The City of Vancouver takes its privacy and security obligations very seriously. All personal information in the City’s custody and control is protected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). The Empty Homes Tax (EHT) Office, and the City as a whole, does not collect, use, disclose, store, secure, or dispose of personal information in any manner that is unauthorized by FIPPA. All information collected and used by the City in the course of administering the EHT is legally authorized by FIPPA as well as the Vancouver Charter, [SCB], c. 55 and Vancouver’s Vacancy Tax By-Law No. 11674. Additionally, the City has a full suite of policies and procedures to ensure the protection and security of personal information, and upon hire all employees are required to adhere to the City’s Code of Conduct which includes provisions requiring adherence to privacy laws and security policies.

All information collected for EHT purposes is saved in a secured system located on City premises within the City of Vancouver and is used only for assessing the EHT case file. Access to EHT information is strictly limited to staff who require the information in order to verify declarations. No other staff members have access to this information, and no information is being disclosed or shared outside the City. Staff who handle this confidential information have received dedicated privacy training and have an in-depth knowledge of their obligations. Additionally, the EHT Office has actively engaged with the Privacy Office to ensure their processes are secure and privacy compliant.

Declarants who are unable or choose not to use the online compliance website may visit City Hall for assistance and/or to provide copies of their supporting documents. For the purposes of audits and complaints, the City requests only the minimum number of documents required to verify a declaration, and as with other tax programs across the country, records are retained by the City to ensure that staff are able to fully and completely conduct their reviews. Records collected under the EHT Program are retained for the minimum period required to ensure integrity of the EHT assessment process. A new records classification has been developed to ensure that all personal information and evidence is purged within the shortest retention period required by EHT business processes and applicant needs. All documents are maintained and destroyed in accordance with our Corporate Records and Information Management Policy and the City’s Records Management By-law 9067.