Privacy

At The Small Business Group of Companies Ltd, we believe in building relationships with our customers. These relationships are built on trust and respect and we believe that to be the way a business should be operated. Part of establishing trust and respect is done by telling you what information we will require from you, how this information will be handled, and how this information will be kept safe. We know that your personal information is a valued asset and we want you to know that we will treat it in that way.

The purpose of the following document is to inform you of:

• our information handling practices;
• the reasons for these practices;
• security steps in place to protect your information;
• and your role in controlling your own personal information.

Copyright and Disclaimer

Copyright © 2010 The Small Business Group of Companies Ltd

Reproduction or use of this work in whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of The Small Business Group of Companies Ltd.

Collecting Personal Information

At The Small Business Group of Companies Ltd, we collect personal information to better serve your needs. Whether it is purchasing products or services from us, we are here to make sure that you get everything you need.

In order to provide you with our wide variety of services, products and promotions we may collect the following information when necessary:

General/Accounting Clients:

• Contact and mailing information such as name, address, telephone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses;
• Employment or corporation information;
• Personal and/or corporate tax information.

Financial Advisor Clients:

• Financial information and statements, credit information;
• Mortgage and income tax information; Budgets, planned giving and legacy requirements;
• We will maintain and internal database on our server to record investment application follow-up, conversations we may have concerning your application and future notes as they pertain to investment review and service.

We may also access information concerning your insurance policies directly with the Insurance Companies or Investment Companies that provide service to you.

Insurance Advisor Clients:

• Existing insurance policy information;
• Basic information collected may be provided to a third party medical service so they can contact your to arrange any underwriting requirements;
• These requirements are sent directly to private labs and the insurance company that will underwrite your application;
• We do not receive or maintain copies of this medical information;
• We will maintain an internal database on our server to record underwriting follow-up, conversations we may have concerning your application and future notes as they pertain to policy service;
• We may also access information concerning your insurance policies directly with the Insurance Companies or Investment Companies that provide service to you.

We may need to collect other personal information depending on the circumstances, but we will ask you directly and ensure you agree.

Safeguarding Your Personal Information

Like you, we at The Small Business Group of Companies Ltd value your personal information. Part of valuing your personal information is making sure that it is protected and kept confidential. We achieve this by:

• Having our employees sign a confidentiality agreement.
• Keeping our records in locked cabinets.
• Having up to date computer security such as passwords, encryption and firewalls.
• Where third parties are hired to assist us with providing products and services to you, we have them sigh a privacy and confidentiality agreement to ensure that your personal information is protected by them.

Updating Your Personal Information

The Small Business Group of Companies Ltd will do its best to ensure that your personal information is correct and kept current. A customer service representative will contact you to verify your personal information before any decisions are made or action is take based on that information.

We will keep your information as long as is necessary to continue to meet your customer needs and any legal requirements we may have. However, once your personal information is no longer needed, we will destroy it.

If your personal information changes, please inform us of the change and any other information you feel is necessary. Also, if your personal information is incorrect, please notify us of the correct information.

Controlling Your Personal Information

We believe that part of establishing trust and integrity comes from allowing you to control your own personal information.

As such, we will collect information about you on a voluntary basis. However, in some circumstances before we collect personal information from you, we will have you complete a consent form which authorizes our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information.

If you have questions or concerns about handling of your personal information or wish to withdraw your consent, please contact us at The Small Business Group of Companies Ltd.

Accessing Your Personal Information

The Small Business Group of Companies Ltd provides you with the opportunity to access your personal information that is held by us. It is our policy to ensure that customers receive on complementary copy of all their documents to keep in their own personal file.

If you have more questions about your privacy rights in Alberta, please visit the website of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner at http://www.oipc.ab.ca