Our Commitment to Privacy
The Town of Carstairs is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals and safeguarding personal information in its custody or under its control. We manage personal information responsibly, transparently, and in accordance with Alberta legislation.
This Privacy Management Program outlines how the Town protects personal information throughout its lifecycle, including collection, use, storage, disclosure, and secure disposal.
What is a Privacy Management Program?
A Privacy Management Program (PMP) is a framework that ensures the Town:
- Handles personal information lawfully and responsibly
- Protects information from unauthorized access or disclosure
- Responds to access requests, complaints, and privacy concerns
- Identifies and manages privacy risks in programs and services
Legislative Framework
The Town’s privacy practices are governed by:
These laws establish how public bodies collect, use, disclose, protect, and provide access to records and personal information.
What Is Personal Information?
Personal information is recorded information about an identifiable individual. This may include, for example:
- Name and contact information
- Financial or taxation information
- Employment‑related information
- Identifying numbers or records linked to an individual
The Town collects and uses personal information only where authorized by law and necessary to carry out municipal programs and services.
How the Town Collects, Uses, and Discloses Information
The Town of Carstairs:
- Collects personal information only for legitimate municipal purposes
- Uses personal information only for the purpose for which it was collected or as authorized by law
- Discloses personal information only where permitted by legislation
- Provides notice about collection where required
Information is not shared unless authorized by law or required to deliver Town services.
Protecting Personal Information
The Town uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or loss.
Information is managed using a security classification system based on sensitivity and risk, with additional safeguards applied to more sensitive information.
Records Retention and Disposal
Records containing personal information are retained only for as long as required by legislation and operational needs. Records are securely disposed of in accordance with approved retention schedules and Town bylaws.
Records are not destroyed if they are required for:
- An access request
- A privacy complaint or investigation
- Legal proceedings, audits, or other reviews
Managing Privacy Risks
The Town proactively identifies and manages privacy risks when creating or changing programs, services, or systems.
Where required, Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) are conducted to assess how personal information will be handled and whether additional safeguards are needed before a new initiative is implemented.
Privacy Breach Management
A privacy breach occurs when personal information is accessed, used, disclosed, lost, or destroyed without authorization.
The Town has a framework to identify, assess, and respond to privacy breaches in accordance with legislative requirements.
If you believe a privacy breach has occurred, please report it through the Privacy Requests & Complaints page.
Training and Accountability
Employees, elected officials, contractors, and service providers receive mandatory privacy training appropriate to their roles.
The Town’s Privacy Officer oversees compliance, training, risk management, and continuous improvement of privacy practices.
Transparency
The Town of Carstairs makes information about its privacy practices publicly available. Details that could compromise security or privacy protections may be withheld when necessary.
Contact Information
For general privacy questions, please contact:
Privacy Officer
Town of Carstairs
Phone: (403) 337‑3341
For requests, complaints, or breach reporting, please use the Privacy Requests & Complaints page
Learn More
The full Privacy Management Program, along with related bylaws and policies, is available upon request and supports the Town’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
