Privacy Policy
At AMF Equity Loans (and associated company website amfequityloans.ca) we are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the personal information of our clients (individually, the “Client” and collectively, the “Clients”.) As financial service providers, we have a professional obligation to maintain confidential information we receive within our role as a financial services provider. The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to advise clients as to why we ask for personal information, how we use it, what safeguards we utilize, and how to contact us with privacy-related matters.
What Is Personal Information?
In this Privacy Policy, “Personal Information” means information that is gathered in connection with an application, pre-approval, request for information for a mortgage(s) or loan(s) and other related products through AMF Equity Loans or its affiliates and is provided to, or collected by AMF Equity Loans and its staff or by AMF Equity Loans’s agents, associates, and affiliates on AMF Equity Loans’s behalf (collectively, “AMF Equity Loans”).
Why AMF Equity Loans Collects Personal Information
At AMF Equity Loans we collect and use Personal Information for the following purposes:
- Provide mortgage brokering services and other related services to the Client and offer products and services best suited to their needs, including arranging and/or renewing loan(s)/mortgage(s), informing the client of other products offered or related services as approved by AMF Equity Loans or its affiliates that may be of interest to the Client;
- Advising Clients of the financial options, as well as, ongoing developments of the mortgage market and industry;
- Auditing the services provided to our Clients;
- Compliance with all municipal, provincial, federal and other applicable laws; and
- Such other specific purposes which are communicated to the Client by a member of AMF Equity Loans before collection of such Personal Information.
Except when otherwise permitted by law, we will only use a Client’s Personal Information for the purposes identified to the Client. When Personal Information is to be used for a purpose not identified, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the new purpose is identified prior to use.
How Do We Collect Personal Information?
The Client is our main source of information. With the Client’s consent, we may also obtain information directly from a third party to help us determine eligibility for various financial products and other related services. Consent is therefore important because without it, we will not be able to carry out the appropriate inquiries and it might be difficult for us to offer the credit or investment product requested. In most cases, consent is given on the forms used for specific products or, from time to time, on a separate form. The declaration of consent is clearly noted.
Consent
A clients’ provision of Personal Information to AMF Equity Loans means that they agree and consent that AMF Equity Loans can collect, use and disclose such Personal Information in compliance with this Privacy Policy. AMF Equity Loans will not collect, use, or disclose a Client’s Personal Information without the Client’s requisite consent, except in certain extraordinary circumstances. Such extraordinary circumstances shall include without limitation, when legal, medical or security reasons make it impossible or impractical to obtain consent or where it is otherwise in the best interests of the Client.
The most common method we use to obtain a Client’s consent is by way of the Client’s consent as confirmed by the application. Where practical, we may also obtain a Client’s consent through oral communications or other written documentation.
Our Clients may withdraw their consent in writing to us at any time, subject to any legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. A Client’s refusal to provide, or subsequent withdrawal of, his or her consent may affect AMF Equity Loans ability to provide the Client with mortgage services or other related services. A member of AMF Equity Loans will inform the Client of the implications of such withdrawal. To withdraw consent, a Client should contact the AMF Equity Loans in writing at:
Attention: Privacy Policy
AMF Equity Loans (amfequityloans.ca)
203, 51 Inglewood Drive, St. Albert, AB T8N 4E7
Tel: 780.470.3000
Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
We will use a Client’s Personal Information to provide financial advice and other related services to the Client, to administer our database, to include Clients in direct marketing Activities and for the other uses described above under the heading “Why AMF Equity Loans Collects Personal Information”. Under certain circumstances, AMF Equity Loans will disclose a Client’s personal information to third parties. Specifically, Personal Information may be used, shared and disclosed to, from, or with, the members of AMF Equity Loans, witnesses in a litigation proceeding, experts retained on a Client’s behalf, private investigators, agents retained on behalf of a Client, as well as such other third parties as are necessary to facilitate the matter for which the Client has retained our office and provided consent.
Under certain circumstances AMF Equity Loans may disclose Personal Information where:
- required or authorized by law to do so, for example if a court issues a subpoena;
- a Client has consented to the disclosure;
- when mortgage services by AMF Equity Loans are provided to a Client requiring us to give Personal Information about a Client to a third party (for example, to a lender in a real estate mortgage transaction) the Client’s consent will be implied, unless the Client tells us otherwise;
- if AMF Equity Loans engages a third party to provide administrative or support services to us (such as computer back-up services, payroll, shredding or archival file storage) and the third party is bound by our Privacy Policy;
- protection of AMF Equity Loans best interest;
- protection of the public interest such as the denouncement of criminal Activity such as fraud or money laundering. In all such cases, authorities are contacted and personal information may be disclosed;
- if we retain a law firm(s) to Act on our behalf for any reason; and if the information is already publicly known.
Limiting collection and retention of Personal Information
AMF Equity Loans limits the collection of a Client’s Personal Information to that which is necessary for the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy as same may be amended from time to time, or for any additional purpose identified to the Client before the collection of the Personal Information. As well, Personal Information is not used or disclosed for purposes other than those for which it was originally collected, except with the consent of the Client, or as otherwise permitted by law.
AMF Equity Loans will retain Personal Information only for so long as it is needed to fulfill the purposes for which it was obtained and to meet our professional requirements as set out in our governing regulatory bodies and/or any other legal requirement, statutory or otherwise, from time to time.
Accuracy
AMF Equity Loans strives to ensure that a Client’s Personal Information is as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is used.
Safeguards
AMF Equity Loans endeavours to maintain adequate safeguards to protect against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification of Client’s Personal Information in the care of AMF Equity Loans (and associated company website amfequityloans.ca) uses various methods to safeguard personal information, including physical security, computer and electronic security, destruction of information no longer needed, and contractual protections with third party data processors.
Protection
Client lists are never passed on to third parties other than affiliated members of AMF Equity Loans When they are hired, our employees and agents must undertake to respect the confidential nature of client information. Only employees and associates who need to view the file as part of their work have access to this information.
Accountability, Openness and Client Access
AMF Equity Loans is responsible for the Personal Information under its control and has appointed a senior staff member to oversee our efforts to comply in all material respects with applicable privacy legislation and the terms of this Privacy Policy. The senior staff member and those designated by the senior staff member address and investigate questions or concerns regarding a Client’s Personal Information.
AMF Equity Loans will provide a Client access to their Personal Information. The Client may correct or amend any inaccuracies in the Client’s Personal Information. AMF Equity Loans has the right to refuse a request for access to Personal Information if:
- The information is protected by legal privilege;
- Granting access would reveal confidential commercial information;
- The information was collected for purposes related to the detection and prevention of fraud;
- The information was generated in the course of a formal dispute resolution process;
- The information would likely reveal personal information about another individual;
- The request is in vexation or frivolous;
- To protect our firm’s rights and property;
amfequityloans.ca Web Site
Our Web site may contain links to other sites, which are not governed by this Privacy Policy. On our Web site, as is common practice, we may monitor traffic patterns; site usage and related site information in order to optimize our web service. We may provide aggregated information to third parties, but these statistics do not include any identifiable personal information.
Marketing
AMF Equity Loans may tell you about products and services through direct mail, telephone, email, or other means. If you do not wish us to do so, please advise AMF Equity Loans in writing of your wishes.
Communicating With AMF Equity Loans
We recognize that convenience and quick access to advice must be balanced with security needs. We use many different means to communicate with clients, some of which are more convenient such as e-mail. Our emails are sent with industry standard encryption. However, such encryption does not guarantee privacy and security as encrypted messages can nonetheless be subject to interception and translation. If clients do not wish us to communicate by e-mail, they may speak with the Agent/Broker handling the matter about alternative arrangements.
For more information contact:
Attention: Privacy Policy
AMF Equity Loans (amfequityloans.ca)
203, 51 Inglewood Drive, St. Albert, AB T8N 4E7
Tel: 780.470.3000
Changes to Privacy Policy
AMF Equity Loans will from time to time review and revisit privacy practices and this Privacy Policy.