Privacy Notice
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY
The Heritage Canada Foundation (HCF) protects personal information within its control and to the letter and spirit of the privacy laws of Canada. Personal information relating to you is maintained in strict confidence and is collected, used and disclosed only in accordance with this Notice and HCF policies and procedures relating to personal information.
Collecting Personal Information
In order to process, manage or maintain your HCF membership, requests for information that you may make over the course of your membership or your relationship with HCF, we collect and maintain personal information about you including information identifying you as well as records relating to billing and financial records, records of our communications with you, records of your questions and communication with us as well as records relating to your donation history and program preferences.
Using Personal Information
HCF uses personal information for the following purposes:
- To process and renew your membership application and to respond to your requests
- To process stated member benefits
- To communicate with you concerning HCF news and events
- To process your donations
- To offer you HCF–endorsed products, services, e-bulletins, invitations to HCF conferences and events, invitations to participate in national task forces etc. that we believe to be of interest to you
- To offer you opportunities to support HCF, e.g., through an affinity card or a fundraising campaign, and to process your acceptance of such offers
From time to time, HCF may retain the services of a third party consultant or agent to assist us in evaluating our membership base and further developing the products and services that we believe might be of interest to you as a member of HCF, or to administer and process the benefits that result from your membership with HCF. In such case, we require and obtain written assurances that any such consultant or agent abides by safeguard regulations which meet our stated privacy policy.
Limiting use
HCF may occasionally rent or exchange its membership list to carefully selected organizations that may be of interest to its members. HCF also complies with: a) written requests from an external auditing firm and/or the Canada Revenue Agency for disclosure of a sample of representative donor records or receipts during the course of their shared review of HCF accounting procedures; b) requests from members of HCF for a copy of the list of members of HCF upon compliance by a member with the requirement of the Canada Corporations Act, Part II, in connection with such a request; and c) all other requests where such information is required to be release under applicable law or the order of any court, tribunal or governmental agency having authority over HCF.
HCF may publish an annual list of our donors. Members may opt-out of list publication, and/or list rentals and exchanges, by contacting HCF’s membership department at 1-866-964-1066.
Safeguarding Personal Information
HCF ensures that all personal information it retains is securely maintained within its facilities, as follows:
a) HCF's member and donor electronic databases have electronic security passwords. Access to these databases is limited to HCF staff, on a need to know basis.
b) HCF's computer system has appropriate security systems in place.
c) Any paper files with confidential financial or personal information are stored in locked filing cabinets.
d) HCF staff have all signed a Confidentiality Agreement and received training on the proper handling and safeguarding procedures of personal information.
f) If HCF enters into contracts with external service providers that require handling of personal information; HCF also obtains written assurances that the firm will abide by HCF's privacy policy and procedures.
g) HCF disposes of confidential personal information with a shredder to prevent any unauthorized use.
Internet Privacy
Personally identifiable information relating to members or other individuals is not collected on the HCF website unless such information is provided to HCF voluntarily and knowingly. HCF does not require this information for members (or the public) to obtain access to HCF material posted on the website. However, in order to participate in some of the programs offered on the HCF web site, you may have to provide personal information.
Applicants and registrants to certain events or funding programs may also be required to provide HCF with information so that we may process their registration and maintain accurate records for accounting purposes.
You may decide to post information on the HCF website through the Discussion Forum. All comments or information posted on the Discussion Forum are available to the public through the HCF website and are not confidential. HCF has no control over the subsequent use or disclosure of information posted and does not monitor or update the information on the Discussion Forum. Therefore, please ensure that you do not post confidential information on the Discussion Forum.
HCF has taken steps to make all information received from our online visitors as secure as possible against unauthorized access and use. Personal information provided by customers is kept in our secure database. All information received from our customers is protected by our security measures, which are periodically reviewed. You should keep in mind, however, that no data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure and any information disclosed online can potentially be collected and used by parties other than the intended recipient.
Use of the HCF website is governed by and subject to the HCF Terms of Use Agreement.
Questions or for Further Information
Should you have any questions with respect to the HCF Privacy Notice or if you would like to limit the manner in which information about you is disclosed, please contact the HCF Privacy Officer at privacy@heritagecanada.org or by phone at 1-866-964-1066 or by fax 613-237-5987.
HCF may amend this Privacy Notice at any time.
