Payment for the season can be made by debit or credit card through your Choir Genius account (click on “member portal”). Learn how to manage your saved payment methods. Invoices will be issued on August 1, 2025 and December 1, 2025 (for bi-annual tuition payments).

Please consider paying by debit to help reduce our transaction costs (select “preauthorized debit” when setting up a payment method”).

Mid-season registrations (after November 1) will be prorated, space permitting.

Bursaries: We are committed to accessibility and offer need-based bursaries. To apply, email visit our bursaries page.

Registration & Billing Details

• Early Bird Discount: Register by July 10 to receive a credit applied to your account before the first billing date.

  • Senior/Junior/Strings & Things: $50 credit

  • Intro/Step Dance/Folkestra: $25 credit

• Sibling Discount: A $50 discount is available for second and third family members enrolled in the Strings & Things, Junior, or Senior programs. To have this discount applied, email admin@celticensemble.ca.

Registration Deadline: Returning Senior and Junior Ensemble members, as well as newly accepted students, must register or confirm their intent to register by August 1, 2025 to secure their spot for the season.

Strings & Things, Junior, and Senior Ensembles:

• Withdrawals before November 1 will be prorated based on the date of withdrawal notice submitted by email, minus a $50 administrative fee.

• Withdrawals on or after November 1 are non-refundable; full payment is required.

• Withdrawals must be submitted by email to the Executive Director at gabriel@celticensemble.ca and received on or before November 1. 

Intro to Fiddling & Folkestra:

• Once a term begins, payments are non-refundable.

• A $50 administrative fee applies to any approved refund, prior to the start of a term (for annual registration).

• Withdrawals must be communicated by email to the Executive Director prior to the start of the term.

The Celtic Ensemble relies on parent volunteers to support its programs and performances. Each family is expected to help sell tickets and provide transportation for their musician. In addition, families are asked to commit to the following:

• Strings & Things families: ~5 hours/year

• Junior Ensemble families: ~10 hours/year

• Senior Ensemble families: ~15 hours/year

Volunteering is a great way to meet others and stay engaged with our community. Families unable to fulfill this commitment may choose to pay a volunteer fee, either at registration or at season’s end if hours remain unmet:

• Strings & Things: $125

• Junior Ensemble: $250

• Senior Ensemble: $375

By registering, families acknowledge the following:

• By participating in Celtic Ensemble activities and performances, individuals grant permission to the Celtic Ensemble to capture and use photographs and video recordings for promotional and educational purposes. These materials may be shared through various mediums, including but not limited to print publications, theCeltic Ensemble website, TV, and social media platforms. The Celtic Ensemble is released from any liability related to the use of these images. Participants may revoke their consent at any time by submitting a written notice to the Celtic Ensemble however this will impact the ability to participate in performances and some rehearsals. Please note that revocation of consent does not apply to materials already published or in circulation, nor does it apply retroactively to media captured at previous Celtic Ensemble events.

• Volunteer support is essential to the Ensemble. All families are expected to volunteer or pay the opt-out fee (see above).

• The Ensemble may create internal email lists and use a members-only website for communication. Families can expect weekly updates from instructors and occasional emails from volunteers or board members (more frequently before events/trips). You consent to receive these communications, including the newsletter, but may opt out at any time.

• Parents are responsible for ensuring medical and emergency contact information is accurate and up to date. In a medical emergency, staff and chaperones may arrange care. Parents will be contacted as soon as possible.

• As a registered non-profit, the Ensemble must maintain an active membership list to remain eligible for funding. By registering you agree to being added to the North Shore Celtic Ensemble membership.

Commitment to Excellence

We aim for high musical and professional standards. Members are expected to come prepared, attend rehearsals consistently, and show respect to peers and instructors.

Attendance Policy

• All Members: Must attend all rehearsals and performances, arriving on time and ready.

• Senior Ensemble: As a semi-professional group, full attendance is expected. After three absences per term, a meeting will be scheduled with the student and their parents. Performance opportunities depend on attendance.

• Commitment: Especially at the Junior and Senior levels, participation in the Ensemble is a commitment. Members are expected to attend all rehearsals (including occasional extras), concerts, workshops, and events. Conflicts should be communicated to the Director as early as possible.

Rehearsal Conduct

• Phones: Must be kept away unless requested by an instructor.

• Food/Gum: Not permitted during rehearsals.

• Materials: Bring your own sheet music and music stand.

Respectful Collaboration

• Treat everyone—members, directors, staff, parents, and audiences—with respect.

• Follow all instructions from directors and chaperones.

• Maintain a positive, professional demeanor on and off stage.

Chaperones & Schedule

• Chaperones and directors have full authority.

• Members must stay informed of the schedule and respect curfews.

• Participation in group meals is mandatory.

Independent Activities

• Boundaries & Check-Ins: Free time may be allowed within boundaries, with check-ins at specified times.

• Buddy System: Members must stay in groups of four (minimum two with chaperone approval).

• Transportation: No private vehicles unless approved by a chaperone.

Professionalism & Behavior

• Maintain professional behavior at all times—on stage, backstage, and in public.

• Be punctual for all scheduled activities.

• Keep performance attire and personal belongings clean and organized.

Safety & Conduct

• No alcohol, drugs, or smoking.

• Members are responsible for any property damage caused.

• Curfews and rooming assignments must be respected.

Communication

• A dedicated WhatsApp group will be used for updates.

• Device use should be respectful and limited during group time.

To ensure youth safety, the following CRC policy applies:

Who Requires a CRC: All adults participating in overnight events (e.g., tours, retreats) must submit a valid CRC, including:

• Staff and artistic directors

• Parent volunteers and chaperones

• Board members

Validity & Submission

• Existing CRCs may be accepted if confirmed valid by RCMP.

• No adult without a valid CRC may participate in youth activities.

Ineligibility: Individuals flagged as a risk to children will not be permitted to volunteer or work with the Ensemble.

Costs: The Celtic Ensemble covers all CRC-related costs.

Oversight & Confidentiality

• The Volunteer Coordinator manages CRC records unless otherwise designated.

• CRC records are stored securely and deleted in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

Rule of Two: We encourage the Rule of Two: one-on-one interactions between adults and youth should be within sight/hearing of a second adult whenever possible. One adult should be the same gender as the youth, where feasible.

The Celtic Ensemble is committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for all members, including LGBTQIA2+ youth. Costuming must support expression, comfort, and autonomy.

Respect for Identity

• Do not make assumptions about gender identity.

• Allow all members to choose costume options that reflect their identity and comfort.

Choice & Communication

• Costume options will be shared via email or a rehearsal handout.

• Members may choose any size or style, without restrictions.

Inclusive Design

• Offer pants and non-fitted shirts as options for all members.

• Ensure designs are inclusive of non-binary identities.

Language Guidelines

• Use neutral terms like “fitted shirt,” “collared shirt,” “slacks,” “high-waisted pants.”

• Avoid gendered labels (e.g., “girls’ costume,” “boys’ costume”).

Equity & Representation

• Ask: “Are these costume choices comfortable for everyone?”

• Ensure LGBTQIA2+ youth see themselves reflected in costume options.

• Recognize that not all youth may yet have the language to express their identity; inclusive practices support healthy development.

Personal Information Protection Policy

At the Celtic Ensemble, we are committed to providing our members, volunteers, contractors, and guests with exceptional service. As providing this service involves the collection, use and disclosure of some personal information, protecting this personal information is one of our highest priorities.

While we have always respected our members’, volunteers’, contractors’, and guests’ privacy and safeguarded their personal information, we have strengthened our commitment to protecting personal information as a result of British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). PIPA, which came into effect on January 1, 2004, sets out the ground rules for how B.C. businesses and not-for-profit organizations may collect, use and disclose personal information.

We will inform our members, volunteers, contractors, and guests of why and how we collect, use and disclose their personal information, obtain their consent where required, and only handle their personal information in a manner that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

This Personal Information Protection Policy, in compliance with PIPA, outlines the principles and practices we will follow in protecting members’, volunteers’, contractors’, and guests’ personal information.  Our privacy commitment includes ensuring the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of the personal information we collect and allowing you to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

This policy applies to all personal information collected, used, or disclosed by the North Shore Celtic Ensemble in the course of its operations.

Definitions

Personal Information –means information about an identifiable individual. Some examples of personal information that the Celtic Ensemble may collect includes a person’s name, photo, personal contact information, age, medical conditions, and information about whether they applied for a subsidy. Personal information does not include contact information (described below).

Contact information – means information that would enable an individual to be contacted at a place of business and includes name, position name or title, business telephone number, business address, business email or business fax number. Contact information is not covered by this policy or PIPA.

Privacy Officer – means the individual designated responsibility for ensuring that the Celtic Ensemble complies with this policy and PIPA. 

Policy 1 – Collecting Personal Information

1.1  Unless the purposes for collecting personal information are obvious and the member, volunteer, contractor, or guest voluntarily provides his or her personal information for those purposes, we will communicate the purposes for which personal information is being collected, either orally or in writing, before or at the time of collection.

1.2  We will only collect personal information that is necessary to fulfill the following purposes: 

• To verify identity;

• To identify member preferences;

• To deliver requested products and services

• To enrol the member in a program;

• To send out association membership information;

• To contact our members, volunteers, guests and contractors for fundraising; 

• To meet regulatory requirements; 

• To collect and process payments;

• To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our members and volunteers;

• To communicate with youth members and their parents or caregivers.

Policy 2 – Consent

2.1  We will obtain consent to collect, use or disclose personal information (except where, as noted below, we are authorized to do so without consent). 

2.2  Consent can be provided orally, in writing, or electronically or it can be implied where the purpose for collecting using or disclosing the personal information would be considered obvious and the members, volunteers, contractors, or guest voluntarily provides personal information for that purpose. 

2.3  Consent may also be implied where a member or guest is given notice and a reasonable opportunity to opt-out of his or her personal information being used for mail-outs, the marketing of new services or products, fundraising and the member or guest does not opt-out. When personal information is used based on implied consent, the Celtic Ensemble will provide opt-out procedures (e.g. on a marketing e-mail).

2.4  Subject to certain exceptions (e.g., the personal information is necessary to provide the service or product, or the withdrawal of consent would frustrate the performance of a legal obligation), members, volunteers, guests or contractors can withhold or withdraw their consent for the Celtic Ensemble to use their personal information in certain ways.  Withholding or withdrawing consent to certain uses of personal information may restrict our ability to provide a particular service or product. If so, we will explain the situation to assist the member, volunteer, guests or contractor in making the decision. 

2.5 We may collect, use or disclose personal information without the individual's knowledge or consent in the following limited circumstances:

• The disclosure is clearly in the interests of the individual and consent cannot be obtained in a timely way

• The disclosure is necessary for the medical treatment of the individual who cannot legally consent

• When the collection, use or disclosure is permitted or required by law

• In an emergency that threatens an individual's life, health, or personal security

• When the personal information is available from a public source (e.g., a telephone directory)

• When we require legal advice from a lawyer

• For the purposes of collecting a debt

• To protect ourselves from fraud

• To investigate an anticipated breach of an agreement or law

• When the personal information is collected by observation at a public performance or similar event

• When the disclosure is necessary to determine suitability for an artistic purpose

2.6 The Celtic Ensemble will make reasonable efforts to ensure that any personal information collected, used, or disclosed is accurate and complete, particularly when:

• The information is used to make decisions that directly affect an individual (e.g., ensemble placement, trip participation, or bursary eligibility), or

• The information is disclosed to another organization (e.g., for travel bookings, grant reporting, or collaboration with partner groups).

Policy 3 – Using and Disclosing Personal Information

3.1  We will only use or disclose personal information where necessary to fulfill the purposes identified at the time of collection, or for a purpose reasonably related to those purposes, such as: 

• Internal communications

• Communication with listed contacts (e.g., parents/guardians, emergency contacts)

• Safety (e.g., for Criminal Record Checks)

• Program, trip, and event planning

• Billing and tuition administration

• Issuing tax receipts for donations

• Compiling anonymous statistics for grant and funding applications

• Registration and enrolment tracking

• Contacting participants about schedule changes or cancellations

• Publishing performance programs (e.g., names in concert programs — with consent)

• Use of photos or video for promotional or archival purposes — with appropriate consent

• Contacting alumni for program updates, testimonials, or future involvement opportunities

• Compliance with legal or regulatory requirements (e.g., insurance, liability coverage, Society Act compliance)

3.2  We will not use or disclose personal information for any additional purpose unless we obtain consent to do so. 

3.3  We will not sell member, volunteer, or guest lists or personal information to other parties.

Policy 4 – Retaining Personal Information

4.1  If we use member, volunteer, guest or contractor personal information to make a decision that directly affects themember, volunteer, guest or contractor, we will retain that personal information for at least one year so that themember, volunteer, guest or contractor has a reasonable opportunity to request access to it (e.g. following an audition).

4.2  Subject to policy 4.1, we will retain member, volunteer, guest or contractor personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or a legal or business purpose. 

4.3 Personal information about members will be retained for 5 years following membership cancellation.

Policy 5 – Ensuring Accuracy of Personal Information

5.1  We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that personal information is accurate and complete where it may be used to make a decision about the member, volunteer, or guest,  or disclosed to another organization.

5.2  Members, volunteers, or guests may request correction to their personal information in order to ensure its accuracy and completeness.  A request to correct personal information must be made in writing and provide sufficient detail to identify the personal information and the correction being sought. Requests to correct personal information should be forwarded to the Privacy Officer.

5.3  If the personal information is demonstrated to be inaccurate or incomplete, we will correct the information as required and send the corrected information to any organization to which we disclosed the personal information in the previous year.  If the correction is not made, we will note the members’, volunteers’, guests’ correction request in the file. 

Policy 6 – Securing Personal Information

6.1  We are committed to ensuring the security of personal information in order to protect it from unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal or similar risks. 

6.2 All personal information is stored securely within our CRM system, Choir Genius, and is accessible only to staff and board members as needed for program operations. All data is hosted on servers located in Canada. Financial details, such as payment information, are visible only to the individual member and are not accessible to staff. All data is kept secure, and any additional access (e.g., name and address for grant writing) is granted strictly on a need-to-know basis.

6.3 We will use appropriate security measures when destroying personal information, such as:

• Permanent deletion of digital records

• Secure destruction of physical documents

• Removing outdated information from backups, where feasible

6.4  We will continually review and update our security policies and controls as technology changes to ensure ongoing personal information security. 

Policy 7 – Providing Access to Personal Information

 7.1  Members, volunteers, guests and contractors have the right to access their personal information held by the Celtic Ensemble, subject to limited exceptions.

• A full listing of the exceptions to access can be found in Section 23 of the British Columbia Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).Some examples include:  solicitor-client privilege, disclosure would reveal personal information about another individual, health and safety concerns]

7.2  A request to access personal information must be made in writing and provide sufficient detail to identify the personal information being sought. A request to access personal information should be forwarded to the Privacy Officer.

7.3  Upon request, we will also tell members, volunteers, or guests how we use their personal information and to whom it has been disclosed if applicable. 

7.4  We will make the requested information available within 30 business days, or provide written notice of an extension where additional time is required to fulfill the request. 

7.5  If a request is refused in full or in part, we will notify the member, volunteer, or guest in writing, providing the reasons for refusal and the recourse available. 

Policy 8 – Questions and Complaints:  The Role of the Privacy Officer or designated individual

8.1  The Privacy Officer or designated individual is responsible for ensuring the Celtic Ensemble’s compliance with this policy and the Personal Information Protection Act.

8.2  Members, volunteers, or guests should direct any complaints, concerns or questions regarding Celtic Ensemble’s compliance in writing to the Privacy Officer. If the Privacy Officer is unable to resolve the concern, the member, volunteer, or guest may also write to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia. 

Contact information for Celtic Ensemble’s Privacy Officer: Nancy Wood, president@celticensemble.ca