Privacy

The Canadian Opera Company (the “COC”) and its agents take the issue of privacy seriously. The COC has developed the Policy on the Protection of Patron Information (“this Policy”) to formalize procedures necessary to ensure the privacy of personal patron information (current and potential ticket buyers and donors), and to communicate that policy to patrons, staff, appointed representatives and business associates.

Principles

There are 10 principles to which the COC aspires. These principles form the basis of the “Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act” (PIPEDA).

Principle 1: Accountability

The COC has a designated Privacy Commissioner. The individual responsible for the protection of COC patron information is the Managing Director.

Principle 2: Identifying Information and Purposes

Personal information on COC patrons may include:

• Home and business address, telephone numbers, e-mail address
• Age and birth date
• Personal and public financial information
• Purchasing and donating history
• Medical information (related to seating needs)
• Professional and personal relationships, affiliations and activities
• Artistic preferences and other personal interests
• Seating and donation preferences
• Patron communications such as letters or verbal feedback
• Methods and preferences of COC communications

Any new purpose is subject to approval by the Privacy Committee and Managing Director.

How we use this information:

• To communicate with and maintain a responsible professional relationship with COC patrons
• To understand the needs and desires of patrons, and to develop sales, service and donor programmes suitable to COC patrons
• To meet legal and regulatory requirements
• On occasion, we exchange names from our mailing lists with other cultural organizations we feel our patrons would be interested in. We do not sell or exchange our e-mail lists.
• Sponsorship plays a vital role in funding our operations. On behalf of our sponsors, we may occasionally share special promotions with our patrons
• We do not sell our list or patron information under any circumstance

Principle: 3 Consent

All information collected is used by the COC for communicating with patrons, for patron service and for patron analysis. Information that does not validly serve these purposes will not be collected or retained.

Principle 4: Limiting Collection

There are 10 principles to which the COC aspires. These principles form the basis of the “Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act” (PIPEDA).

Principle 5: Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

The COC makes every effort to create and maintain accurate electronic-data and hard-copy files. The COC updates all files when new information becomes available or is provided.

Principle 6: Accuracy

There are 10 principles to which the COC aspires. These principles form the basis of the “Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act” (PIPEDA).

Principle 7: Safeguards

The COC has processes and procedures in place to ensure security safeguards for patron information. Only authorized COC staff, or its agents such as the Canadian Opera House Corporation, may have access to patron information. These agents are bound by contract to the COC privacy policies and procedures.

Principle 8: Openness

This Policy shall disclose the principles that the COC will strive to maintain. Inquiries or complaints regarding any aspect of this Policy should be directed to the Privacy Commissioner.

Principle 9: Individual Access

Upon request, a COC patron shall be informed of the existence, use and disclosure of his or her personal information, and shall be given access to that information. The accuracy or completeness of such information will be amended as appropriate.

Principle 10: Challenging Compliance

All inquiries or complaints regarding the COC’s compliance with this Policy should be directed to the Privacy Commissioner.

Please Note: Information posted on coc.ca and on all electronic mailings issued by the Canadian Opera Company—including dates, casting, pricing, repertoire and productions—is assumed correct at time of transmission and is subject to change.

Updated November 2008