retention and destruction
We keep information only as long as it’s needed for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law. When it’s no longer needed, it is securely destroyed, anonymized, or returned in line with cultural protocols.
Breaches
If there is ever a privacy breach that affects your information, we will notify you as quickly as possible, investigate, and take steps to prevent it from happening again. If required, we will also report the breach to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC).
Questions or concerns
If you have questions about this Privacy Statement or how your information is handled, please contact our Privacy Officer at:
Email: [email protected]
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may also contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia at www.oipc.bc.ca
