CASL - Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation and Okanagan College
The primary purpose of the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (usually called CASL) is to control spam (unwanted Commercial Electronic Messages, or CEMs). CASL applies to "Commercial Electronic Messages" (CEMs), which are defined as any "electronic messages" that encourage participation in a "commercial activity." CASL is one of the world’s most stringent anti-spam laws and it came into force on July 1, 2014.
CASL applies to most organizations in Canada, including Okanagan College. However, only a few of the College's messages are subject to CASL. Okanagan College is not a commercial entity and therefore its core activities are not of a "commercial character."
The College has worked with all its departments to ensure CASL compliance and has provided resources and reference materials. Okanagan College employees should refer to the following page for more information.
CASL Information for Employees
CASL applies to most organizations in Canada, including Okanagan College. However, only few of OC's messages are subject to CASL. Okanagan College is not a commercial entity and therefore its core activities are not of a "commercial character."
Any messages related to the College's core activities are exempt from CASL and you can send your message if it relates to these core activities.
For a more complete list of OC activities, see Applying CASL to OC Activities. Here are some highlights:
- Messages that promote OC programs and courses (recruitment)
- Messages that provide information about application, admission, registration, financial aid, schedules, exams, policies and other administrative matters important to applicants and students
- Promoting events related to the core activities of the College including conferences, research workshops, student concerts etc.
The legislation has a few other exemptions, for example:
- Messages for the primary purpose of fundraising by a registered charity. The Okanagan College Foundation, the Alumni Association and Okanagan College are registered charities.
- Messages to family members or to individuals that you have a personal relationship with. This is narrowly defined in the legislation.
- Messages between employees of Okanagan College regarding OC's affairs.
- Review the documentation below. The best place to start is with the Frequently Asked Questions.
- Consider a) who are you sending your message to, b) the subject of your message, and c) how it relates to the College's core activities
- Always include a signature in your emails (regardless if CASL applies or not). It should include your department, address and a contact phone number
- Offer an unsubscribe and if someone wants to unsubscribe, remove them from your list immediately (review Model Language for more)
- If in doubt about a particular message or to book a training session, contact Inga Wheeler.
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
Personal Information
Okanagan College is a public body governed by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), which permits us to collect, use and share your personal information only for authorized purposes. We collect, use and share personal information that relates directly to and is necessary for Okanagan College’s programs and activities. The information on this form is collected under the authority of the FIPPA and the College and Institute Act. The information will be used for the purposes of admission and registration. If admitted, your personal information is used and shared within our institution for a variety of purposes consistent with our mandate. Your information may be shared with the students’ association, the alumni association and the Okanagan College Foundation for purposes such as provision of student services; alumni development; recognition of academic excellence, convocation program and donor awards. Information may also be used for research purposes but in those cases, individual identities will not be disclosed. Additional information may be found in our “Protection of Privacy Policy” on the Okanagan College website. Questions about the collection, use and sharing of your personal information may be directed to the Registrar.
Under the FIPPA, staff may not release personal information such as your student record or registration to anyone other than you without your consent. You may authorize Okanagan College to release your student information (e.g. status of application, financial information, transcript of academic record or confirmation of enrolment) to a third party (e.g. parent, spouse, sponsor, employer) by completing a “Consent to Release Information” form. The form is available online through myOkanagan (scroll to the Consent to Release Information box, complete the form, and "save") or on paper at: www.okanagan.bc.ca/forms.
Communication
Communications from the College will be by email in most cases. Other important information and policies can be found on the College website. Please notify the College of any change to your email address. Please refer to the “Electronic Communication for Students and Applicants Policy” in the Calendar for details: www.okanagan.bc.ca/calendar.
Declaration and Consent
I certify that the information contained herein and that all statements made in connection with this application are true, correct and complete. I understand that any misrepresentation, incomplete disclosure or falsified information on this application may result in the cancellation of my admission or registration status. I agree that Okanagan College may verify the information provided by contacting any secondary or post-secondary institutions. I authorize Okanagan College to access Okanagan University College (OUC) records in the event I previously attended OUC. I understand and agree that my admission will not be final until my file is complete and I have satisfied all document and other requirements by Okanagan College. I authorize the posting of my grades where such posting identifies me only by my personal OC student ID number.
I understand and agree to abide by the rules, regulations and policies of Okanagan College as outlined in the Calendar and on the Okanagan College website, as amended, while I am a student at Okanagan College. In the event there is a conflict between verbal advice and Okanagan College’s official Calendar, regulations and policies, I will rely on the official version only.
I agree to pay all tuition, fees and charges to Okanagan College within the payment deadlines posted by the College.
If you receive an unwanted electronic message (email, text or via social media) from someone at Okanagan College that you believe is spam, please contact: