FAQ

What is the Personal Planning Registry?

The Nidus Personal Planning Registry is a centralized online Registry for information and documents related to personal planning and other aspects of your life. Personal planning is about arrangements you make in case you need help during your lifetime due to illness, injury or disability. You may have made legal documents to authorize a person(s) to help you with financial affairs or health care decision making. You may have expressed your wishes about care in writing.

The Personal Planning Registry is designed to enable you to store many different kinds of documents and a variety of information in one place. It lets you keep track of your own plans and contacts. The Registry is also designed so you may allow third parties – called Access Users – to search for information and documents if you are incapable or have difficulty communicating.

Registering with the Personal Planning Registry does not create a legal document. For more information on making legal documents, please visit www.nidus.ca

The Registry is operated by the Nidus Personal Planning Resource Centre, a non-profit charitable organization.

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What Information and Documents Can I Register?

Personal planning is about all areas of your life so you can register information and documents related to health care, personal care, legal affairs and financial matters.

You should NOT use the Registry to keep track of PIN numbers or other access information for bank accounts, credit/debit cards or other accounts.

There are two main types of registrations:

  1. Creating a document online — called a Personal Information Record.
  2. Registering a document you have already made — enter information about it and upload a copy of it (in PDF format).

Creating a Personal Information Record

The Personal Information Record is designed to let you make and maintain an inventory of contacts and information related to personal planning and other aspects of your life. For example, health conditions, allergies, name of physician, financial institutions you deal with, name of your financial advisor, and more.

  • The Personal Information Record is the only type of registration that allows you to create a document using the Registry.
  • You can enter as little or much information as you want when you initially create it and you can add or change the information at any time at no additional cost, once the initial fee is paid.
  • You can print a hard copy of your PIR or save it for your offline use (for example, print in PDF format).

Registering a document you have already made

The Registry has provided two categories for your existing documents:

  1. Documents that are specific to personal planning.
  2. Any other documents you want to upload.

Specific personal planning documents

The Registry lists documents specific to personal planning in BC. You will enter information about your document – for example, the date it was signed and witnessed and the location you plan to keep the original. You can also store (upload) a copy the document, which makes it more accessible in urgent situations and speeds up communication.

  • British Columbia has personal planning documents that are governed by legislation:
    1. Representation Agreement (both types – Section 7 and Section 9)
    2. Enduring Power of Attorney, Power of Attorney
    3. Advance Directive
    4. Nomination of Committee
    5. Notice of Revocation for the above documents
    6. Notice of Resignation for those appointed in an already registered Representation Agreement or Enduring/Power of Attorney.
  • There are other common but informal documents that some people may make for personal planning:
    1. Advance Care Plan or Living Will or Values & Beliefs Discussion Guide or other documents that list your wishes and preferences.
    2. Notice of Revocation for these documents.

Any document you wish
You can upload a copy of any kind of document you wish, under the option of ‘Other Documents.’

  • Some examples:
    1. Form for donating your body to research
    2. List of prescription and non-prescription medications
    3. Will (you cannot store a copy of your Will in the Wills Registry, only information about it)
    4. Profile of risk tolerance for investments (the paper you fill out for your financial advisor)
    5. List of household goods in case of theft or fire/flood damage
    6. Physician orders such as No-CPR (DNR) or M.O.S.T. form
    7. Memorial wishes – copy of pre-paid funeral

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How Do I Register?

Registering involves these steps:

1.  Check for an existing account. Nidus established the Personal Planning Registry in 2002. If you may already have an account with the Nidus Registry, check by emailing registry@nidus.ca. It is important to have only one account in order to benefit from the Registry service.

2.  Create Your Account, if no existing account – see step #4 before starting.

  • You will need to create a password.
  • You will need to provide an email address. This is the email for Registry communications. Confirmation of registration will be sent to this email.
  • You will need to provide at least two personal identifiers for the Account Holder:
    1. Date of birth
    2. Provincial Health Number (Care Card or BC Services Card)
    3. Driver’s License
    4. BC Identification Number (used if no driver’s license)
    5. Social Insurance Number

3.  Register at least one type of registration:

  • No preparation is required to register the Personal Information Record. You can enter as little or much information as you choose.
  • To register a specific type of document – e.g. Representation Agreement or Advance Care Plan – you must have made and completed the document first.
    1. You will type in information about the document.
  • You can upload a copy of the document in PDF format, at the same time you enter information about it or you can upload a copy later for no additional fee. Once you have uploaded a copy and submitted it, you cannot remove it or replace it.
  • To register something under ‘Other Document’ you will upload any kind of existing document in PDF format.

4.  Pay the registration fee – use your debit/credit card to pay online. Nidus uses PayPal but you do not need a PayPal account to register.

  • Nidus provides an option to pay by cheque, but you must arrange this BEFORE creating your account. You must send an email to registry@nidus.ca requesting to pay by cheque.

5.  You may print the Confirmation of Registration page and click on the link to print your wallet card. These documents will show your unique Nidus ID, which is required to access your account in the future. You will also receive confirmation by email.

6.  You can then ‘Return to Your Account’ and register another document – you must pay one at a time. Or you can return to view your registration.
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Who Can Register?

There are two types of Registrants:

    1. Self-registrants

    1. The Account Holder can register if they can give informed consent to the Terms and Conditions.
    2. Someone who has legal authority to act on behalf of the Account Holder and has read and agreed to the Terms and Conditions may create an account, register and view/edit documents.
    2. Registration Agents

    1. Lawyers or notaries public in British Columbia who are in good standing with their respective governing bodies may be authorized by the Registrar of the Personal Planning Registry to create accounts, review and register documents on behalf of their clients (who would be the Account Holder or someone who has legal authority to act on behalf of the Account Holder).
    2. Staff of the law or notary firm may also be authorized as Registration Agents.

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What are the Benefits of Registering?

Following are some of the benefits of registering with the Personal Planning Registry:

      • The Registry is a convenient place to store your important documents and information so you can keep track of plans you have made.
      • You can keep information up-to-date so third parties authorized to search – called Access Users – can locate your legally authorized decision maker quickly and easily.
      • You will find links to information and education about personal planning, legal forms for Representation Agreements, Revocation Notices and Resignation Notices, practice tips and more.
      • You can grant permission to ‘health and personal care type institutions’ – such as hospitals or residential care if authorized as Access Users – to access your information and documents if you are incapable or unable to communicate. This can help them locate your legally authorized decision maker and any instructions or expressions you put in writing about care you do or do not want, so your wishes can be known and honoured.
      • You can grant permission to ‘financial and legal type  institutions’ – such as financial institutions, the Public Guardian and Trustee, provincial and federal government services if authorized as Access Users – to access information and documents if you are incapable or unable to communicate. This can help them locate your legally authorized decision maker or check for a Revocation or other legal documents that may conflict. This can be a safeguard for your wishes.

 Key features of the Registry

      • It is available online for 24 hour access.
      • You control the granting of third party permissions to access your documents and which ones. You can change the permissions at any time.
      • You can specify which identifiers will locate your record on a search. You can change the personal identifiers you provide as long as you enter at least two.
      • You can choose to be reminded to review your Account and registrations.
      • You can update contact information in order to keep your record current.
      • You can sign up for the Nidus Newsletter to stay informed of current personal planning matters and new Registry features.

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How Do I Check to See if I am Already Registered?

Nidus established the Personal Planning Registry in 2002. Registrations created from 2002 to June 12, 2014 are not yet moved over to the new online system. To check if you have an EXISTING account, please email the adult’s first and last name to registry@nidus.ca

If you think you created an account in the NEW online Registry on or after June 12, 2014, but you cannot remember, select ‘Search’ to see if you might have an existing record.

 It is very important to  have only one account in order to benefit from the Registry service.

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Who Can Search or Access the Registry?

There are four general types of access provided by the Personal Planning Registry:

    1. An Account Holder can access their account using the Nidus ID (Registration Number) assigned after completion of the first registration and the password entered when the account was created. The Account Holder has complete access to register, view and edit information and documents.
    2. Registration Agents can view, but not edit, their client’s existing registrations (of the specific type authorized) if they have the client’s consent and use of the Account Holder’s first and last name and personal identifiers.
    3. The public can search the Registry for an Account Holder. We call this a basic search. This is useful to families and friends who are trying to help someone in crisis but do not know if any planning documents are in place. It is also useful to Access Users who want check if someone is registered, before conducting a more advanced search under their Access User log-in. Using the ‘Search’ function will only reveal if there is a ‘match’ or ‘no match’ for the information entered to an account in the Registry.
    4. Access Users – authorized third parties such as hospitals, financial institutions, the Public Guardian and Trustee and government agencies – may conduct an advanced search using the first and last name and personal identifiers of a potential Account Holder. If you are registered and you permitted access to information about your registered document, they will see those details. You also have the option to permit them access to the uploaded copy of your document. Access Users may view, save and print a copy of information and documents as permitted, but they cannot edit them.

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Is the Registry Secure?

Our software developers have engineered the Nidus Online Registry to secure the sensitive information you upload to the Registry, such as your Care Card Number, Driver’s License Number and Social Insurance Number. The Registry will be monitored at all times to ensure it is running properly.

The Registry is hosted on servers located in Canada. This means that any documents or information you upload onto the website will be stored in computers located in Canada. This will minimize risk and ensure that Canadian data privacy and security laws apply to your stored information.

All user access to the Registry will be over a secure and encrypted connection, to make sure that any information transmitted by yourself to the Registry is not intercepted by third parties who you have not authorized to view your information.

The Registry will track usage of the website, providing an electronic trail of all site activity. This may be useful in situations where the identity of the user who modified information or documents on your Nidus Account is disputed.

Finally, as an additional safeguard, backups of the data on the Registry will be performed daily and provided offsite on a monthly basis.

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How Can I Make Changes in the Registry?

Information in the Registry can only be edited using the Nidus ID and password by the Account Holder/self-registrant.

Account Holders can edit current registrations

The types of edits or changes that can be made depend on the type of registration.

The Personal Information Record is an inventory of personal details and any fields may be edited or added to. The only restrictions arise from the number of characters allocated to the field.

For specific documents listed under Registration Options, you can edit contact information. You cannot change the date the document was signed or the names of the people appointed. These type of documents must be created first and then registered. If you want to change other information such as who you appointed or specific instructions or wishes you gave, you must make a new document and you must make and register a Revocation Notice to ensure the previous document is no longer accessed by a search. For information on Revocations and making new documents, go to www.nidus.ca > Information

For Other Documents you cannot change the title you give the document, but you can upload new versions of your document (PDF format only) and replace the existing one.

Account Holders can edit account information

You can update your contact information, change your password and personal identifiers. You cannot edit your name.

Requesting corrections to information that cannot be edited

If you mis-typed a name or the Account Holder or an Appointee legally changed their name, you may contact the Registrar about a correction. You will need to provide documentation to verify your request. A fee is charged for making corrections. Contact the Registrar by email to registry@nidus.ca

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Can I Delete a Document from the Registry?

You may ask the Registrar about deleting a document from the Registry. There are some conditions when this may not be possible; please see the Terms and Conditions.

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Who Do I Notify if the Account Holder Dies?

Please contact the Registrar if the Account Holder dies. The Registrar will let you know what information is required in order to ensure the Account will no longer be found in a search. You will most likely have to provide a copy of the death certificate. Contact the Registrar by email to registry@nidus.ca

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How Does the Personal Planning Registry Fit With Other Registries?

The Nidus Personal Planning Registry is different from other registries set up by the government or required by legislation. The Personal Planning Registry is a user-based Registry. The Account Holder retains custody of the information registered – you can view it, edit it and determine the types of institutions who may access it.

There are separate registries for other activities:

      • To register information about your Will, contact the Wills Registry, which is operated by the Vital Statistics Agency of BC.
      • To legally register as an organ donor, contact BC Transplant.

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Thank you to the following services for helping us develop the Registry:

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Vision 42,Business Coaching & Consultation, Shelley Lecerf