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The Canadian Association of Optometrists respects our member’s right to privacy and we take care to ensure that all information provided to us is handled in a confidential manner.

CAO will seek to comply with all applicable legislation and regulation governing privacy of information. The following principles will govern the collection, storage and use of practice and personal information of CAO members.

1. Personal Information

• “personal” information is defined as information that can be used to distinguish, identify or contact a specific individual (home address, phone number, email address).
• CAO does not normally maintain personal information in its member database. In circumstances where personal information is maintained, it will not be divulged for commercial or quasi-commercial purposes.
• Members will be apprised periodically of the general information held by CAO in its database so they may make comment or seek correction of erroneous entries.
• Members will have access to their individual database profile by way of the CAO member website. If the member does not have internet access, the member shall be provided in a timely and reasonable basis with a written copy of the individual profile. The CAO member website is password protected and is managed in accordance with its own privacy policy.

2. Practice Information

• “practice” information would normally include the member name, practice address, phone number, postal code and, if requested, an email address and practice website. Practice information is information that would otherwise be available in the public domain such as telephone directories.
• Practice information for CAO members is provided to CAO by corporate members and may be updated from time to time by the corporate member or the CAO member. In the latter case, the member may amend or delete practice information on his/her profile on the CAO member website or make this request in writing to CAO.
• Access to a member profile is available to the member via the password protected member website. It is not otherwise available to other parties except to CAO staff or designated corporate member staff responsible for database administration.
• From time to time, CAO will make a list of member practice information available to a few carefully screened firms. Prior approval is granted by CAO to specific reputable companies and organizations on a case-by-case basis. For example, approval may be granted to circulate information about products and/or services CAO believes may be of interest to members. CAO members who do not wish to receive this information may request in writing to be removed from the list.
• On an annual basis, CAO produces a directory of member practice information, Optometrists’ Desk Reference (ODR). The directory is provided to CAO members and advertisers in the ODR.
• The CAO public website, www.opto.ca includes a “Find a Doctor” feature that allows the public to search for practice information of CAO members.
• CAO members may use their home address for CAO mailings. In these cases, the home address is considered to be personal information and will not be included on the CAO member list, the Optometrists’ Desk Reference, CAO website or otherwise divulged for commercial or quasi-commercial purposes.
• CAO members may also use a personal email address for communication with CAO. In these cases, the email address is considered to be personal information and will not be included on the CAO member list, the Optometrists’ Desk Reference, CAO website or otherwise divulged for commercial or quasi-commercial purposes. If the member has a practice email address, the member may choose to have this email address published on the CAO member list, the Optometrists’ Desk Reference and CAO website. In this case, the member must specifically request that the email address be identified as a “practice” email. The request may be made in writing to CAO or selected by the member on his/her profile the CAO member website.

3. Grievance Procedure

CAO is committed to maintaining a high standard of professional conduct in all our dealings. If a CAO member feels that their Privacy has not been handled in the manner that is expected, they may make a formal complaint in writing, email or by phone by contacting :

Mr. Glenn Campbell,
Executive Director, CAO
234 Argyle Ave, Ottawa, ON, K2P 1B9
Email: gcampbell@opto.ca
Phone: 888-263-4676, ext. 212
Fax: 613-263-4676