Your Privacy at Welland Hydro

Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp. (“Welland Hydro”) is pleased to be your provider of electricity distribution services. Providing you with a reliable source of electricity requires that Welland Hydro collect and keep certain personal information about you. We are committed to keep accurate and protect the privacy of your personal information. Therefore, we have developed policies and procedures in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). To access our current privacy policy and learn more about your privacy rights, please visit Welland Hydro’s Privacy Policy or call Welland Hydro at 905-732-1381 ext. 233 to request a physical copy of our policy.

We would like to take this opportunity to inform you about the personal information that we collect, how it is used, how we protect its confidentiality, keep it accurate and secure and your rights with respect to this information.

Personal information that Welland Hydro collects from customers includes:

the customer’s name, address, date of birth and other contact/occupancy information (as needed);
the meter number;
facts about consumption of power, both historic and current;
information about a customer’s transactions with us, such as account numbers, account balances, payment history;
medical information to be used in case of planned or emergency power outages; and
bank information for pre-authorized payments.

Welland Hydro will collect personal information for the following purposes:

to establish and maintain responsible commercial relationships with customers and to provide ongoing service; and
to meet all legal, regulatory, settlement, and market operations requirements;
to identify or contact customers, respond to customer inquiries and otherwise maintain business relations with customers;
to help prevent or investigate fraud, theft of power or other breaches of the law;
billing and collection of payments for electric service;
to register customers for pre-authorized payment for services;
priority restoration of electric service to the correct address and meter, as may be required by medical circumstances;
to provide customers with information about our services, the electricity industry, energy conservation and rates;
to request customer participation in surveys or contests; or
to notify customers about events or causes sponsored by Welland Hydro.

Welland Hydro may:

monitor and/or record any telephone conversations with its customers for quality assurance and training purposes.
share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf. These service providers are given only the information necessary to perform those services that we have contracted them to provide.

Welland Hydro will not sell or trade your personal information. Nor will we use or disclose your information for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with your consent or in accordance with applicable laws.

Due to the structure of the electricity sector in Ontario, it may be necessary to share your billing and consumption information with third party billing and settlement agencies. For example, if you have signed a separate contract with a retailer, then we may provide your billing and consumption information to them. Your information may also be shared or disclosed to other agencies or organizations as required by law or regulation. Our billing, settlement and regulatory relationships with third parties are governed by licenses and codes which are established by the Ontario Energy Board.

You have the right to request access to your personal information which we have collected and to request amendments to personal information about you to ensure its accuracy and completeness. To make a formal request for access to personal information we may have collected, disclosed or used about you or to request that your personal information be amended, please complete the Access or Correction Request Form found on our website and remit a compulsory $5.00 application fee payment.

We want to ensure that you understand our need to collect and use personal information in the delivery of our electricity services. Please feel free to call us at 905-732-1381 ext. 233 if you have concerns about the collection and use of your personal information by Welland Hydro. You may also call this number if you wish to withdraw your consent to our collection, use or disclosure of your personal information. We can also be contacted via email at privacy@wellandhydro.com or if you write to us at 950 East Main St., Welland ON, L3B 0L9, our Privacy Officer will respond to any questions or concerns you may have.

Welland Hydro is committed to being a responsible and reliable electrical distributor that you expect. This commitment extends to the protection of our customers’ personal information. Thank you for your continued support.

Privacy Policy

Preface

Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp. (“Welland Hydro”) is committed to keeping the personal information of its customers accurate, confidential, secure and private. Our Privacy Policy has been designed to inform customers, employees, and third-party contractors of Welland Hydro’s commitment and recognition of our obligation to protect customer personal information in its custody or control and meet the terms of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).

Our Privacy Policy describes the principles by which Welland Hydro protects the privacy of personal information in its possession. It addresses the reasons why such information is collected, how it is used, how its confidentiality is protected and outlines customers’ rights in respect of accessing their personal information. Our Privacy Policy incorporates and expands on the ten principles for the protection of personal information, as established by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

This Privacy Code does not apply to information about business customers who carry on business as corporations, partnerships or other forms of association. Welland Hydro does, however, protect the confidentiality of such information in accordance with the law and our own policies.

The terms set out in Welland Hydro’s Privacy Policy and Policy Statement may change from time to time. Please check our website periodically for any revisions.

Ten Principles for the Protection of Personal Information

Principle 1 — Accountability

Welland Hydro is accountable for the protection of all personal information within the organization’s possession or control, including any personal information that has been transferred to a third party for regulatory, legal or processing purposes. Welland Hydro will require a comparable level of protection of this information from its third-party suppliers and contractors.

The President & CEO, in conjunction with the Privacy Officer, has overall responsibility for the protection of personal information and for Welland Hydro’s compliance with this Privacy Policy.

Principle 2 – Identifying Purposes

Personal information that Welland Hydro collects from customers includes:

the customer’s name, address, date of birth and other contact/occupancy information (as needed);
the meter number;
facts about consumption of power, both historic and current;
information about a customer’s transactions with us, such as account numbers, account balances, payment history
medical information to be used in case of planned or emergency power outages; and
bank information for pre-authorized payments.

When an individual applies for service, Welland Hydro will make the individual aware of the purposes for which Welland Hydro is requesting the personal information. If Welland Hydro identifies other purposes for which the personal information may be used, Welland Hydro will seek the individual’s consent prior to such use. Welland Hydro will advise that it is the individual’s right to refuse permission for Welland Hydro to use personal information for any new purposes.

Additional purposes for collecting personal information may be identified to an individual before or at the time of collection. However, at a minimum Welland Hydro will collect personal information for the following purposes:

to establish and maintain responsible commercial relationships with customers and to provide ongoing service; and
to meet all legal, regulatory, settlement, and market operations requirements;
to identify or contact customers, respond to customer inquiries and otherwise maintain business relations with customers;
to help prevent or investigate fraud, theft of power or other breaches of the law;
billing and collection of payments for electric service;
to register customers for pre-authorized payment for services;
priority restoration of electric service to the correct address and meter, as may be required by medical circumstances;
to provide customers with information about our services, the electricity industry, energy conservation and rates;
to request customer participation in surveys or contests; or
to notify customers about events or causes sponsored by Welland Hydro or our affiliates.

Welland Hydro may:

Monitor and/or record any telephone conversations with its customers for quality assurance and training purposes.
Share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf. These service providers are given only the information necessary to perform those services that we have contracted them to provide and are obligated to meet the same privacy standards as Welland Hydro.

Principle 3 – Consent

Welland Hydro will obtain consent before or when it collects, uses or discloses personal information about an individual. An individual can provide consent to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information about them expressly or implicitly. Welland Hydro will collect, use or disclose personal information without an individual’s consent only in limited circumstances as permitted by law.

Subject to certain legal and contractual restrictions and reasonable notice, an individual can refuse or withdraw their consent to the collection, use or disclosure of personal information about them at any time. However, refusal to provide such consent or withdrawal of such consent, may prevent the Company from providing some services as it requires a minimum amount of personal information to provide electricity distribution services.

Principle 4 – Limiting Collection

Welland Hydro limits the amount and type of personal information it collects to that which is necessary for the business of the utility. Each affiliate of Welland Hydro will be responsible for its own collection, use and disclosure of information. Personal Information will be collected using procedures which are fair, transparent and lawful.

Principle 5 – Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

Welland Hydro will only use the personal information for the purpose for which it was collected as identified in Principle 2 – Identifying Purposes, unless consent is given by the individual to use or disclose it for another purpose. Welland Hydro will develop explicit retention periods for closed accounts (zero balance), after which the personal information will be destroyed or made anonymous.

Under certain exceptional circumstances, Welland Hydro may have a legal duty or right to disclose personal information without the individual’s knowledge or consent.

Principle 6 – Accuracy

Welland Hydro maintains procedures to ensure that all personal information it collects is kept as accurate, complete and up to date as possible.

Individuals may challenge the accuracy and completeness of personal information about them and have it amended, as appropriate.

Principle 7 – Safeguards

In executing its responsibilities with respect to the confidentiality of personal information, Welland Hydro will employ a number of safeguards, appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, to protect personal information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification. Such safeguards will include physical measures, organizational measures and technological measures. These include; locked filing cabinets, restricted access to offices, security clearances and limiting access on a “need to know” basis and use of passwords and encryption. Procedures for implementing these measures will be communicated to all employees and third parties to ensure compliance with this principle.

Principle 8 – Openness

Welland Hydro will make its policies and practices relating to the protection of personal information available to its customers. Welland Hydro will keep its customers informed of these policies and practices and customers shall be provided access to all related policies and procedures via separate mailings, bill inserts and bill messages.

Principle 9 – Individual Access

MFIPPA gives customers of Welland Hydro the right to request access to the personal information that Welland Hydro has in its possession or control. Any customer may request that their personal information be amended for purposes of accuracy and completeness.

Customers can make their formal requests by email, privacy@wellandhydro.com, online, Access or Correction Request Form or by letter to 950 East Main Street, Welland ON L3B 0L9. Response to an individual’s request will be made within 30 days.

Principle 10 – Challenging Compliance

Any customer of Welland Hydro may challenge Welland Hydro’s compliance with this Privacy Policy by contacting Welland Hydro directly. Welland Hydro has policies and procedures to receive, investigate and respond to individuals’ complaints and questions. If the customer is not satisfied with the way Welland Hydro has responded to a complaint, the customer can contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at:

Information and Privacy Commissioner, Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400,
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8

Telephone: 1-800-387-0073 or (416) 326-3333
Fax: (416) 325-9195
Website: www.ipc.on.ca
E-Mail: info@ipc.on.ca

Accessibility Policy

Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp. is committed to making the Welland Hydro-Electric System owned facilities accessible above and beyond the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service. Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp. values all members of the community and strives to accommodate everyone regardless of ability.

Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp. is committed to making its website accessible to all visitors. If you have any difficulty viewing any page of the website or have concerns in regard to access to our facilities, please contact cbassi@wellandhydro.com. Customer feedback is appreciated.

Accessibility Policy