Privacy Policy

Overview & Our Commitment

Bennett Chase Tax Accounting ("Bennett Chase," "we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all personal and financial information entrusted to us by our clients. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, protect, and share your information in connection with the accounting, tax, bookkeeping, and advisory services we provide. As a professional accounting firm serving franchise businesses and quick-service restaurant operators, we handle sensitive financial data with the highest standard of care — applicable privacy legislation, and our own firm-wide data protection standards.

This policy applies to all individuals and businesses who engage Bennett Chase Tax Accounting for professional services, visit our website at bennettchase.com, or interact with us through our cloud-based accounting platforms and client portals.

Information We Collect -

To provide accurate, complete, and compliant accounting services, we collect a range of personal and financial information directly from you, from third-party platforms you authorize, and in the normal course of delivering our services. PERSONAL INFORMATION - Full name, date of birth, SIN (as required for tax filings), home address, email address, and phone number. BUSINESS INFORMATION - Business name, CRA business number, GST/HST registration, franchise system details, and corporate structure. FINANCIAL INFORMATION - Bank statements, revenue records, expense documentation, payroll data, tax returns, and investment details.

THIRD-PARTY DATA, POS system data, delivery platform reports (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Skip), payroll platform exports, and franchisor-provided financial data.

We collect only the information necessary to fulfill the specific services you have engaged us for. You are not required to provide information beyond what is reasonably needed to deliver those services.

Cloud Accounting Software & Platforms

Bennett Chase Tax Accounting uses industry-standard cloud-based accounting platforms to manage client bookkeeping, payroll, financial reporting, and document storage. The use of cloud software enables real-time collaboration, secure remote access, and reliable data backup — all of which benefit our clients.

By engaging our services, you authorize Bennett Chase to access and manage your financial data within the cloud platforms required to deliver your specific services. Platforms currently in use include:

QUICKBOOKS ONLINE Used for transaction recording, bank reconciliation, financial statements, and multi-location reporting. Data hosted by Intuit on encrypted servers. XERO Used for bookkeeping, payroll, and client portal access. Xero holds ISO 27001 certification and encrypts all data in transit and at rest.

PAYROLL PLATFORMS Employee payroll data including SINs, banking details, and compensation records are processed through CRA-compliant payroll platforms with restricted access.

SECURE DOCUMENT PORTAL

Client documents are exchanged through an encrypted portal. Email is never used to transmit sensitive financial documents, SINs, or banking information. CRA-CERTIFIED TAX SOFTWARE Used for T1 and T2 returns filed electronically through CRA's NETFILE and EFILE systems. CRA MY BUSINESS ACCOUNT Accessed with your authorization to manage correspondence, review assessments, and file returns on your behalf.

THIRD-PARTY PLATFORM PRIVACY

Bennett Chase selects only platforms with enterprise-grade security, data encryption, and Canadian data residency or equivalent protections. We do not authorize any cloud platform to use your data for purposes other than delivering the service for which the platform is engaged.

Access to your cloud accounting data is restricted to Bennett Chase staff assigned to your engagement. We do not grant third-party access to your accounts without your explicit written authorization.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect exclusively to deliver the professional accounting services you have engaged us for. Specifically, your information may be used to:

Prepare and file tax returns — T2 corporate, T1 personal, GST/HST, T4 slips, and all related CRA filings on your behalf.
Maintain your books — Record transactions, reconcile accounts, perform month-end close, and produce financial statements.
Process payroll — Calculate employee compensation, source deductions, and remittances to CRA.
Generate financial reports — Produce income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and franchisor-required reporting packages.
Provide advisory services — Analyze your financial position for expansion planning, unit economics, cash flow forecasting, and business valuation.
Communicate with CRA — Respond to assessments, file objections, manage correspondence, and represent you in authorized matters.
Invoice and bill for services — Issue engagement invoices and process payments for professional fees.

We do not use your information for marketing profiling, automated decision-making, or any purpose beyond the direct delivery of professional accounting services.

Sharing & Disclosure

Bennett Chase does not sell, lease, or disclose your personal or financial information to third parties except in the limited circumstances described below:

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) — We file returns, respond to assessments, and correspond with CRA on your behalf as authorized in your engagement agreement.
Cloud platform providers — Your data is processed through the cloud accounting platforms described in Section 3, under their respective terms of service and privacy policies.
Payroll service providers — Employee payroll data is transmitted to payroll processing platforms as required to complete your payroll services.
Your franchisor (if applicable) — Only the specific financial reporting data you authorize us to submit on your behalf as required by your franchise agreement.
Legal or regulatory requirements — If required by law, court order, or regulatory authority, we may be required to disclose certain information. We will notify you in advance where legally permitted..

In all cases, we share only the minimum information necessary and require all parties who receive your information to maintain appropriate confidentiality and security standards.

Data Security

Protecting your financial information is one of our most fundamental obligations. Bennett Chase maintains comprehensive security practices across all systems and processes that handle client data.

Encrypted document exchange — All sensitive documents are transmitted through our encrypted client portal. We do not send financial data, SINs, banking details, or tax documents via unencrypted email.
Access controls — Access to your financial data is limited to the Bennett Chase staff directly responsible for your engagement. Access rights are reviewed regularly and revoked upon staff changes.
Multi-factor authentication — All cloud accounting platforms and internal systems require multi-factor authentication for staff access.
Secure password management — Platform credentials are managed through enterprise password management systems. Credentials are never shared via email or stored in unsecured formats.
Staff training — All Bennett Chase staff complete regular training on data privacy, security protocols, and professional confidentiality obligations.
Incident response — In the event of a data breach or security incident, we will notify affected clients promptly and in accordance with applicable notification requirements.

YOUR ROLE IN SECURITY

We recommend clients use strong, unique passwords for any shared portals, enable multi-factor authentication where available, and contact us immediately if they suspect unauthorized access. Never send SINs, banking credentials, or sensitive financial data via unencrypted email.

Data Retention

We retain client information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to comply with our legal, regulatory, and professional obligations.

TAX RECORDS

Retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of filing in accordance with CRA requirements.

CORPORATE RECORDS

Retained for the duration of the engagement and a minimum of 7 years after the engagement concludes.

PAYROLL RECORDS

Retained for a minimum of 7 years as required by the Canada Revenue Agency and provincial employment standards legislation.

ENGAGEMENT FILES

Working papers and engagement files retained — typically 7 years from engagement completion.

Upon expiry of required retention periods, client data is securely destroyed using methods appropriate to the medium — secure deletion for digital records and shredding for physical documents.

Your Rights

Subject to applicable law and our professional obligations, you have the following rights regarding your personal information held by Bennett Chase Tax Accounting:

Right to Access — You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you at any time.
Right to Correction — You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information in our records.
Right to Withdraw Consent — You may withdraw consent to certain uses of your information, subject to legal and contractual limitations.
Right to Complain — You may file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@bennettchase.com. We will respond to all requests within 30 days.

PROFESSIONAL CONFIDENTIALITY

We, at Bennett Chase are bound by a duty of confidentiality with respect to all information acquired during a professional engagement. This obligation continues indefinitely — even after our engagement with you ends. It applies to all staff, contractors, and associates involved in your file.

Our confidentiality obligations under the Professional Conduct mean that your financial information receives a level of protection that goes beyond standard commercial privacy practices. This professional duty is one of the most important protections your information has in our care.

We are also subject to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) at the federal level, and applicable provincial privacy legislation, which govern how we collect, use, and disclose personal information in the course of commercial activity.

Website & Cookies

Our website at bennettchase.com uses standard web technologies to provide a functional and secure browsing experience.

Essential cookies — Required for basic website functionality, security, and session management. These cannot be disabled without affecting site performance.
Analytics — We may use privacy-respecting analytics tools to understand how visitors use our website. No personally identifiable information is collected through analytics.
Contact forms — Information submitted through our website contact or consultation forms is used solely to respond to your inquiry and is not added to marketing lists without your explicit consent.
No tracking advertising — We do not use advertising tracking pixels, retargeting cookies, or third-party advertising networks on our website.

You may configure your browser to block or delete cookies at any time. Essential site functions may be affected if cookies are disabled.

Changes to This Policy

Bennett Chase Tax Accounting may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, cloud platforms, legal requirements, or regulatory guidance. We will post the updated policy on our website with a revised effective date. For material changes that affect how we handle your personal information, we will notify active clients directly by email prior to the changes taking effect. Continued engagement with our services following notification of changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. The current version is always available at bennettchase.com/privacy.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact us using any of the following methods:

PRIVACY INQUIRIES

privacy@bennettchase.com We respond within 30 business days.

GENERAL CONTACT

bennettchase.com/contact For all other inquiries and consultations.

If you are unsatisfied with our response to a privacy concern, you have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca or 1-800-282-1376.

Privacy Policy

Overview & Our Commitment

This policy applies to all individuals and businesses who engage Bennett Chase Tax Accounting for professional services, visit our website at bennettchase.com, or interact with us through our cloud-based accounting platforms and client portals.

​

This policy applies to all individuals and businesses who engage Bennett Chase Tax Accounting for professional services, visit our website at bennettchase.com, or interact with us through our cloud-based accounting platforms and client portals.

​

Information We Collect -

THIRD-PARTY DATA, POS system data, delivery platform reports (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Skip), payroll platform exports, and franchisor-provided financial data.

We collect only the information necessary to fulfill the specific services you have engaged us for. You are not required to provide information beyond what is reasonably needed to deliver those services.

Cloud Accounting Software & Platforms

By engaging our services, you authorize Bennett Chase to access and manage your financial data within the cloud platforms required to deliver your specific services. Platforms currently in use include:

PAYROLL PLATFORMS Employee payroll data including SINs, banking details, and compensation records are processed through CRA-compliant payroll platforms with restricted access.

SECURE DOCUMENT PORTAL

THIRD-PARTY PLATFORM PRIVACY

Bennett Chase selects only platforms with enterprise-grade security, data encryption, and Canadian data residency or equivalent protections. We do not authorize any cloud platform to use your data for purposes other than delivering the service for which the platform is engaged.

Access to your cloud accounting data is restricted to Bennett Chase staff assigned to your engagement. We do not grant third-party access to your accounts without your explicit written authorization.

​

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect exclusively to deliver the professional accounting services you have engaged us for. Specifically, your information may be used to:

Prepare and file tax returns — T2 corporate, T1 personal, GST/HST, T4 slips, and all related CRA filings on your behalf.

Maintain your books — Record transactions, reconcile accounts, perform month-end close, and produce financial statements.

Process payroll — Calculate employee compensation, source deductions, and remittances to CRA.

Generate financial reports — Produce income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and franchisor-required reporting packages.

Provide advisory services — Analyze your financial position for expansion planning, unit economics, cash flow forecasting, and business valuation.

Communicate with CRA — Respond to assessments, file objections, manage correspondence, and represent you in authorized matters.

Invoice and bill for services — Issue engagement invoices and process payments for professional fees.

We do not use your information for marketing profiling, automated decision-making, or any purpose beyond the direct delivery of professional accounting services.

​

Sharing & Disclosure

Bennett Chase does not sell, lease, or disclose your personal or financial information to third parties except in the limited circumstances described below:

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) — We file returns, respond to assessments, and correspond with CRA on your behalf as authorized in your engagement agreement.

Cloud platform providers — Your data is processed through the cloud accounting platforms described in Section 3, under their respective terms of service and privacy policies.

Payroll service providers — Employee payroll data is transmitted to payroll processing platforms as required to complete your payroll services.

Your franchisor (if applicable) — Only the specific financial reporting data you authorize us to submit on your behalf as required by your franchise agreement.

Legal or regulatory requirements — If required by law, court order, or regulatory authority, we may be required to disclose certain information. We will notify you in advance where legally permitted..

In all cases, we share only the minimum information necessary and require all parties who receive your information to maintain appropriate confidentiality and security standards.

Data Security

Protecting your financial information is one of our most fundamental obligations. Bennett Chase maintains comprehensive security practices across all systems and processes that handle client data.

Encrypted document exchange — All sensitive documents are transmitted through our encrypted client portal. We do not send financial data, SINs, banking details, or tax documents via unencrypted email.

Access controls — Access to your financial data is limited to the Bennett Chase staff directly responsible for your engagement. Access rights are reviewed regularly and revoked upon staff changes.

Multi-factor authentication — All cloud accounting platforms and internal systems require multi-factor authentication for staff access.

Secure password management — Platform credentials are managed through enterprise password management systems. Credentials are never shared via email or stored in unsecured formats.

Staff training — All Bennett Chase staff complete regular training on data privacy, security protocols, and professional confidentiality obligations.

Incident response — In the event of a data breach or security incident, we will notify affected clients promptly and in accordance with applicable notification requirements.

YOUR ROLE IN SECURITY

We recommend clients use strong, unique passwords for any shared portals, enable multi-factor authentication where available, and contact us immediately if they suspect unauthorized access. Never send SINs, banking credentials, or sensitive financial data via unencrypted email.

​

Data Retention

We retain client information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to comply with our legal, regulatory, and professional obligations.