Privacy Policy

Our Commitment to Privacy

Your privacy is critically important to us. At Blue Ocean Accounting, we are dedicated to respecting and protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the information you have entrusted to us. This Privacy Policy outlines our principles and practices for managing personal information in connection with our accounting, bookkeeping, and tax services.

who this policy applies to

This policy applies to any individual whose personal information we collect in carrying out our business activities, including:

Clients and Account Holders of Blue Ocean Accounting.
Individuals engaging with us for tax and bookkeeping services.
Visitors to our website and office.
Financial Advisors and Legal Representatives we communicate with on behalf of our clients.

what is personal information?

Personal information refers to any information that identifies you as an individual. We collect personal information directly from you or indirectly through third parties (such as your financial advisor or financial institution) only with your explicit authorization and in accordance with applicable law.

taking accountability

We are accountable for the personal information under our control. We have established internal policies and procedures, including staff training, to ensure compliance with these privacy principles.

Privacy Officer: We have designated a Privacy Officer who is accountable for personal information under our control and responsible for compliance with this policy.
Personnel Responsibility: Every employee and authorized representative is strictly responsible for respecting and protecting the personal information to which they have access.

Purposes for Collection, Use, and Disclosure

We only collect, use, and disclose personal information for the purposes for which it was collected. We collect your personal information to:

Provide and manage requested services: Including bookkeeping, payroll, preparation of financial statements, and corporate/personal tax filing.
Facilitate Integrated Planning: To directly collaborate with your existing financial advisor or our trusted financial partners to ensure your tax and wealth strategies are aligned, but only with your specific, written consent.
Legal and Regulatory Obligations: To comply with requirements set by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and other regulatory bodies.
Communicate with you regarding service updates, account status, and relevant industry changes.

Obtaining Consent and Choices

We obtain your consent to collect, use, or disclose personal information, and you may at any time revoke that consent, subject to legal and regulatory requirements.

Critical Consent: We require your explicit consent before sharing any of your personal financial information with a third-party financial advisor, even one we have recommended.
Impact of Withdrawal: In some cases, we may not be able to provide certain services if you do not consent or withdraw consent to our collection, use, or disclosure of the required information.

Limiting Collection, Use, and Disclosure

We limit the collection of your personal information to only that which is necessary for the purposes identified above.

Disclosure: We do not sell or rent client lists or personal information to third parties. We only disclose information to:
- Third-party service providers (e.g., secure cloud storage, payroll software) who are bound by confidentiality agreements.
- Your existing financial advisor or our referred partners, with your explicit consent.
- Governments, regulators (like the CRA), or courts as required by law.

Retaining and Disposing of Information

We have policies governing the retention of your personal information, keeping it only as long as necessary to fulfill its intended purpose or to satisfy legal and self-regulatory requirements. When no longer needed, we have strict procedures to destroy, delete, or convert it to an anonymous form securely.

Limiting Collection, Use, and Disclosure

We limit the collection of your personal information to only that which is necessary for the purposes identified above.

Disclosure: We do not sell or rent client lists or personal information to third parties. We only disclose information to:
- Third-party service providers (e.g., secure cloud storage, payroll software) who are bound by confidentiality agreements.
- Your existing financial advisor or our referred partners, with your explicit consent.
- Governments, regulators (like the CRA), or courts as required by law.

Keeping Information Accurate and Protected

Accuracy: We maintain your personal information in as accurate, complete, and up-to-date form as is needed for its use. We rely on you to inform us of any changes to your information.
Protection: We maintain appropriate security safeguards—physical, electronic, technological, procedural, and organizational—to protect against unauthorized access, theft, misuse, or loss of your personal information.

Accessing or Correcting Information

Upon written request, we will inform you of the existence, use, and disclosure of your personal information and will grant you access to that information, with few exceptions as permitted by law. If you find an error, we will promptly correct or update your information.

contact us

Blue Ocean Accounting Privacy Office [Insert Street Address] [Insert City, Province, Postal Code]

Phone: [Insert Phone Number] Email: [Insert Dedicated Privacy Email, e.g., privacy@blueocean.com]

How to Report a Concern:

Voice your question or concern with the staff member you are dealing with.
If the concern is not adequately addressed, escalate directly with the Privacy Office using the contact information above.
Further Escalation: If you still feel your concern is not addressed, you may contact The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (www.priv.gc.ca).