Privacy Policy

Purpose 

Encompass CPA Inc. values the privacy rights of our clients and our team members and we are committed to protecting all personal information in our possession or control. We have adopted this Privacy Policy to guide how we collect, use and disclose the personal information we require in the course of fulfilling our professional responsibilities and operating our business. In this privacy policy we explain the basic tenets of our personal information handling practices, including why we collect and use personal information and your rights related to its collection and use.

Personal Information 

Personal information includes any factual or subjective information, recorded or not, about an identifiable individual. This includes information in any form, such as:

1. Age, name, ID numbers, income, ethnic origin, medical records;
2. Opinions, evaluations, comments, social status, or disciplinary actions;
3. Employees, credit records, loan records, billing information, existence of a dispute with a client, or intentions.

Personal information does not include the name, title, business address or telephone number of an employee of an organization.

How We Use Your Information 

As a general rule, we collect and use personal information to provide services for our clients and for the following purposes:

1. To facilitate us in providing services related to the preparation of your accounting and financial statements;
2. To prepare your taxation and other returns as required for various governmental and other regulatory purposes;
3. To advise you on tax planning, personal financial planning, business and succession planning, valuation and other business and personal advisory services;
4. To understand your needs and determine the suitability of other products or services we may be able to offer to you.

Consent

The Terms and Conditions of every professional services engagement are documented in an Engagement Letter. By signing the engagement letter, you will be providing your consent to the collection, use and disclosure as described.

We will not collect, use or disclose your personal information without your consent. By providing us with your personal information for the purposes listed above, you consent to our collection and use of the information for those purposes. With respect to personal information that you provide for the preparation of your taxation and other returns, you consent to our transmitting such personal information to the appropriate governmental or regulatory authorities.

If we wish to collect your personal information for purposes other than as stated above, we may request that you consent, verbally or in writing to such collection. Similarly, if we wish to use personal information that we have already collected for a purpose other than as stated above, we will seek your consent to such use.

You have the right to refuse or withdraw your consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information. In some cases, such refusal or withdrawal may prohibit or adversely affect the completion of our professional engagement. We will advise you if that is the case.

In some limited circumstances, the law may require that we release personal information to regulatory bodies, governmental authorities and/or our professional organizations. We will notify you of any such required disclosures and provide you with the reason that obligates us to release the personal information.

Retention, Accuracy and Safeguarding 

In order to preserve the information for governmental and professional purposes, and to serve you better, we will retain and safeguard your information for as long as we determine is necessary, even if you are no longer a client.

We will use appropriate technologies, and maintain high security standards to ensure the protection of your information. While we do employ up to date technology to protect your personal information when it is transmitted electronically, you should be aware that no electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

You may, upon written request, review your personal information and request corrections if necessary. We are committed to maintaining accurate information, and urge you to notify us promptly of any changes in your personal information.

We understand that, in the course of delivering our services, you may disclose to us personal information that you have collected regarding your employees, customers and other parties. We assure and commit to you that this information will be kept private and confidential and will not be released to any third party (other than as may be required by law) unless we first obtain consent.

Email preferences 

We may provide a newsletter subscription feature on this website to make it easy for clients and website visitors to request and receive information of interest to them on a regular basis. If you choose to subscribe to this newsletter feature, you must submit your name and email. If you do not wish to receive future e-mails, please visit our unsubscribe page within the application you registered.

Our responsibilities

Each and every one of our employees, partners and contractors is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of all personal information to which they have access. Our employees are trained to know and respect our privacy policy, and compliance with our policies and procedures for protecting personal information is a condition of their employment.

We endeavor to revisit our privacy policy and procedures from time to time to ensure that we are providing you with the highest degree of protection in connection with the delivery of our services. Such changes will be posted on our web site.

If you have any questions or comments about our policies and procedures regarding your privacy, we ask that you contact us at reception@encompasscpa.ca, or in writing at our office address.