Client information privacy notice
A unique understanding of your financial needs
At Edward Jones, we believe our ability to offer sound investment recommendations and advice depends on our ability to know and understand the needs of each investor. Your financial advisor plays a key role in developing that understanding. However, as a firm, Edward Jones also uses technology to manage, maintain, and report timely and accurate information about your investments.
We understand that confidentiality is the key to any strong financial relationship. We are very serious about our responsibility to protect your privacy by keeping information secure and confidential. We are providing this notice in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, which requires that we make all clients aware of our processes for collecting, using, disclosing, transferring, and protecting information.
For your protection
It is important that you know one thing up front: Edward Jones does not sell information about our clients to anyone.
In addition, we take steps to protect the personal information we do collect and maintain. Among our branch and home office associates, access to personal information is granted to individuals only to provide investments and services to clients, or to serve another legitimate business need. We have implemented physical, electronic, and organizational measures to help protect your personal information from unauthorized access, unlawful processing, and accidental loss, destruction, or alteration.
The next two sections of this notice detail our processes for collecting and using information, as well as the steps taken to limit the ways in which that information is shared or communicated.
Information collection and use
To better understand your financial needs and make you aware of new investments and services that could help you reach your goals, we collect personal information from a variety of sources.
The kinds of personal information we collect, and the reasons we collect this information, include:
- Information we receive from you via applications, surveys, or other forms. This information could include, but is not limited to: (a) data about who you are and how to contact you, such as your name and address; (b) unique identifiers such as your social insurance number, which we use to fulfill regulatory and other governmental obligations, and, to the extent permitted at law, to distinguish you from other clients with similar names; and (c) data to help us serve you better, such as your income, employment, age, net worth, investment objectives, and banking information (which we need to know in order to complete transactions with you and/or on your behalf, and to transfer funds as you may request).
- Information about your transactions and account experience with Edward Jones or our affiliates. This information may include your account balance, account activity, and usage of various services. We collect this information in order to provide the services you have requested, and to help us determine how we or other nonaffiliated companies may be of additional service to you.
- Information about your transactions and account experience with nonaffiliated third parties, such as providers of mutual funds, annuities, insurance, and other investments and services offered through Edward Jones. This information also helps us to determine how we, our affiliates, or other nonaffiliated companies may be of additional service to you.
- Information we collect from other nonaffiliated third parties, such as marketing research firms. This information frequently includes demographic information, as well as preferences and opinions regarding various financial topics. Edward Jones uses this information to ensure that we are offering the services that investors desire.
- Information we receive from a consumer reporting agency or other source, which may include account information and/or information about your creditworthiness. We use this information to help us determine the terms of credit (such as with respect to margin accounts) that would be appropriate to offer you, and for other regulatory purposes.
Guidelines for information disclosure
We do not disclose personal information about our clients or former clients to anyone, except as required or permitted by law. For example, we are occasionally asked or required to provide information to credit reference agencies; to governmental and/or government regulatory authorities, law enforcement, ombudsmen and/or self-regulatory organizations; or to third parties in response to court orders. We may also use this information to establish or exercise our legal rights or to defend against legal claims.
For regulatory purposes, securities regulators and self-regulatory organizations require access to personal information of our clients. These regulatory authorities collect, use or disclose such information for purposes which may include the following: surveillance of trading-related activity; sales, financial compliance, trade desk review and other regulatory audits; investigation of potential regulatory and statutory violations; regulatory databases; enforcement or disciplinary proceedings; reporting to and sharing information with other securities regulators and self-regulatory organizations, regulated marketplaces and law enforcement agencies in any jurisdiction, in connection with any of the foregoing.
We share customer information with other companies, including our affiliates and our third party services providers, that assist us with a variety of business activities, including: account administration, customer service, transaction processing, processing and delivery of account statements, research and analysis, and delivery of investments and services. For example, we may disclose certain information to a mutual fund company, insurance company, or transfer agent in order to complete a transaction you initiated.
We may make these disclosures in any country, as required or permitted by law.
Transfer outside of Canada
Some Edward Jones account administration functions, for example, processing and settlement of certain trades, reconciliation of accounts, regulatory financial reporting, and providing for business continuity, may be performed at the facilities of its affiliate or service providers in the United States. As a result, in order to provide the products and services you request and to fulfill our obligations to you, your personal information may be transferred to and processed and stored in the United States.To the extent that your personal information is processed in the United States, agencies of federal, state, or local governments, including courts, law enforcement, or regulatory agencies, may be able to obtain disclosure of such information pursuant to applicable laws of the United States.
Edward Jones maintains a process for the vetting of service providers and engages service providers that have appropriate experience and competencies. Service providers that process personal information must agree by contract to use the information for permitted purposes only, to protect it, and not to disclose it unless required by law to do so. Edward Jones monitors the performance of such service providers. For more information, contact, Edward Jones, Attention: Privacy Officer, Sussex Centre, Suite 902, 90 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Mississauga, ON L5B 3C3.
We may also transfer your personal information internationally when necessary: to conclude a contract between Edward Jones and a third party on your behalf or in your interest; in connection with the disclosures described above; to obtain legal advice or to establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights, as required by law and regulation; or for reasons of substantial public interest.
By opening and maintaining an account with us, or by otherwise indicating your acceptance of our privacy notice, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information as explained above.
Edward Jones may change this privacy notice at any time by updating it on this site without providing further notice to you. You agree that if you view or use the site or your account after this privacy notice is updated, your continued viewing or use indicates your consent to the collection, use and disclosure under the updated privacy notice. You agree to regularly review this privacy notice to be aware of any changes. At the time of a change to this privacy notice, you have the right to reject such change by discontinuing your use of the site or your account.
An ongoing commitment
Former clients can rest assured that although we may retain their personal information as required to fulfill our legitimate business purposes, we will continue to safeguard it as described in this privacy statement.
We hope this information is useful to you. Confidentiality is the key to a strong relationship between you and your investment representative, and we are committed to protecting your privacy. If you need clarification regarding this policy, please contact your Edward Jones financial advisor, or call our Canadian Client Relations at 1-877-370-2627.
If you would prefer not to receive information about products and services offered by Edward Jones, its affiliates, or our marketing partners, or if you have any questions about Edward Jones privacy policies or wish to file a complaint, please write to:
Edward Jones
Attn: Privacy Officer
Sussex Centre -- Suite 902
90 Burnhamthorpe Road West
Mississauga, ON L5B 3C3
EJC: 6/10