Privacy Policy

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully.

Foster & Associates Financial Services Inc (Foster) is in business to provide you with a variety of investment services and products. To meet your needs and to serve you well, Foster needs to obtain from you certain personal information.

You, as an individual, have a right to know how Foster obtains, uses, and discloses this personal information. You have a right to expect that, to the best of our ability, your personal information held by us remains accurate, confidential, and secure.

 

Definition of Personal Information

The term “personal information” refers to information that specifically identifies you as an individual and is provided to or collected by us. It includes, for example, your name and address, age and gender, personal information records, identification numbers, including your Social Insurance Number (SIN) and your employment information.

For business clients, personal information includes the above data plus names of officers, directors, owners, shareholders, jurisdiction of incorporation, financial information, and ownership structure.

 

Why Do We Ask for Your Personal Information

Foster asks for a variety of information when you open an account with us. Regulations in the securities industry require us to obtain certain information about you and other information is required by Foster so that we may provide an appropriate level of service to you and to guide the proper supervision of your account.

 

Sharing Your Personal Information

We may use and share your personal information with our employees, third-party service providers and other financial institutions. The information may only be used for the following purposes:

  • To verify your identity and conduct background verification,
  • To operate your account and provide you with products and services you may request,
  • To better understand your financial situation,
  • To help us manage our business and relationship with you,
  • If you provide us your social insurance number, we may share it with government authorities for tax purposes. We may share it with credit reporting services,
  • Agencies to ensure the accurate matching of credit history files,
  • If you select to disclose or specifically direct us to disclose for you, your personal information to a third party (as in the case where you request a product, such as a mutual fund or a service from a third party, after receiving information or to securities issuers under National Instrument 54-101). The only occasions when we are permitted to disclose client information is when it is authorized by the client, which you consent to when opening an account at Foster. The consent you provide to Foster with regards to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information may be cancelled at any time by providing written notice to Foster. Note that this may eliminate our ability to conduct business with you.

Foster does not require your consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information where:

  • Such collection, use, and disclosure is reasonably required in the normal course of providing service to your account,
  • For the collection of a debt owed to Foster by you,
  • To a law enforcement agency, securities regulatory authority, or Self-Regulatory Organization,
  • To legal counsel for the purpose of obtaining advice.
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Protecting Your Information

At Foster, we have robust security standards in place to protect your information against unauthorized access and use. We only retain your information for as long as required to service your account, or for time periods defined in industry standards.

 

Accuracy of Information

Foster expects that clients will contact us when there are material changes to their personal information. This assists us in managing your account to the best of our ability. Material changes can include changes of address, phone number, employment, marital status. If you find that we have incorrect information on file please contact your Investment Advisor or Portfolio Manager, whose contact information is on your statement.

 

Addressing Concerns

We encourage you to contact our Privacy Officer should you have any questions or concerns about your privacy or this policy. The Privacy Officer can be reached at:

 

Foster & Associates
Attention: Privacy Officer
25 King Street West, Suite 2100, Commerce Court, PO Box 228
Toronto, Ontario
M5L 1E8
Phone: 1-800-559-8853
E-mail: admin@fostergroup.ca