Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy Statement
Smoke-Free Housing Canada is committed to protecting the privacy of the personal information of its employees, volunteers, members, clients and other stakeholders. We value the trust of those we deal with, and of the public. We acknowledge that maintaining this trust requires us to be transparent and accountable in how we treat the information you choose to share with us.

During the course of our daily work, we frequently gather and use personal information. Anyone from whom we collect such information should expect that it will be carefully protected and that any use of or other dealing with this information is subject to consent. Our privacy practices are designed to achieve this.

Defining personal information
We define 'personal information' as any information that can be used to distinguish, identify or contact a specific individual. Exceptions to this are business contact information and certain publicly available information, such as names, addresses and telephone numbers published in telephone directories. Personal information may include an individual's opinion or beliefs, as well as facts about, or related to, the individual.

Where an individual uses home contact information as their business contact information, we consider that the contact information provided is business contact information and is not subject to protection as personal information.

Privacy practices
Personal information gathered by Smoke-Free Housing Canada is kept in confidence. Our staff and volunteers are authorized to access personal information based only on their need to deal with the information for the reasons for which it was obtained. Safeguards are in place to ensure that the information is not disclosed or shared more widely than is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was gathered. We also take measures to ensure the integrity of this information is maintained and to prevent it being lost or destroyed.

We collect, use and disclose personal information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate, so that we may provide you with the services which you have requested, understand your needs and provide information about the work of Smoke-Free Housing Canada. We routinely offer individuals we deal with the opportunity to opt not to have their information shared for purposes beyond those for which it was explicitly collected.

Web site and Electronic Commerce
We have sought the best outside expertise to ensure that we attain Internet standards for secure online transactions. We use password protocols and encryption software to protect personal and other information we receive when a product, service or donation is transacted and or paid for online. Our software is routinely updated to maximize protection of such information. We expect that all Internet users are running the latest version of their Web browser and that security features are enabled. Individual privacy statements are found on each of our Web sites, which deal specifically with the content of that Web site.

Updating of privacy policy
We regularly review our privacy practices for our various activities, and periodically update our policy and procedures.

Contact Information
Questions about Smoke-Free Housing Canada's privacy policy or the treatment of personal information should be emailed to sharonhammond@telus.net.