Purpose
The goal of this policy is to ensure appropriate processes are in place when a member requests to change their legal and/or preferred name on their record to maintain the integrity of the Lifesaving Society – Ontario Branch’s (the “Society”) member records.
Principles
The Lifesaving Society’s records are an important source of administrative, evidentiary and historical information. Good governance of these records necessitates a protocol be followed when altering a person’s name.
Lifesaving Society certifications are legal proof that the named individual has met the necessary professional standards of lifesaving or lifeguarding and is licensed to demonstrate such standards.
Definitions
Legal Name - A legal name includes first name(s), middle name(s), and last name(s),
without the use of initials or a preferred name. It may also be a cultural mononym where a person has only a single name. A legal name is the name an individual is registered under in a Canadian province or in Canadian immigration documents.
Preferred Name - The name that an individual commonly uses that is different from their legal name.
Procedures
Members may request a change, correction, or update to their name listed on their Society account by completing a Member Account Update Form and emailing it to [email protected] or submitting it in-person at the branch.
Legal Name Change
To avoid credential verification issues for employment or educational purposes, legal names should be correctly reflected on member records. Copies of Government-issued documentation must accompany legal name change requests (e.g. birth certificate, change of name certificate, citizenship card, marriage certificate, Ontario photo card, valid passport, or permanent resident card). Originals must not be mailed to the office, only send copies.
A member or their parent/legal guardian (if 17 years of age or under) may arrange to meet virtually (via videoconference) with a designated Society staff member to provide proof of a legal name change if submission of sensitive documents is not preferred. Staff will verify the information provided on the Member Account Update Form with the government-issued document provided in the video feed by the member or their parent/legal guardian.
Preferred Name Change
A member’s preferred name will not be reflected on their permanent certification(s) or on their Find a Member record. Government-issued documentation is not required for a preferred name change.