Privacy Statement

Halton Community Legal Services is governed by and committed to the privacy and confidentiality provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Legal Aid Services Act, the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Rules of Professional Conduct, and by its own Confidentiality Policy. All of these have provisions limiting how Halton Community Legal Services can collect and disclose information, including the personal information collected from or on behalf of past or present clients or potential clients. Halton Community Legal Services collects and uses personal information only as required for statistical and financial reporting requirements mandated by Legal Aid Ontario, and uses the same information for its own business analyses.

Personal information collected directly or indirectly on our website is never sold to third parties. It is disclosed only as authorized by law. In some cases, disclosure will be permitted because the person from whom the information came has consented to its disclosure. Disclosure may also take place where it is necessary for the performance of the duties of a Halton Community Legal Services employee. Limited disclosures to third parties may be made to fulfill funding or other legal obligations which are necessary for Halton Community Legal Services to conduct business. Some information may be privileged and exempt from disclosure under the law.

Halton Community Legal Services staff is trained in issues of confidentiality and privacy and have signed a binding confidentiality agreement which applies indefinitely even after employment has ceased. Halton Community Legal Services also has physical, technological and procedural safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to the information it holds.

It is important that the personal information Halton Community Legal Services has about former or present clients or potential clients be correct. If you wish to view or correct your own personal information, you may contact our office to make a request do so.

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, individuals have the right to request access to information which Halton Community Legal Services holds. Where a request is denied, a written decision is provided, setting out the reasons for the denial. The requester has a right of appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

 

Disclosure of Your Personal Information

From time to time, under certain circumstances, Halton Community Legal Services may disclose your personal information:

When we are required or authorized by law to do so (e.g., if a court or tribunal etc issues a subpoena or a summons);

When you have consented to the disclosure;

When the legal services we are providing to you require us to give your information to a third party (for example, to a court or tribunal etc or to a lawyer or agent related to your case), your consent will be implied, unless you tell us otherwise;

Where it is necessary to establish or collect any charges, costs or fees;

When and if we engage a third party to provide administrative services to us (like computer networking services or archival file storage). In such a case the third party is bound by our or Legal Aid Ontario’s privacy policy;

If we engage expert witnesses on your behalf;

If a lawyer or a person who, in the reasonable judgment of Halton Community Legal Services, is providing or seeking the information as your agent;

Any third party or parties where you consent to such disclosures, or where disclosure is required or permitted by law.