Privacy Policy

What we collect, and why

The City only collects personal information needed to deliver a service or fulfil a legal duty. Common examples:

• Property tax accounts: name, mailing address, property roll number.
• Utility billing: service address, contact info, payment details (we never store full credit card numbers).
• Permits and applications: applicant name, contact info, project details.
• Pet, business, and event licences: applicant info needed to issue and enforce the licence.
• Voyent Alert: contact details so we can reach you in an emergency.
• Council and committee correspondence: letters and emails sent to Mayor and Council may become part of the public record.

How we use your information

The City uses personal information to:

• Respond to your requests and questions.
• Issue and renew permits, licences, and accounts.
• Bill for property taxes and utilities, and process payments.
• Deliver emergency notifications you signed up for (Voyent Alert, evacuation orders).
• Improve City services based on aggregated, anonymized usage patterns.
• Comply with legal requirements (e.g. property tax rolls, annual financial statements).

Who we share information with

The City does not sell, trade, or rent your personal information. Some sharing is required or permitted by law:

• BC Assessment for property assessment rolls.
• Province of BC for the school tax portion of your property tax bill, and for Home Owner Grant administration.
• Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) for shared services like recycling.
• BC SPCA West Kootenay for pet licence enforcement and lost-pet recovery.
• RCMP when legally required (court order, search warrant, or active investigation).
• Service providers who help the City deliver service (e.g. payment processors). They are contractually bound by FIPPA.

Cookies and analytics on this website

This website uses cookies for essential functions (session, preferences, accessibility settings) and for analytics that show which pages residents actually use, so we can improve them. The City currently uses Google Analytics, which may include features such as demographics and interest reporting.

You can clear cookies or block them in your browser settings, or opt out of Google Analytics through Google's opt-out tool, without losing access to City services.

How we protect your information

The City stores personal information on secured systems with role-based access controls, audit logging, and encrypted backups. Only staff who need the information to do their job can see it.

For payments, the City uses certified third-party payment processors. The City never stores full credit card numbers on its own systems.

If a privacy breach ever occurs, BC FIPPA requires the City to notify the affected individuals and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

Your rights under BC FIPPA

You have the right to:

• See what the City holds about you by submitting a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
• Correct information that is wrong or incomplete.
• Withdraw consent for optional uses (e.g. marketing emails, Voyent Alert).
• Make a complaint to the BC Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner if you think the City has mishandled your information.

Freedom of Information requests

An FOI request is the formal way to ask the City for records. The process is set out in BC's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and Castlegar's local Bylaw 1387. You can request:

• Records about yourself (no fee).
• General records such as contracts, correspondence, or Council communications. Fees may apply when locating and preparing records exceeds three hours, plus copying and mailing costs. The City provides a fee estimate before processing.

A “Request for Access to Records” form is available for download from the City's Freedom of Information page. Submit it by email, regular mail, or hand-delivered to Corporate Services at City Hall, 460 Columbia Avenue.

FIPPA sets the response time provincially. The City's Manager of Legislative Services within Corporate Services is the contact for FOI requests: Nicole Brown, nbrown@castlegar.ca, 250-365-8953.

Changes to this policy

The City may update this policy as services, technology, or legislation change. The “last updated” date below tells you when the current version was published.

Last updated: April 2026