It is the policy of VTech Technologies Canada Ltd. or "VTech" to control the collection, use, and disclosure of customer and employee personal information in accordance with all requirements set out in the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
The purpose of this document is to show how VTech Technologies Canada Ltd. adheres to government regulations and acts relating to our customer's personal information and privacy.
All VTech Technologies Canada Ltd. employees, who collect, maintain and/or use personal information must do so in accordance with this policy and relevant procedures.
The Privacy Officer assigned by VTech is responsible for supervising compliance with the legislation and for initiating procedures, guidelines and schedules that will be developed to effect this policy.
The Privacy Officer is accountable for the VTech Technologies Canada Ltd.'s policies and practices, with respect to the management of personal information, and is the individual to whom complaints and inquiries can be forwarded.
Your feedback is important to us. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns on the approach taken to collect, use or disclose your personal information, we would like to hear from you.
VTech Technologies Canada Ltd.'s head office address for privacy policy inquiries is:
Attention: Privacy Officer
By phone: (604) 273 - 5131
By E-mail: privacyofficer@vtech.ca
This Web Privacy Policy is a condensed version of our main Privacy Policy. This main policy carries more details on our means and methods of adhering to the Ten Principle Requirements as laid out by the PIPED Act.
Latest Revision Number: 2
Revision date: April 17th, 2005
In Canada, two federal privacy laws protect all citizens. The Privacy Act covers the personal information-handling practices of the federal government and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents (PIPED) Act is Canada's new private sector privacy law, which came fully into effect on January 1, 2004.
VTech Technologies Canada Ltd. must rely on personal information to identify and stay in touch with their customers, and information about their employees, so that they can administer benefits and ensure a safe and productive workplace. Obtaining and using that personal information in ways that don't offend the fundamental human right of privacy is the challenge for modern businesses. Respecting and protecting privacy is a key element of good customer relations, and that makes it a key element of competitive advantage. Our customers want privacy and our employees need it.
VTech Technologies Canada Ltd.'s privacy policy conforms to the Canadian Federal Privacy Act (PIPEDA). Since the European Union has formally endorsed PIPEDA, we feel that our adherence to this Act enables us to be in compliance with key, basic elements of major international Personal Information Privacy Acts.
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents (PIPED) Act sets out ground rules for how private sector organizations can collect use or disclose personal information in the course of commercial activities. It balances an individual's right to privacy with the need of organizations to collect, use or disclose personal information for legitimate business purposes.
This Privacy Policy has been developed in accordance with the standards set out in PIPEDA and is modeled after the Canadian Standards Association Model Code (the "CSA Code") for the Protection of Personal Information. CSA has identified ten principles of fair information practices, which represent a formal statement of the minimum requirements to be adhered to for the protection of personal information collected from customers and employees.
These principles, which have been adopted by VTech Technologies Canada Ltd., are:
Organizations must appoint an individual(s) responsible for maintaining compliance with the Act. These individuals are required to develop, implement, and monitor personal information policies and practices.
Organizations must disclose why personal information is collected, how it will be used, and whether such information will be shared with third parties at the time or prior to collection.
Organizations need to obtain an individual's consent at the time personal information is collected, and whenever a new use for the previously collected information is identified, except where exempted by law.
Organizations are required to limit the collection of personal information to that which is deemed necessary for the purposes identified.
Organizations may only use information for the purpose for which it was collected, unless consent is received from the individual or the new use is specifically permitted by the Act. Information may be retained only as long as needed and should be destroyed or anonymized according to a predetermined retention policy.
Organizations are required to maintain personal information as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.
Organizations must protect personal information, regardless of format, against unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification. The degree of protection should be commensurate with the sensitivity of the information.
Organizations must inform customers and employees of policies and practices relating to the management of personal information. These policies must be easily understandable and readily accessible.
Upon request, organizations are required to inform individuals of the existence, use, and disclosure of personal information pertaining to that individual. Individuals should be able to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information, and have it amended as appropriate.
Organizations need to provide simple and readily accessible mechanisms for individuals to challenge compliance with the Act. Organizations should inform individuals of the avenues of recourse, including internal recourse mechanisms, responsible industry associations, regulatory bodies, and ultimately, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
VTech does not collect, Use, or disclose any personal information unless consent is voluntarily provided. Consent may be given orally, in writing or, electronically at the time of collection.
VTech will express orally or in writing the purposes for which your personal information is being collected.
* Customers who prefer not to receive special promotion or additional product information can "Unsubscribe" by emailing us at unsubscribe@vtechcanada.com and, on the subject field state "Unsubscribe".
We will store your personal information as long as it remains necessary or relevant to conducting business with you or for as long as required by law.
VTech Technologies Canada Ltd. will not disclose any of your personal information to third parties without your knowledge and consent unless the disclosure is to prevent fraud, illegal activity, potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of VTech terms and use or is required by law.
A cookie is a small piece of information sent by a web server to store on a web browser so it can later be read back from that browser. This is useful for having the browser remember some specific information.
Yes. Cookies will be collected in the event of product registration and online purchasing.
Via cookies, a web site visitor's personal information is formatted by the Web server, transmitted to, and saved by the user's computer.
To store passwords, user ID's and for online purchasing (user preferences).
Privacy Commissioner Information on Cookies:
https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/technology/online-privacy-tracking-cookies/cookies/frequently-asked-questions-about-cookies/
Yes one can delete VTech Cookies off their hard drive, but, the next time the user visits our site (vtechcanada.com) they will have to set or customize their web information/preferences again.
No. We only use cookies solely for the user's ease of use of our (vtechcanada.com) site.
Only our (vtechcanada.com) site or web server can have that information. The Cookie information contains IP addressing specific to this web transaction (yours and ours). Other servers (with different IP addresses) will not be actively involved, thus not receive this data.
Yearly, or, dependant on prevailing legislative changes.
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
VTech Technologies Canada Ltd. Privacy Policy Rev 2
Canadian Federal Privacy Act: https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/privacy-laws-in-canada/the-privacy-act/pa_brief/
Federal Privacy Commissioner: www.priv.gc.ca