The BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory shall be responsible for the management of all information obtained or created during the performance of laboratory activities. Records of relevant communications between the BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory and the customer, before, during, and after testing, are retained, maintained, secured, and disposed of in accordance with Provincially legislated requirements by the BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory. In addition, the Lab Terms of Service are listed on our lab’s website and agreed upon by our customers, which covers the BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratories confidentiality requirements.

The BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory shall formally communicate the results of testing through one or more written reports addressed exclusively to the customer (a report may not be issued in the event a testing request is canceled before it has been completed and no test results are available). The customer is responsible for securely disseminating additional copies of these reports, as appropriate with the exception of immigration reports which will be forwarded to Immigration Canada as well as the customer, which the customer has agreed to in a waiver.

The BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory complies with the provisions and requirements of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory and its staff shall keep in strict confidence all information provided by the customer in advance of, during, and following testing, except where disclosure of such information is required by law. If the laboratory is required by law to release confidential information it will first notify the customer of the information provided, unless prohibited by law.

The BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory will only collect the minimum amount of personal information required to provide its services to the customer. The personal information collected will only be used for the purposes of providing DNA testing services and communicate test results as described below. The BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory will not disclose any personal information to any other third parties unless required to do so by law or directed and agreed to with our customers. The BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory maintains all customer data to the highest security standards at all times.

The BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory will not accept confidential information about one of its customers from a source other than the customer.

Customer contact information shall be used by the BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory to discuss testing and to communicate test results. It may also be used, from time to time, to survey customers regarding their degree of satisfaction with services rendered and for the dissemination of promotional materials. Customer contact information shall not be used for any other purpose and shall not be disseminated from the BCIT Forensic DNA Laboratory to any other person or organization at any time.