Privacy Policy

COLLECTION, USES AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

SDTC collects personal information for various reasons, including when you visit the Website, sign up for SDTC news and updates, and contact us with a comment or question. [See description of Personal Information Bank # PSU 914.] SDTC uses this information to manage the Website, communicate with the public, or for statistical, audit, evaluation, research, planning and reporting purposes directly related to its operating programs and activities in accordance with Section 4 of the Privacy Act. SDTC can only use your personal information for the purpose for which it was obtained, for a use consistent with that purpose, or for a purpose expressly listed in Section 8 of the Privacy Act.

1. Visiting our Website: In general, you can visit the Website without telling us who you are or having to submit any personal information. However, in order to help us understand and optimize Website usage, the Web server automatically logs certain statistical information about each visit to the Website. This includes Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and certain usage-related data such as webpage(s) visited, type of browser and operating system, computer’s location, pages visited, links clicked, date, time and duration of visit. IP addresses are unique numbers assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to all devices used to access the Internet. IP addresses, on their own, are not identifiable information. However, in certain unique circumstances, when IP addresses are combined with other usage-related information, they can potentially identify an individual. For this reason, IP addresses are considered to be personal information and are protected accordingly.

   • Cookies: The Website uses a technology called “cookies”. A cookie is a tiny element of data that our Website sends to a user’s browser, which may then be stored on the user’s hard drive so that the Website can remember the user’s computer or device when they return. By recognizing the computer or device during a subsequent visit, the Website is able to offer users a more convenient and enhanced experience. You may set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie and you may choose not to accept certain cookies. However, if you decide not to accept cookies, it may affect your interaction with the Website and you may not be able to take advantage of all of the Website’s features.
   • Analytics: SDTC uses an external third-party service provider, Google Analytics, to help gather and analyze usage-related information from the Website so that we may evaluate and improve the user experience. Your IP address is depersonalized prior to being stored on Google’s servers in order to help safeguard your privacy. The information collected is depersonalized by [describe how the information is de-personalized].

   Data collected for Web analytics purposes may go outside of Canada to [ country ] and may be subject to the laws of that country.

   Web analytics data may only be retained for a maximum period of eighteen (18) months in accordance with Treasury Board policy and as authorized by the Librarian and Archivist of Canada.

   • Third-Party Social Media: SDTC may use social media to communicate with the public and extend its presence on the Web. Social media platforms are public and are not hosted on SDTC’s servers. Users who choose to interact with us via social media should read the terms of service and privacy policies of these third-party service providers and those of any applications you use to access them. SDTC uses Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
   • Third-Party Links: Our Website may contain links to other websites that SDTC does not own or operate. We provide links to third-party websites as a convenience to users. These links are not intended as an endorsement of, or referral to, these third-party websites. The linked websites have separate and independent privacy policies, notices and terms of use. We do not have any control over such websites, and therefore we have no responsibility or liability for the manner in which the organizations that operate such linked websites may collect, use, disclose, secure and otherwise treat personal information. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of each website you visit.

2. Subscribing to SDTC News Updates: If you subscribe to receive the latest SDTC news updates, we will ask you for your email address in order for us to send these to you. We may also ask you for your name, organization and job title in order to understand our interested audience and better tailor our future news updates, but whether you decide to provide this additional information is entirely your choice. You can unsubscribe from these news updates at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link included at the bottom of each email or by communicating with us at the contact information provided in the “Contact Us” section below.

3. Communicating with SDTC: If you choose to send SDTC a comment, question or complaint through our online Contact Form, or otherwise by email, mail or by phone, you may be asked for information that identifies you. For instance, SDTC may ask for your name, company, email, and phone number, along with the minimum information we need to help us promptly answer your question or respond to your comment or inquiry. Emails and other electronic means of communication are generally not secure. Therefore, if you use these means to communicate, it is recommended that you provide us with without sending any sensitive personal information, such as your social insurance number or your date of birth.

   SDTC will not use this information to create individual profiles. SDTC will not share this information with any third party unless required to do so by law or under a valid service provider arrangement in accordance with applicable TBS Policy. If your inquiry relates to another government institution, we may direct your communication to that other government institution for response.

   Communications that violate our Rules of Engagement will be deleted and any comments that violate Canadian law may be reported to law enforcement agencies.

SAFEGUARDS AND RETENTION

SDTC implements reasonable administrative, technical and physical measures in an effort to safeguard the personal information in our custody and control against theft, loss and unauthorized access, use, modification and disclosure.

We restrict access to personal information on a need-to-know basis to employees and authorized service providers who require access to fulfil their job requirements. All individuals we hire under contract or otherwise to conduct business on our behalf will be required to comply with the Privacy Act, this Policy and applicable internal procedures.

We retain personal information in accordance with the minimum and maximum retention periods set out under applicable Treasury Board Policies, Privacy Act regulations and as authorized by the Library and Archivist of Canada.

SDTC employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. This software receives and records the IP address of the computer that has contacted our website, the date and time of the visit and the pages visited. We make no attempt to link these addresses with the identity of individuals visiting our site unless an attempt to damage the site has been detected.

This information is collected pursuant to section 161 of the Financial Administration Act and may be shared with appropriate law enforcement authorities if suspected criminal activities are detected. Such information may be used for network security related statistical purposes, audit, evaluation, research, planning and reporting. [See Personal Information Bank # PSU 905]

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

The Privacy Act grants all individuals in Canada the right to access personal information about them that is held by government institutions such as SDTC. It also gives individuals the right to request the correction of their personal information when they consider it to be erroneous.

Please note that although the Privacy Act provides a formal procedure for requesting access to personal information held by the SDTC, you may also make an informal request for access to, or correction of, your personal information within SDTC’s custody or control by emailing or writing to us at the contact information set out below.

UPDATES TO THE PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this privacy policy periodically to reflect changes to our privacy practices. We encourage you to periodically review this page to ensure you are familiar with those changes. We will indicate at the top of this privacy policy when it was most recently updated.

CONTACT US

If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Policy or the manner in which SDTC or its third party service providers treat your personal information, or if you wish to request access to, or correction of, your personal information held by us, please contact our Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator at:

Sustainable Development Technology Canada
45 O’Connor Street, Suite 1850
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1A4
Tel: (613) 234-6313 ext. 311

ATIP-AIPRP@sdtc.ca

If you are not satisfied with SDTC’s response to your privacy or access to personal information concern, you may wish to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada by telephone (1-800-282-1376), online or by mail:

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Québec
K1A 1H3