The Ottawa Community Housing Foundation (OCHF) respects your privacy and is committed to maintaining the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of your personally identifiable information (“Personal Information”). As part of this commitment, our privacy policy governs our actions as they relate to the collection, use and disclosure of Personal Information. Our privacy policy complies with provisions of Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and the Electronic Documents Act as well as the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

1. Introduction

We are responsible for maintaining and protecting the Personal Information under our control. We take every reasonable step to safeguard the privacy of our users, participants, members, funders, donors, parents/guardians and volunteers.

2. Identifying Purposes

The OCH Foundation does not automatically gather any personal information from website users, such as name, phone number, email or address. This information is only obtained if it is voluntarily supplied. Some of the forms on this website do require users to provide contact information for newsletter, account or donation purposes.
We collect, use and disclose Personal Information to provide you with the product or service you have requested and to offer you additional products and services we believe you might be interested in. The purposes for which we collect Personal Information will be identified before or at the time we collect the information. In certain circumstances, the purposes for which information is collected may be clear, and consent may be implied, such as where your name, address and payment information are included as part of the donation (order) process.
Contact information from registration/order forms may be used to apply for bursaries or programs, ship purchases, provide receipts or other relevant information to OCHF clients and customers. From time to time this information may also be used to contact the customer about other events and opportunities. Users may opt out of receiving future mailings.

3. Consent and Confidentiality

Providing us with your Personal Information is always your choice. However, your decision not to provide certain information may limit our ability to provide you with our products or services. The personal information that you provide is used only to respond to your request or inquiry: no information is disclosed to anyone without your consent, except to people within the Foundation who need the information to respond, unless disclosure is authorized or required by law. Specifically, the Foundation will not disclose, rent, sell or otherwise disclose personal information without your consent, except as set out in this Privacy Policy or as otherwise required or permitted by law.
We will not require you to consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of information as a condition to the supply of a product or service, except as required to be able to supply the product or service.

4. Limiting Collection

The Personal Information collected will be limited to those details necessary for the purposes identified by us. With your consent, we may collect Personal Information from you in person, over the telephone or by corresponding with you via mail, facsimile, or the Internet.

5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

Personal Information may only be used or disclosed for the purpose for which it was collected unless you have otherwise consented, or when it is required or permitted by law. Personal Information will only be retained for the period of time required to fulfill the purpose for which we collected it or as may be required by law.

6. Accuracy

Personal Information will be maintained in as accurate, complete and up-to-date form as is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it is to be used.

7. Safeguarding Customer Information

Personal Information will be protected by security safeguards that are appropriate to the sensitivity level of the information. We take all reasonable precautions to protect your Personal Information from any loss or unauthorized use, access or disclosure.

8. Openness

We will make information available to you about our policies and practices with respect to the management of your Personal Information.

9. Customer Access

Upon request, you will be informed of the existence, use and disclosure of your Personal Information, and will be given access to it. You may verify the accuracy and completeness of your Personal Information, and may request that it be amended, if appropriate. However, in certain circumstances permitted by law, we will not disclose certain information to you. For example, we may not disclose information relating to you if other individuals are referenced or if there are legal, security or commercial proprietary restrictions.

10. Handling Customer Complaints and Suggestions

You may direct any questions or enquiries with respect to our privacy policy or our practices by contacting:
Angela Bégin, Executive Director
info@ochfoundation.ca

Additional Information

The OCH Foundation’s website may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those other websites, nor do we endorse the materials presented on websites that are not owned and operated by the OCH Foundation. We encourage visitors to review each website’s privacy policy before disclosing any personally identifiable information.
As with most websites, certain non-personal information is recorded by the standard operation of our servers (“cookie” technology). This information is used to measure and monitor the use of our website and to improve its content. The “cookie technology” does not personally identify you or extract any information from your computer. Data that would personally identify you is known only when voluntarily submitted.
Most Internet browsers are initially set to accept cookies. If you do not wish to accept cookies, you can set yours to refuse cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent.
Our privacy policy will no longer apply once you leave our website. Additionally, we are not responsible for the privacy practices employed by third party websites. Therefore, we suggest that you examine the privacy statements of those sites to learn how your information may be collected, used, shared and disclosed.