Privacy Policy
1. Purpose of Canadian Chihuahua Rescue and Transport Privacy Policy
Canadian Chihuahua Rescue and Transport (CCRT) is a charitable organization with a volunteer board of directors whose mandate is to find permanent homes for Chihuahua and Chihuahua mixed breed that come into their care. The CCRT has long been committed to the protection and proper use of all the personal information it collects and we strive to ensure we meet or exceed all provincial and federal privacy mandates in Canada.
This privacy policy has been developed to comply with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”). PIPEDA sets out rules for the collection, use and disclosure of personal information in the course of commercial activity as defined in the Act.
1.1 The Ten Principles of PIPEDA Summarized
The ten Principles of PIPEDA that form the basis of this Privacy Policy are as follows:
1. Accountability: organizations are accountable for the personal information they collect, use, retain and disclose in the course of their commercial activities, including, but not limited to, the appointment of a Chief Privacy Officer;
2. Identifying Purposes: organizations are to explain the purposes for which the information is being used at the time of collection and can only be used for those purposes;
3. Consent: organizations must obtain an Individual’s express or implied consent when they collect, use, or disclose the individual’s personal information;
4. Limiting Collection: the collection of personal information must be limited to only the amount and type that is reasonably necessary for the identified purposes;
5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention: personal information must be used for only the identified purposes, and must not be disclosed to third parties unless the Individual consents to the alternative use or disclosure;
6. Accuracy: organizations are required to keep personal information in active files accurate and up-to-date;
7. Safeguards: organizations are to use physical, organizational, and technological safeguards to protect personal information from unauthorized access or disclosure.
8. Openness: organizations must inform their clients and train their employees about their privacy policies and procedures;
9. Individual Access: an individual has a right to access personal information held by an organization and to challenge its accuracy if need be; and
10. Provide Recourse: organizations are to inform clients and employees of how to bring a request for access, or complaint, to the Chief Privacy Officer, and respond promptly to a request or complaint by the individual.
This Privacy Policy applies to Canadian Chihuahua Rescue and Transport (CCRT) Board of Directors, volunteers and applicants. As well, CCRT ensures that all third party’s sign confidentiality agreements prior to any transfer of an individual’s personal information in the course of providing the information and/or services.
1.2 Definitions
“Personal information” means any information about an identifiable individual. It includes, without limitation, information relating to identity, nationality, age, gender, address, telephone number, e-mail address, Social Insurance Number, date of birth, marital status, education, employment health history, assets, liabilities, payment records, credit records, loan records, income and information relating to financial transactions as well as certain personal opinions or views of an Individual.
“Applicant” means the individual that is applying for or has been approved for as a volunteer, foster home or as a permanent home;
“Volunteer” means a person who volunteers on behalf of the CCRT
“Application” means the application form or related forms completed by the individual(s)
“Data base” means the list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of volunteers, applicants, volunteers and individuals held by CCRT in the forms of, but not limited to, computer files, paper files, and files on computer hard-drives.
“File” means the information collected in the course of processing an application, as well as information collected/updated to maintain /service the application.
“Express consent” means the individual signs the application, or other forms containing personal information, authorizing CCRT to collect, use, and disclose the individual’s personal information for the purposes set out in the application and/or forms.
“Implied Consent” means the organization may assume that the individual consents to the information being used, retained and disclosed for the original purposes, unless notified by the individual.
“Third Party” means a person or company that provides services to CCRT in support of the programs, benefits, and other services offered by CCRT, , but does not include any Government office to whom CCRT reports in the delivery of such programs, benefits or services.
2. Purposes of Collecting Personal Information
Personal information is collected in order to assess the eligibility of the individual completing an application. The individual is the main source of information but CCRT will also ask to obtain information directly from other sources when required. Only that information which is required to make a determination of an individual’s eligibility will be collected.
3. Consent
An individual’s express, written consent will be obtained before or at the time of collecting personal information. The purposes for the collection, use or disclosure of the personal information will be provided to the individual at the time of seeking his or her consent. Once consent is obtained from the individual to use his or her information for those purposes, CCRT has the individual’s implied consent to collect or receive any supplementary information that is necessary to fulfil the same purposes. Express consent will also be obtained if, or when, a new use is identified.
By signing the application and/or other forms, implied consent is granted by the individual to obtain and/or to verify information from third parties in the process of assessing the eligibility of an individual.
An individual can choose not to provide some or all of the personal information at any time, but if CCRT is unable to collect sufficient information to validate the request, the individual’s application may be denied.
An individual can withdraw consent to CCRT’s use of personal information at any time prior to the application being approved, by making such request in writing. Once an applicant has been approved, an individual cannot withdraw consent authorizing CCRT to use and disclose the personal information for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy.
This Privacy Policy does not cover statistical data from which the identity of individuals cannot be determined. CCRT retains the right to use and disclose statistical data as it determines appropriate.
4. Limiting Collection
Personal information collected will be limited to the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, CCRT applications, and/or other forms.
5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention
5.1 Use of Personal Information
Personal information will be used for only those purposes to which the individual has consented with the following exceptions, as permitted under PIPEDA:
CCRT will use personal information without the individual’s consent, where:
• the organization has reasonable grounds to believe the information could be useful when investigating a contravention of a federal, provincial or foreign law and the information is used for that investigation;
• an emergency exists that threatens an individual’s life, health or security;
• the information is for statistical study or research;
• the information is publicly available;
• the use is clearly in the individual’s interest, and consent is not available in a timely way;
• knowledge and consent would compromise the availability or accuracy of the information, and
• collection is required to investigate a breach of an agreement.
5.2 Disclosure and Transfer of Personal Information
Personal information will be disclosed to only those CCRT volunteers that need to know the information for the purposes of their work or making an assessment as to the individual’s eligibility. Personal information will be disclosed to third parties with the individual’s knowledge and consent.
PIPEDA permits CCRT to disclose personal information to third parties, without an individual’s knowledge and consent, to:
• a lawyer representing CCRT;
• collect a debt owed to CCRT by the individual or client;
• comply with a subpoena, a warrant or an order made by a court or other body with appropriate jurisdiction;
• a law enforcement agency in the process of a civil or criminal investigation;
• a government agency or department requesting the information; or,
• as required by law.
PIPEDA permits CCRT to transfer personal information to a third party, without the individual’s knowledge or consent, if the transfer is simply for processing purposes and the third party only uses the information for the purposes for which it was transferred. CCRT will ensure, by contractual or other means that the third party protects the information and uses it only for the purposes for which it was transferred.
5.3 Retention of Personal Information
Personal information will be retained in volunteer and applicant files as long as the file is active and for such periods of time as may be prescribed by applicable laws and regulations.
Information contained in an inactive file will be retained for a period of seven (7) years, except in the case where an application is rejected. Where an application has been rejected, the file and all personal information contained in the file will be retained for a period of two (2) years.
6. Accuracy
CCRT endeavours to ensure that any personal information provided by the individual in his or her active file(s) is accurate, current and complete as is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which the information has been collected, used, retained and disclosed. Individuals are requested to notify CCRT of any change in personal information.
Information contained in inactive files is not updated.
7. Safeguards
CCRT will use physical, organizational, and technological measures to safeguard personal information to only those CCRT volunteers, or third parties who need to know this information for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy.
Organizational Safeguards: Access to personal information will be limited. Personal information provided to volunteers of CCRT committee(s) will be limited to only that information required to carry out the mandate of that committee. Volunteers of the CCRT committee(s) and/or Board of Directors are not permitted to copy or retain any personal information on individuals or clients and must return for destruction all such information given to them to review once the purpose for being provided with this information has been fulfilled.
Employees and volunteers of CCRT committee(s) and/or Board of Directors are required to sign a confidentiality agreement binding them to maintaining the confidentiality of all personal information to which they have access.
Physical Safeguards: Active files are stored in a secure environment when not in use. Access to work areas where active files may be in use is restricted to CCRT volunters only and authorized third parties.
All inactive files or personal information no longer required are shredded prior to disposal to prevent inadvertent disclosure to unauthorized persons.
Technological Safeguards: Personal information contained in CCRT computers and electronic databases are protected. Access to any of the CCRT’s computers also is password protected. CCRT’s Internet router or server has firewall protection sufficient to protect personal and confidential information against virus attacks and “sniffer” software arising from Internet activity.
8. Openness
CCRT will endeavour to make its privacy policies and procedures known to the individual via this Privacy Policy. This webpage comprises our privacy policy.
9. Individual Access
An individual who wishes to review or verify what personal information is held by CCRT, or to whom the information has been disclosed (as permitted by the Act), may make the request for access, in writing, to the CCRT”s Chief Privacy Officer. Upon verification of the individual’s identity, the Chief Privacy Officer will respond within 60 days.
If the individual finds that the information held by CCRT is inaccurate or incomplete, upon the individual providing documentary evidence to verify the correct information, CCRT will make the required changes to the individual’s active file(s) promptly.
10. Complaints/Recourse
If an individual has a concern about CCRT’s personal information handling practises, a complaint, in writing, may be directed to the CCRT’s Chief Privacy Officer. The CCRT Chairperson will act as the Chief Privacy Officer.
Upon verification of the individual’s identity, CCRT’s Chief Privacy Officer will act promptly to investigate the complaint and provide a written report of the investigation’s findings to the individual.
Where CCRT’s Chief Privacy Officer makes a determination that the individual’s complaint is well founded, the Chief Privacy Officer will take the necessary steps to correct the offending information handling practise and/or revise CCRT’s privacy policies and procedures.
Where CCRT’s Chief Privacy Officer determines that the individual’s complaint is not well founded, the individual will be notified in writing.
If the individual is dissatisfied with the finding and corresponding action taken by CCRT’s Chief Privacy Officer, the individual may bring a complaint to the Federal Privacy Commissioner at the address below:
The Privacy Commissioner of Canada Email address: www.privcom.gc.ca.
112 Kent Street, Ottawa,
Ontario K1A 1H3
Tel 1-800-282-1376
11. Questions/Access Request/Complaint
Any questions regarding this or any other privacy policy of CCRT may be directed to the Chief Privacy Officer. Requests for access to information, or to make a complaint, are to be made in writing and sent to the Chief Privacy Officer at the address below:
12. Amendment to CCRT’s Privacy Policies
This CCRT’s Privacy Policy is in effect November 7, 2006 and is retroactive to January 1, 2004. This policy is subject to amendment in response to developments in the privacy legislation. The Chief Privacy Officer will review and revise the Privacy Policy from time to time as required by changes in privacy law. Notification of any changes in the Privacy Policy will be posted on CCRT’s website, as well as in CCRT’s Privacy Statement. Any changes in the Privacy Policy will apply to Personal information collected from the date of the posting of the revised Privacy Policy on the CCRT’s website.