The Beverage Container Management Board (“BCMB”, “we” or “us”) is committed to safeguarding the personal information entrusted to us by our industry partners and users of our Website and Services. We manage your personal information in accordance with Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and other applicable laws. Unless otherwise defined herein, all capitalized terms will have the meanings given in our Terms of Use.
This privacy policy (the “Policy”) explains how the BCMB collects, uses, and discloses the personal information that you provide to us, or that we obtain through the Website, the Services, the Alberta Depot mobile application, or through any BCMB portals accessed by you through the Website. For clarity, this Policy applies to all the Services offered by the BCMB. The Policy also applies to any person providing services on the BCMB’s behalf. A copy of this Policy is provided to any individual on request.
This Policy also describes the choices available to you regarding BCMB’s use of your personal information and how you can access and correct this information, where possible.
Your access or use of the Website or our Services constitutes acceptance of and agreement with this Policy. If you do not accept this Policy, do not access or use the Website or our Services.
Personal information means information about an identifiable individual. This includes an individual’s name, home address and phone number, age, sex, marital or family status, an identifying number, financial information, educational history, etc.
Except as referenced elsewhere in this Policy, the BCMB only collects personal information that relates to and is necessary for operating programs and activities of BCMB, including (without limitation) management of the Website and provision of the Services. This may include personal information needed to:
Generally, the BCMB obtains personal information if you supply it voluntarily by initiating contact with us or when registering with the BCMB’s Website or for provision of Services or creation of an Account. In connection with the foregoing, we may collect personal information from you such as your name and contact information.
When you visit our Website, we may automatically process technical data such as your IP address, visited webpages, the internet browser you use and the duration of a visit/session to enable us to deliver the functionalities of the Website. In addition, embedded code may collect information for tools that we use to improve the Website. Information and data automatically collected enables us to manage and improve the Website and Services. By agreeing to this Policy, you hereby consent to the collection of your personal information as set out within this Policy.
Personal information that is collected by the BCMB will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected, for a use consistent with that purpose, or as indicated in this Policy. If you choose to provide us with your personal information - for example in an email message to us - we use that information to respond to you and to help with your request. We treat emails the same way we treat letters sent to us. When you submit a comment or send us a question, you may be asked for your name, email address, or other information. This information is only used to process and respond to your question or comment. Unless otherwise indicated, this information is not disclosed by the BCMB except to its authorized personnel that need the information in order to respond to you. By agreeing to this Policy, you hereby consent to the use of your personal information as set out in this Policy.
Personal information that is provided to the BCMB is confidential. The BCMB will only disclose your personal information in the following circumstances: (a) when we are required or authorized by law to do so, for example if a court issues a subpoena; (b) when you have consented to the disclosure; (c) if we engage a third party to provide IT services to us (like computer back-up services or archival file storage) and the third party is bound by this Policy (please note that such service provider(s) may be located outside of Canada); (d) if the information is already publicly known; or (e) where we are permitted or required to do so under applicable laws. By agreeing to this Policy, you hereby consent to the disclosure of your personal information as set out in this Policy.
We do not collect personal information for commercial marketing. We only share the personal information you give us with government departments or agencies if your inquiry relates to that department and the sharing is permitted by law. We do not create individual user profiles with the information you provide or give the information to private organizations for them to create profiles.
When you visit the BCMB Website, the web server automatically collects a limited amount of information essential for the operation and security of our Website and the other sites that reside on the server. Some of this information (i.e., browser type) does not identify who you are, whereas other information, such as your Internet domain name or IP address, may identify you. The extent of personal identification depends, in large part, on the naming standards followed by your Internet service provider. You may wish to check with them to inquire about their policies and practices in this regard.
For Website security purposes and to ensure that this Service remains available to all users, the BCMB computer system employs software programs that monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information or to otherwise cause damage. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations, no attempts are made to identify individual users or other usage habits.
This Policy does not apply to third party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party websites that are linked to our web site.
Web cookies may be employed to further collect information about how users are using the web site. A cookie is a small amount of data that is sent to your browser from a web server and is stored on your computer’s hard drive. Cookies are a form of identification card that allows a website to identify you when you return and recognize your preferences. Preference and option configurations in your browser determine if and how a cookie will be accepted. You can change those configurations on your computer if you desire. By changing your preferences, you can accept all cookies, you can be notified when a cookie is set, or you can reject all cookies. If you reject all cookies and cookies are disabled, you may be required to re-enter your information more often.
The BCMB uses temporary cookies for some basic session information and certain features of our Website may not be available to you if your browser does not allow cookies.
In connection with payment of Fees, your credit card information is processed by us or our third-party payment processing provider. We do not collect your credit card information. Any payment information that may be collected in connection with the Fees will be held in strict confidence.
When you download the Alberta Depot (QMS) mobile application to your mobile device, the application collects a limited amount of information essential for the operation and security the application. The application requires the following information in order to operate: camera access (to scan containers), phone access (to allow you contact the BCMB through the application), and storage access (to download the application and store application files on your device while in use). Some of this information does not identify who you are, whereas other information, such as your Internet domain name or IP address, may identify you. The extent of personal identification depends, in large part, on the naming standards followed by your Internet service provider. You may wish to check with them to inquire about their policies and practices in this regard.
The information collected by our mobile application is only used to process and respond to your questions or comments. Unless otherwise indicated, this information is not disclosed by the BCMB except to its authorized personnel that need the information in order to respond to you.
We make every reasonable effort to ensure the security of the personal information in our possession. We use appropriate technical, administrative, and organizational safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, reproduction, modification, or destruction. We use standard, industry-wide, commercially reasonable security practices to protect your information. However, as effective as our practices are, no security system is impenetrable. We cannot guarantee the security of our database, nor can we guarantee that information you supply won’t be intercepted while being transmitted to us over the Internet. Any transmission of information by you to BCMB is at your own risk. If you prefer, you can contact us via mail or phone us at the BCMB contact numbers and addresses provided on the Website.
We will notify the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta, without delay, of a security breach affecting personal information if it creates a real risk of significant harm to any individual.
We retain client personal information in alignment to our Government of Alberta approved Retention Schedule to fulfil the purposes for which the information was collected or for legal or business purposes.
We will retain your information only as long as is reasonable to fulfill the identified purposes or a legal or business purpose or until you request that we no longer retain your information. If you wish to request that we no longer retain or use your information, please contact our Privacy Officer identified below. Please note that it may not always be possible for us to comply with your request, for instance if we are under a legal obligation to maintain your personal information.
We render client personal information non-identifying or destroy records containing personal information once the information is no longer needed. We use appropriate security measures when destroying client personal information, including shredding paper records, and permanently deleting electronic records.
The BCMB is a regulatory body and must follow the transparency and government disclosure guidelines as determined by the Government of Alberta. Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act), you are entitled to request access to or correction of your personal information.
You may make a request for access to your personal information by writing to the BCMB’s Privacy Officer at any time. You must provide sufficient information in your request to allow us to identify the information you are seeking.
We make every reasonable effort to ensure that your information is accurate and complete. If you are aware of an error or omission in our information about you, please contact BCMB’s Privacy Officer in writing using the contact information provided under ‘Questions and complaints’ and we will correct it wherever reasonably possible.
We reserve the right to change this web site Privacy Policy from time to time. The current version will be posted to our web site and will apply to any collection, use, disclosure, or handling of personal information after posting of the Policy.
This Policy is subject to our Terms of Use. This Policy, the subject matter of herein and all related matters will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Province of Alberta and the laws of Canada applicable in Alberta.
If you have a question or concern about any collection, use or disclosure of personal information by the BCMB, or about a request for access to your own personal information, please contact the BCMB’s Privacy Officer.
BCMB Privacy Officer
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you should contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta:
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
#410, 9925 - 109 Street NW
Edmonton, AB T5K 2J8
Edmonton office: (780) 422-6860
Toll-Free: 1-888-878-4044
E-mail: generalinfo@oipc.ab.ca
Website: www.oipc.ab.ca
Revised: July 10, 2023