AMA Shredding Events

All dates, venues and locations for Spring 2012 have been finalized.

Events may be cancelled due to poor weather conditions, which includes: extreme cold, wind gusts, rain, snow, and extreme heat.  Please check the AMA website 24 hours before an event to confirm it will occur.

Calgary

Date	Venue	Time	Partners
Saturday, May 26	Sir Winston Churchill High School 5220 Northland Drive NW	10am- 3pm	Calgary Police Service RCMP Shred-It
Saturday, June 2	Mount Royal University 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW	10am- 3pm	Calgary Police Service RCMP Shred-It Mount Royal University
Saturday, June 23	**NEW** Monterey Park Community League 2707 Catalina Blvd. NE	10am- 3pm	Calgary Police Service RCMP Shred-It City of Calgary

Edmonton

Date	Venue	Time	Partners
Saturday, June 16	Beulah Alliance Church 17504 - 98A Ave.	10am- 3pm	Edmonton Police Service RCMP Shred-It

Sherwood Park

Date	Venue	Time	Partners
Saturday, May 26	Strathcona County RCMP 911 Bison Way	10am- 3pm	RCMP Shred-It

 

Shredding events are contingent on the availability of shredding company staff and police personnel, as they are pulled off regular duties to provide the shredding service. AMA tries to plan events in communities with an AMA centre, as this provides a logistical base to host an event.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing fraud-related crimes in Canada. Your identity can be stolen if your credit card statements, bank statements and tax forms fall into the wrong hands. One of the best ways to protect your identity is by properly destroying all personal documents, particularly those containing identifying information such as:

• Address
• Birthday
• Social Insurance Number
• Banking or credit card information

AMA's Free Shredding Events are your opportunity to bring up to 6 boxes of personal documents for safe and immediate destruction and to learn other tips for preventing identity theft. Events occur at AMA centres across the province and are open to both members and non-members. We do not charge a fee for this service, however we will be accepting a non-perishable item for the local food bank.

How it works

1. Events are staffed by employees from the AMA, a shredding provider and local police. All shredding company personnel have undergone security clearances and handle confidential information on a daily basis. Police officers are available to answer your crime prevention related questions.
2. Plan to be at the shredding site for a minimum of 30 minutes. All shredding events are outdoors, with minimal or no protection from the weather. Dress appropriately for the weather conditions. 
3. This service is very popular—line ups are common, although we will try to move you through the queue very quickly.
4. Upon arrival, please bring your boxes towards the shredding truck and join the line-up if there is one formed. If you require assistance with carrying boxes to the trucks, please inform one of the staff at the event. We will assist you in moving boxes when we are able. 
5. You must stay until the shredding of your items is completed so we can guarantee they have been securely destroyed.

For more information on shredding events, contact our Crime Prevention Coordinator by email at stopthief@ama.ab.ca.

AMA’s shredding events are for destroying personal documents and computer media only. At this time, we are unable to accommodate business documents.

As shredding events have become more popular with each passing year, it has become necessary to set a limit on the amount of shredding per person in order to provide the service to all who come. There is now a per person limit of 6 boxes of documents weighing no more than 20lbs (if you bring more than 6 boxes, you will be asked to step aside after the first 6 boxes until we have served the others who are waiting).

Acceptable shredding items Credit card slips Cheques Monthly bank statements Bank machine receipts Invoices, work orders Non-solicited credit card applications CD-ROMs /CD-Rs /DVDs Diskettes Computer backups	Non-acceptable shredding items Heavy cardboard, metal or plastic Matches or lighters Batteries Glass Computer hard drives Electronics

Please ensure that your documents are properly prepared for shredding:

• Remove all large plastic clips or coils (small staples and regular paper clips are fine)
• Bring documents in sturdy, easily transportable boxes or containers (if your containers break, you are responsible for cleaning up the event)
• Remove all non-document items from your containers. At previous events batteries, matches, toys and coins have been mixed into the shredding; these can seriously damage the shredding trucks and are a significant safety hazard.

Remember: we are not liable for any items given to us for shredding that should not have been destroyed. It is your responsibility to determine the appropriateness of the material you bring for destruction.

Reduce your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft and other fraud-related crimes.

Properly dispose of all documents with personal information, such as:

• Address
• Birthday
• Social Insurance Number
• Banking or credit card information

Items you should shred -

Regularly:

• Papers, envelopes, address labels and multimedia files that contain personal information such as names, addresses, birth dates and other identifying information.
• Unwanted credit card or financial services applications which may contain personal information.
• Expired travel related documents such as itineraries, luggage tags, and used airline tickets.
• Expired student ID cards, military ID and employee name-tags.
• Credit and background checks on yourself, and other people such as employees, contractors immediately after the information is reviewed and not needed.

Every month:

• Reconciled credit card statements and receipts or cancelled cheques and debit receipts that are not needed for tax purposes or other long-term needs such as refunds or warranties.

Monthly or every year:

• Retirement and investment account statements, after they have been reconciled with your year-end statement.
• Monthly bank statements, after they have been reconciled with your year-end statement.
• Pay stubs, after being reconciled with your annual statement, your T4 or equivalents.

After eight years:

• Year-end bank statements that are not needed for tax purposes.
• Titles, contracts and deeds for sold properties.
• Income tax returns and related financial documentation.

To ensure your valuable documents and keepsakes are safe, consider renting a safe deposit box or other secure means of protecting these items outside your home. Depending on your circumstances, a fireproof home safe may also be a suitable option.

Documents and records you should NEVER shred:

• Appraisals and receipts for valuables (i.e. jewellery and artwork).
• Securities and trade confirmations.
• Marriage, death, birth and divorce certificates.
• Wills.
• Power of attorney documents.
• Receipts or statements that indicate a loan or mortgage has been paid-in-full.
• Military service records.
• Insurance policies and claims.
• Year-end retirement and investment account statements and policies.
• College or high school diplomas, degrees and transcripts.
• Most current resume.

Don’t shred until they expire:

• Rental contracts and/or leases for current properties.
• Loan contracts, until paid-in-full and you receive an official acknowledgement of full payment.
• Home and vehicle maintenance records so they can be passed on to the next owner.
• Warranty documents for products you currently own.
• Membership documents (i.e. gyms, clubs and associations).
• Information on the benefits package from current employer.
• Contracts for services (i.e. cell phone, electricity).
• Pet records.

Think twice before shredding any documents listed above if a legal conflict has arisen or may arise. For example, if you were involved in a vehicle collision, you should consider keeping all documents that relate to the incident in case of a lawsuit, since legal action can be initiated up to 10 years after an event occurs.