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Privacy Statement

Investigative Research Group (IRG) is a provincially based investigation company, providing services to the insurance industry, corporate, legal community and private sector in Ontario, Canada. At IRG we are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards with respect to the collection and disclosure of personal information. As such, we have developed our Privacy Policy to ensure compliance with the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

Identifying Purposes

IRG will identify the purpose for which we are collecting and using personal information at or before the collection of information. Requests for information will be screened carefully to ensure compliance with the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronics Documents Act (PIPEDA). We may choose to orally explain the purposes for which personal information is being collected and place a notation in our files indicating that this has been done.

Consent

IRG will obtain consent (express or implied) prior to the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information. IRG may collect and use an individual's personal information without consent, if the knowledge and consent would compromise the availability, accuracy or results of the information or on-going investigation and/or the information is required to investigate a breach of any agreement or contravention of a federal or provincial law. We may not obtain consent if the personal information collected is publicly available or where the law provides an exception.

Limiting Collection of Personal Information

IRG will only collect personal information for specific, legitimate purposes. We will not collect personal information indiscriminately. Information will only be collected by fair and lawful means and we will not be misleading or deceive individuals about the purpose for which information is being collected.

Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

Personal information collected by IRG will not be used or disclosed for the purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with the consent of the individual or as required by law. We will retain personal information only as long as necessary for the fulfilment of the purposes for which it was collected.

Accuracy

The personal information we collect will be accurate, complete and up-to-date as necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used. The process for ensuring accuracy and completeness will involve:

  • initial collection of information preferably in writing;
  • verification of information given for accuracy by contacting third parties (e.g. motor vehicle and driver licensing authorities, police etc.).

If a significant error or omission is identified, we will make every effort to correct the information.

Safeguards

IRG will ensure that every available means at our disposal is utilized to effectively safeguard the security of personal information under our control in a manner that is appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. These measures of protection may include, but are not limited to, physical measures such as: locked file cabinets, restricted areas, alarm systems, password and encrypted access to computers, limiting access to sensitive materials and providing staff with ongoing training with regard to safeguarding personal information, reviewing procedures and disposal or destruction of information which has exceeded maximum industry standards for retention of information. These methods may include shredding documentation and, deleting electronically stored information.

Openness

IRG will make available specific information about its policies and practices relating to the management of personal information. Individuals to whom the information relates may submit a written request whereupon we will provide reasonable access to the information. Individuals making a request for access will be required to provide sufficient information to us to enable us to confirm or deny the existence, use, disclosure or documented destruction of said information. If a request is refused we will inform the requesting individual in writing. All requests will be responded to within 30 days upon receipt of the request.

Exceptions to providing access to personal information may include situations where personal information regarding a third party may be revealed; commercially confidential information may be revealed; someone's life or security could be threatened; the information was collected without consent for the purposes relating to an investigation of a breach of an agreement or contravention of the law; the request for information is the responsibility of the instructing principal to respond to; the information is protected by solicitor-client privileges; where information was collected without consent if obtaining that consent would have jeopardized the outcome of an investigation or if the information was generated during the course of a formal dispute resolution process.

Requests for further information, inquiries regarding the manner in which we handle personal information or complaints regarding IRG's handling of personal information should be addressed in writing to:

Investigative Research Group
R.W. (Rob) Goodfellow, President and CEO