APEGA's Privacy Policy

Who We Are

Created in 1920, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) regulates the practices of engineering and geoscience in Alberta on behalf of the Government of Alberta through the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act (the Act).

APEGA is the largest association of self-regulated professionals in Western Canada. Its members work in diverse industries, contributing significantly to Alberta’s economic success and enhancing the quality of life Albertans enjoy.

Our main regulatory function is licensing individuals and companies to practise engineering and geoscience in Alberta. Applicants and companies that meet APEGA’s standards for ethical, professional, and technical competency earn the right to practise and to use reserved titles and designations.

APEGA, its members, and its permit holders—companies and other organizations that practise engineering, geoscience, or both—have a shared commitment to public safety and well-being through the self-regulation of the professions. Serving the public interest is APEGA’s privilege and responsibility.

On behalf of its members, APEGA also takes part in the national conversation on engineering and geoscience issues through its involvement with Engineers Canada and Geoscientists Canada.

Principles

APEGA will fulfil its legal obligations to protect, collect, use, and disclose personal information. All personal information that members of the public, professional members, applicants, and volunteers share with APEGA that remains in its custody or under its control will be collected, used, and disclosed in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), the governing documents, other applicable laws, and this policy. In this policy, the governing documents are the Act, its regulations, and APEGA’s bylaws.

This privacy policy does not apply to information about legal entities such as corporations. However, it does apply to personal information collected about individuals in relation to such legal entities.

Personal information of APEGA employees is not covered by this policy.

Responsibilities

All APEGA employees, volunteers, and contractors are responsible for fulfilling APEGA’s legal obligations to protect, collect, use, and disclose personal information in its custody or under its control.

Under the direction of APEGA’s Privacy Officer, APEGA’s management team will ensure their departments comply with this policy.

The Privacy Officer will:

• maintain APEGA privacy policies in compliance with applicable governing documents and PIPA
• respond to personal information access requests
• correct personal information as set out under PIPA
• manage general issues concerning personal information and privacy
• oversee procedures to maintain and protect the privacy of personal information
• develop information notices and materials about the privacy policy for APEGA and the public
• oversee privacy training and orientation for employees and volunteers
• oversee privacy risk assessments and audits
• ensure APEGA fulfils all legal obligations relating to privacy, security, and confidentiality
• liaise with offices of applicable and appropriate authorities during an investigation of a privacy breach or a privacy complaint against APEGA
• receive, document, investigate, and track complaints about personal information or privacy

The Privacy Officer can be contacted at [email protected], or:

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta

200-8615 51 Ave. NW
Edmonton, Alberta
T6E 6A8

What is Personal Information

Section 1(k) of PIPA defines personal information as information about an identifiable individual.

Examples of personal information include an individual’s name, home or business address, business or personal email, business or personal phone, age, gender, identifying numbers, financial information, physical description, employment, opinions or comments by or about individuals, visual images, and preferences.

Personal information will be shared outside of APEGA as necessary to carry out and enforce the Act and to provide reasonable membership services.

Collecting Personal Information

• APEGA is legally required to carry out and enforce the Act. APEGA also provides professional support services to members. APEGA is permitted under PIPA, the governing documents, and other applicable laws to collect personal information for reasonable purposes and as allowed by applicable law.
• When collecting personal information, APEGA will:
  • collect only what is reasonable for the identified purpose or for a use consistent with that purpose
  • ensure all individuals can request access to their personal information that APEGA has collected
  • ensure all individuals have the right to correct their personal information
  • comply with PIPA, the governing documents, and this policy

Using or Disclosing Personal Information

The main purposes for the collection and use of personal information by APEGA follow.

Applicants and Members of the Association

Personal information is collected and used to:

• communicate with applicants and members
• assess membership eligibility
• assess continued membership
• maintain registers
• recruit volunteers
• investigate claims or complaints of unprofessional conduct or unskilled practice
• conduct quasi-judicial discipline and appeal hearings
• conduct professional and technical examinations
• conduct professional practice reviews and inspections
• review and inspect continuing professional development activities
• ensure compliance with professional standards, including professional development requirements
• publish public lists
• operate award programs
• offer educational and social events
• provide engineering and geoscience awards support through the Ivan Finlay Award
• provide benefits and discounts to members and their families
• conduct surveys
• perform statistical analysis of membership in the professions
• collect payments, which may require collecting information from references, educational institutions, governmental agencies, present and former employers, credit reporting agencies, and criminal background checks
• provide services for members to fulfil their regulatory obligations (e.g., stamps and digital signatures)

Personal information may be collected from or disclosed to other regulatory organizations within Canada and in other countries for the purpose of serving the public interest in relation to matters involving the practice of engineering and geoscience.

Volunteers and the General Public

Personal information is collected and used to:

• assess suitability for volunteer positions
• communicate with volunteers and the public
• record opinions, votes, and decisions
• investigate unlawful practice of engineering or geoscience
• investigate unlawful practice as an engineer or geoscientist by an unlicensed person
• gather opinions and views
• provide information about engineering and geoscience
• offer educational information on engineering and geoscience and APEGA’s role as the regulator of those professions
• enable staff and the past-presidents to provide engineering and geoscience awards through the Ivan Finlay Leadership Award

APEGA only collects the personal information needed to achieve the identified purpose of the information collection.

Retaining Personal Information

APEGA will retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to achieve the identified purpose of the information collection.

Member and Company Directories

As required by the Act, APEGA provides member and permit holder directories on its website. These publicly available directories display specific information about members and permit holders.

Access to Your Personal Information

Individuals can request access to their personal information held or controlled by APEGA by submitting a written request to the Privacy Officer.

The individual submitting an access request must include enough detail to enable APEGA, with reasonable effort, to find the requested record containing the personal information.

Individuals requesting access to their personal information may ask for a copy of, or access to, a record containing the personal information.

If APEGA cannot grant access to a record, APEGA will create a copy for the requester if the following conditions are met:

• The copy can be created using APEGA’s normal computer hardware and software and technical expertise.
• Doing so will not unreasonably interfere with APEGA’s operations.

Upon receiving an access to information request, APEGA will comply with its obligations under PIPA.

APEGA will review each access to personal information request to determine if access to or a copy of the requester’s personal information will be provided.

APEGA will not give access to, or copies of, personal information if the information:

• is legally protected
• is confidential, commercial, and not unreasonable to withhold
• is collected during an investigation, review, or mediation
• cannot be separated from the personal information of another individual 
• is part of a mediation or arbitration for which the mediator or arbitrator was appointed to act:
  • under an agreement
  • under a statute of Alberta, Canada, or another jurisdiction of Canada
  • under a regulation of Alberta, a regulation of Canada, or a similar subordinate legislation of another Canadian province that, if enacted in Alberta, would constitute a regulation of Alberta
  • under a legislative instrument of a professional regulatory organization
  • by a court
• may present a risk to the public welfare if disclosed

APEGA will make reasonable efforts to assist requesting individuals and to respond as accurately and completely as possible.

APEGA will provide, upon the individual’s request, an explanation of any term, code, or abbreviation used in a record provided to the requester if it is reasonable to do so.

APEGA has 45 days to respond to an access to information request. If more time is needed, APEGA will provide written notice before the 45-day expiry.

If APEGA refuses to release personal information, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (OIPC) has outlined the process for both parties to follow. This information can be found on the OIPC’s website.

Correction of Personal Information

APEGA will make every reasonable effort to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate and complete. If a correction is needed, members are encouraged to use APEGA’s online portal to provide an update. If a change cannot be made online, members may make a change request to the appropriate APEGA department, such as Regulatory, or to the Privacy Officer. For requests that cannot be performed online or by a specific department, a written request to correct an error or omission in personal information must be made to the Privacy Officer.

The individual requesting a correction must include enough detail to enable APEGA to identify the record with reasonable effort.

APEGA will make reasonable efforts to assist those wanting to correct their personal information and to respond to each individual accurately and completely.

If APEGA receives a correction request for personal information under its control and determines there is an error or omission, APEGA will correct the information as soon as reasonably possible. If APEGA has shared the incorrect information with other organizations, it will send the corrected information to each organization if it is reasonable to do so.

If APEGA decides not to make the correction, it will add a note to the personal information with the correction that was requested, but not made.

If APEGA receives a correction request from another organization, APEGA will correct the personal information in its custody and control.

When asked to change information, APEGA will determine that the request is being made by the authorized individual and is reasonable before making the change. APEGA will complete acceptable change requests within a reasonable period. If APEGA does not agree with the request, APEGA will advise the requesting party and note the request and the reason for not making the change.

Safeguarding Personal Information

Due to the complexity of the digital world, APEGA cannot know precisely where information is flowing while in transit. APEGA uses several Software as a Service (SaaS) and third-party partners that may store data in another jurisdiction.

APEGA takes the protection of personal information seriously. APEGA follows the governing documents and applicable laws to protect personal information. Safeguards include physical, technological, and organizational measures. APEGA has made appropriate arrangements to secure against unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, disposal, or destruction of personal information. All APEGA employees, contractors, and volunteers must comply with APEGA’s policies and procedures in relation to the security, management, and protection of the personal information it holds.

Complaints

If individuals are dissatisfied with the way APEGA has handled their personal information, they are entitled to submit a complaint to APEGA. APEGA’s Privacy Officer will investigate all complaints concerning compliance with PIPA, the governing documents, any applicable law, and this policy. The Privacy Officer will make every reasonable effort to resolve complaints including, if necessary, recommending changes to policies and procedures. The complainant will be informed of the progress or outcome of the investigation within 45 days of submission.

As of April 1, 2024, the OIPC has changed the processes to file a complaint with or request a review by the OIPC. These new processes can be found on their website.

Website Privacy

APEGA strives to protect the privacy of visitors to this site. By using the APEGA website, you agree to the terms of this privacy policy.

Personal Information – Website

APEGA uses third-party services that may place non–personally identifying cookies on your computer. APEGA also uses Google Analytics to track usage information that helps improve the websites for all users. In addition, APEGA uses remarketing tools offered by Google, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn to deliver relevant advertisements when you use websites that participate in the respective content network, based on your past visits to any APEGA website. You can learn more about how each platform uses these cookies and how to opt out of them by visiting advertisement settings on those sites.

All Internet-capable computers have a domain name and an IP address. APEGA uses Google Analytics on its websites and maintains server and web logs that automatically record the IP address of all incoming traffic. APEGA does not link these addresses with the identity of individuals or corporations visiting the site. APEGA uses this information to analyze traffic to improve the website for its users.

Parts of the website are for members, permit holders, and applicants. If you log in to one of APEGA’s online services, you may be asked for personal information, such as your APEGA ID and password. This information confirms your identity. If you do not want to provide APEGA with this information, you will not be able to access these parts of the website. APEGA protects your personal information while you use these secured pages. Furthermore, personal information is protected by PIPA.

Links to Other Websites

This website links to other websites. APEGA is not responsible for the content or the privacy policies of other websites.

General

Third Parties

APEGA does not sell personal information to third parties.

Personal information will be shared outside of APEGA as necessary to administer and enforce the Act or to administer APEGA business (e.g., financial audits). Personal contact information may be shared with trusted third-party product and service providers that have agreed to provide benefits to APEGA members.

Contractors

APEGA contracts will contain specific provisions requiring compliance with PIPA, the governing documents, and any applicable laws relating to the security and privacy of personal information when applicable.

All contractors that may have access to personal information held by APEGA will be advised and reminded of APEGA’s privacy policy and obligations to ensure the security and protection of personal information.

Policy Changes

If APEGA changes this privacy policy, APEGA will post the changes by updating this document. Any questions about this policy should be directed to the Privacy Officer.