Your privacy

The credit union collects personal information from you directly when you open an account and/or apply for additional products or services. Some personal information we collect is required by law to ascertain your identity. With your consent, the credit union also collects information from credit reporting agencies, references provided by you, your employer, and others, when you apply for credit and other products and services. Your consent can be expressed or implied.

The credit union is required by law to obtain your SIN or BN from you to report interest on your deposits and dividends on your shares and other investment income to Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

Also, when the credit union deals with the credit bureau, using your SIN or BN is the best way to make sure the credit information is about you, not someone else with a similar name. However, use of your SIN or BN for this purpose is voluntary. You will not be denied credit or other services solely because you choose not to authorize us to use your SIN or BN for this purpose.

Yes, you can decline to have your personal information collected, used, or disclosed for certain purposes. For example, you can opt out of the use of your personal information for marketing purposes, such as:

• Receiving information from the credit union about products and services or special promotions
• Sharing your information with other organizations for the purpose of providing you with information about products and services.

To choose these options, please contact us and ask for an opt-out request form. You can also decline to have your personal information collected, used, or disclosed for other purposes. This may mean that the credit union will not be able to provide you with products and services.

If you opt out of receiving marketing information from the credit union, you may no longer receive information about new products or special promotions, financial information, member newsletters, or credit union activities and events. The credit union will continue to send you account statements, including statement inserts, and information required by law such as notices of membership meetings. Your request to opt out of receiving marketing information will not affect your eligibility for any products and services.

The credit union’s employees are required to treat all personal and financial information confidentially. The credit union has many policies, practices, and physical and electronic systems in place to safeguard personal information under the credit union’s control, and to prevent unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, or disposal of your personal information.

If you use the credit union’s online banking, automated telephone banking, or telephone call services, or you have a MemberCard^® (debit card), you must select personal access codes and numbers (e.g., PAC, PIN). It is your personal responsibility to protect this information from misuse. You should safeguard your account and credit card statements, blank cheques, and your personal codes and numbers at all times. You should not send confidential information to your credit union or anyone else by using Internet email that is not encrypted. You should review your account statements carefully and let us know immediately if your address changes or you find any errors in your information.

The credit union has always provided members and account holders with copies of account statements, cheques, transaction slips, or other documents upon request, if we still have them. The credit union may charge a fee for providing copies of documents.

For more extensive information, you can complete an access to information request. You will be provided with an estimate of the fee for obtaining the information. For information and assistance, please contact the credit union’s Privacy Officer. The Privacy Officer may be contacted by email at inquiry@gffg.com or by writing to: 

Attn: Privacy Officer
G&F Financial Group
7300 Edmonds Street, Suite 401 
Burnaby, BC V3N OG8 

We’ll respond within 30 days or if we need an extension of time, we’ll notify you of the new deadline and the reason for the extension. If you ask, we will assist you to contact other organizations to whom we have disclosed your information. By law, the credit union must not provide or may withhold some types of information. For example, the credit union will not provide information that reveals the identity of another individual or that individual’s personal information without that individual’s consent, information that cannot be disclosed for legal or security reasons, or information that is confidential commercial information.

If there are any errors in your information, we will correct the information wherever possible. If you wish to verify your credit history, please contact the credit bureau directly. Call our Member Hub if you need assistance contacting the credit bureau.

The credit union keeps your personal information as long as it is needed to provide you with products and services you have applied for and to meet legal and business requirements, after which the information is destroyed or erased, or we remove your name from the information. The credit union may use personal information collected in the past when you apply for new products and services, in which case, the credit union confirms or updates your information, and for marketing purposes, such as sending you information about products and services that may be of interest to you, unless you have opted out of receiving marketing information.  

The credit union has always provided members and account holders with copies of account statements, cheques, transaction slips, or other documents upon request, if we still have them. The credit union may charge a fee for providing copies of documents. Contact your branch and ask for copies. If the information you need is extensive, you’ll need to complete an access to information request.

For more extensive information, you can complete an access to information request. You will be provided with an estimate of the fee for obtaining the information. For information and assistance, please contact the Credit Union’s privacy officer. The Privacy Officer may be contacted by email at inquiry@gffg.com or by writing to:  

Attn: Privacy Officer 
G&F Financial Group 
7300 Edmonds Street, Suite 401 
Burnaby, BC V3N OG8 

We’ll respond within 30 days. If we need an extension of time, we’ll notify you of the new deadline and the reason for the extension. 

If you ask, we will assist you with contacting other organizations to whom we have disclosed your information.  

By law, the credit union must not provide or may withhold some types of information. For example, the credit union will not provide information that reveals the identity of another individual or that individual’s personal information without that individual’s consent, information that cannot be disclosed for legal or security reasons, or information that is confidential commercial information.  

If there are any errors in your information, we will correct the information wherever possible.  

If you wish to verify your credit history, please contact the credit bureau directly. We can also help you to contact the credit bureau. Call our Member Hub at 604-419-8888 for assistance.