Privacy Statement

Énoncé sur la confidentialité (Français - 19 MB)

At Girl Guides of Canada – Guides du Canada (GGC) we are committed to protecting the privacy of our members, donors, and non-member participants, and support a general policy of openness about how we collect, use and disclose personal information.

The purpose of this Privacy Statement is to inform you about GGC’s practices relating to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information which may be collected by us through your filling out GGC forms or otherwise providing information to participate in GGC events, or through our website. By filling out the forms, either yourself or on behalf of your child/ward, by participating in our events, or by using our website, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information (as defined below) and, if applicable, the personal information of your child/ward in accordance with the following terms and conditions.

This Privacy Statement also explains how you can contact us if you have a question about, want to make a change to or delete any personal information that GGC may be holding about you or, if applicable, your child/ward. We strongly recommend that you take the time to read this Privacy Statement and retain it for future reference.

Personal Information

For the purpose of this Privacy Statement, “personal information” means information about an identifiable individual, that could be used to identify, contact, or locate an individual. This includes but is not limited to name, birthdate, health card number, IP address, phone number, email address, or mailing address.

What Personal Information We Collect

GGC collects personal information to screen applicants for membership and non-member participation, and in order to help effectively and safely provide activities and events for GGC members. This information includes but is not limited to contact information (such as name, address, e-mail address and telephone numbers), age, skills and educational background, employment history, volunteer experience, proof of identity (such as a signature), police reference checks, references and information on medical conditions, allergies and medications.

GGC also collects financial information (such as credit card information and banking information on personal cheques) from members and donors

When entering GGC contests, entrants under the age of 14 are required to indicate guardian consent prior to the submission of personal information. On entry forms, we may ask for the entrants’ first name, last name, email address and phone number. This personal information is collected, used and disclosed only for the purposes of awarding contest prizes.

How We Use Your Personal Information

Personal information that is collected by GGC or its representative is only used for Guiding purposes. GGC uses your personal information to facilitate communication between members within each unit, and to communicate with you through mailings, newsletters, announcements of upcoming events and opportunities, and in connection with fundraising requests. GGC uses your information about skills, employment and volunteer history to best employ your talents in the service of our organization. GGC uses health information to help ensure the proper response to any health situation that may arise during our activities or events. GGC uses financial information only to complete a membership or donation transaction

GGC maintains a database of member information (called “iMIS”) which is used to maintain current contact information, emergency contact information, membership status and a history of your participation in GGC. Only GGC staff and members with a legitimate need to access this information have access to the database. Each member is assigned a unique iMIS number, and you may access your records through our member portal (called Member Zone) to check for accuracy. Please see the section below on correcting and updating your information for further details on how to correct any errors in your iMIS file.

GGC does not use automated processing for decision making, except for girl membership and subsidy decisions. If a decision is made by automated process using your personal data, you may request the information used, and the criteria. An appeal can be requested by contacting the National Membership department at membership@girlguides.ca

Any questions about how GGC uses your personal information should be directed to privacy@girlguides.ca.

When We Disclose Your Personal Information

GGC does not disclose personal information to individuals, organizations or corporations outside of GGC at any time or for any reason, except with the consent of the individual member or as required or authorized by law.

GGC may share personal information with third parties engaged to assist us in providing services to you or to carry out one or more of the purposes described above. The third-party service providers consist of but are not limited to the functions of property bookings, activity and event registration, merchandising and police record checks. These service providers are prohibited from using such personal information for any purpose other than to provide this assistance and are required to protect personal information disclosed by GGC and to comply with the general privacy principles described in this Privacy Statement. In certain cases, personal information may be transferred outside of Canada. In those cases, the information will be subject to the laws and regulations of the jurisdiction where the information is transferred.

GGC reserves the right to disclose personal information to a third party if a law, regulation, search warrant, subpoena or court order legally requires or authorizes us to do so.

Knowledge and Consent

GGC collects personal information about you or, if applicable, your child/ward only when you voluntarily provide it. Typically, we will seek consent for the use or disclosure of such personal information at the time of collection. In certain circumstances, consent may be sought after the information has been collected but before use (for example, when we want to use information for in a purpose not previously identified).

The form of consent that we seek, including whether it is express or implied, will largely depend on the sensitivity of the personal information and the reasonable expectations of the individual in the circumstances. When you fill out a GGC form, for instance, you imply that we may use that information for the purpose for which you filled out the form.

GGC keeps a record of members’ history with the organization, including participation in GGC activities and events. By joining GGC, you acknowledge that we may keep this record and consent to such retention, so that if your membership becomes inactive and you later decide to rejoin, GGC will still have your previous membership history on file. We will not use this information for any other purpose except with your consent.

You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal restrictions (such as to protect GGC from liability) and reasonable notice. If you wish to withdraw your consent, please email privacy@girlguides.ca. We will inform you of the implications of withdrawing consent as appropriate.

GGC does not, as a condition of participation, require you to consent to the collection, use or disclosure of information beyond that required to fulfill the explicitly specified and legitimate purposes for which the information is being provided.

Collection, Use or Disclosure of the Personal Information of Girl Members

GGC may periodically contact girl members directly to ask for their ideas, opinions, and feedback and to provide information about upcoming events. If you do not wish for GGC to contact your child/ward, you may withhold permission or retract it at any time. If you wish to retract permission, please contact privacy@girlguides.ca.

GGC will not disclose personal information of girl members without the express consent of a parent/guardian, except where required by law.

Collection and Use of Demographic Data

Through previous research and consultations, we have determined that the composition of our membership and staff does not reflect the rich diversity of the Canadian population. In keeping with our commitment to diversity and inclusivity, we deem demographic data collection necessary to effectively identify and remove systemic barriers to full participation of all girls and women in GGC.

The information you provide in GGC surveys is of utmost importance as it helps GGC to better understand the demographics currently comprising GGC’s membership, to assess our diversity and inclusion efforts, and to make the necessary changes to ensure more inclusive cultures, programs, and practices that will be meaningful and relevant to all girls.

The information you provide will be kept confidential and only used in aggregate form in accordance with the highest standard of human rights and privacy legislation. The data will be maintained in a secure information system.

Your participation in GGC surveys is voluntary.

How We Protect Your Personal Information

GGC makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that personal information collected from you is protected against loss and unauthorized access. This protection applies in relation to information stored in both electronic and hard copy form. Access to your personal information is restricted to selected members and employees. In addition, GGC employs generally accepted information security techniques, such as firewalls, access control procedures and cryptography, to protect personal information against loss and unauthorized access.

Retention of Your Personal Information

GGC retains your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected. In some cases, it is necessary for GGC to retain personal information indefinitely, in order to protect GGC from liability in the event of a dispute or for archival and organizational purposes. Unless you explicitly withdraw your consent, we will retain your name and membership history beyond the end of your active membership, so that we may archive your participation in the organization and retain this information for you should you decide to return in the future. Any other personal information will be redacted, anonymized or destroyed upon your membership becoming inactive for a period of three years, or earlier if the information is no longer relevant to the purpose for which it was collected. For girl members, some personal information will be redacted or anonymized upon membership becoming inactive for a period of three years past age of majority in their home province.

GGC is a national organization, with headquarters located in Toronto. While data is communicated and stored in the province of Ontario, it may also be stored nationally and internationally when applicable.

Website

If you visit the GGC website, and do not actively provide any personal information, GGC still stores certain information automatically, via the placement of a text file called a “cookie” in the browser directory of your computer’s hard drive. The cookie cannot be read by any website other than the one that set up the cookies. If you choose to modify your browser to disable cookies, some pages of this website may not function properly.

GGC will only collect and store the following information about your visit to our website:

The Internet domain from which you accessed the GGC site;
The type of browser and operating system you are using;
The date and time of your visit;
The pages within the GGC site that you visit; and
If you linked to another website from the GGC site, the address of that site.

GGC uses this information to count the number of visitors to the different GGC web pages, to make the site more useful to our members and visitors. You should be aware that operators of linked websites may also collect your personal information (including information generated through the use of cookies) when you link to their websites. GGC is not responsible for how such third parties collect, use or disclose your personal information, so it is important to familiarize yourself with their privacy policies before providing them with your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Statement

GGC reserves the right to modify this Privacy Statement at any time. The Privacy Statement posted via the GGC website shall be deemed to be the Privacy Statement in effect. A current copy of the Privacy Statement can be obtained at any time by contacting privacy@girlguides.ca or your provincial/territorial or national offices.

Correcting or Updating Your Information

You can help us maintain the accuracy of your personal information, or the personal information of your child/ward, by notifying us of any changes to this information. You may contact GGC to request access to or correction or update of your personal information via your provincial/territorial or national GGC office. Members accessing their own records in Member Zone can make these changes within the “your iMIS Profile” section.

Complaints

If you think that personal information has been improperly collected, used or disclosed by GGC or a representative, or if you have reason to believe that GGC may have failed to adhere to this Privacy Statement, please contact privacy@girlguides.ca to discuss the incident. The most common privacy breach is related to the unauthorized disclosure of personal information – be it lost, stolen, or inadvertently disclosed through human error. Please include all facts of the suspected violation, including names, dates, locations, and a detailed description of the incident as well as any supporting documentation.

The Privacy Officer will oversee the review of the incident and respond within thirty days. The response to a privacy breach will depend on the circumstances and type of information affected.

Contacting Us

If you no longer wish to receive email from GGC, please send notification by email to privacy@girlguides.ca including the email address you do not want to be contacted at.

If you have any questions about GGC’s Privacy Statement, please contact GGC’s Privacy Officer at: privacy@girlguides.ca

100-180 Duncan Mill Rd.
North York, ON M3B 1Z6
Telephone 1.833.433.0996

Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is personal information?

A. Any information about an identifiable individual, that could be used to identify, contact, or locate an individual. This includes but is not limited to name, birthdate, health card number, IP address, phone number, email address, or mailing address.

What personal information does GGC collect and retain?

A. GGC collects the personal information you fill out on the registration forms (girl and adult) and stores that information in your iMIS profile. This information includes but is not limited to contact information (such as name, address, e-mail address and telephone numbers), age, skills and educational background, employment history, volunteer experience, proof of identity (such as a signature), police reference checks, references and information on medical conditions, allergies, and medications. GGC also collects financial information from members and donors.

Can I have access to my personal information held by the GGC?

A. Yes, you may access the information in your iMIS profile through your profile in Member Zone or by contacting your provincial office.

Does GGC have my consent to collect, use and disclose my personal information?

A. Providing personal information by filling out application forms, participating in surveys, registering for events, and agreeing to reference checks, implies consent to collect, use and disclose personal information for the implied purposes.

In an ever-evolving world of privacy and cyber security, GGC would like all members, guardians, and volunteers to provide informed consent on what happens with their personal data. We are committed to protecting the privacy of those who share their personal information with us and support a general policy of openness about how we collect, use, and disclose personal information.

What if I do not consent for my data to be collected?

A. Providing consent is a requirement to maintain membership and/or become a volunteer.

How is consent collected?

A. Consent will be collected in a variety of ways, based on a person’s interactions with GGC:

Adult Volunteer Application
Girl Registration
Adult Renewal
Member Zone

What is the difference between using and disclosing information?

A. Use occurs when personal information is used within the organization, for example using information from your iMIS record to send Membership updates. Disclosure occurs when personal information is shared appropriately outside the organization, for example sending information to a mailing house or payroll service provider.

What purposes will GGC use my personal information for?

A. GGC uses your personal information for the purposes of the Guiding program such as but not limited to maintaining your membership record, send communications and surveys, request

donations, and track membership history, activities, administration and operation of the Guiding program and positional duties.

Can we pass out phone lists at events?

A. If you are in a position that involves sharing phone lists, give each Member the opportunity to opt in or out of including her personal information on distribution lists. Specify what contact information (for example, home phone, business phone, e-mail) you intend to make available.

What if a local vendor asks for the names and contact data for Members in my District or Community?

A. Some community venues will request the personal information of all participants for meeting spaces or grants. Providing PII of our membership, youth, or adult, may contravene our Privacy Statement. It is acceptable to provide the number of participants and the town in which they reside and advise the vendor that we cannot disclose the personal information of our members in accordance with the Privacy Statement. If this is not accepted by the vendor, consult the provincial office.

What if a Member asks to have access to her reference letters?

A. GGC practice is to share reference letters with award recipients. References collected as part other processes (for example, scholarship applications or screening) are not shared with the Member.

I am the newsletter editor in my area – what personal information can I print?

A. GGC standard is to publish only name, position, city, and province and to notify the Member beforehand. It has been our common practice for years to publish the names of girls and Guiders selected for trips, our scholarship recipients, and our donors within funding categories. This is seen as a benefit of Membership in our organization.

Do I need permission to publish a Commissioner’s or Adviser’s contact information?

A. When a Member accepts a recognized position within the organization, it is reasonable to expect that her contact information be made available to others. You should restrict her contact information to name, position, phone and/or e-mail. Their GGC phone number and email should be used if possible.

What should I do with forms and papers that have personal information?

A. Safe Guide Forms should be submitted through the Safe Guide Retention Form in Member Zone. Which forms should be included see Forms for Safe Guide Retention Package in Safe Guide. All other documents containing personal information should be destroyed at the end of the Guiding year.

Does the IR.1 Image Release apply to girls taking personal pictures at Unit meetings and camp?

A. The IR.1 only covers GGC use of photographs and not personal use or use of photographs outside of Guiding. If a Member has a negatively signed IR.1, GGC will not use photographs of her in any of its promotional or other materials. They may still participate in activities where cameras are present. When using photographs for promotional and recruitment purposes be sure to confirm that there are affirmatively signed photos for all Members in pictures. Also see Social Media Guidelines under Communications in Member Zone.

What do you do with personal information collected when girls enter contests?

A. This personal information is collected, used, and disclosed only for the purposes of awarding contest prizes. On entry forms, we may ask for the entrants’ first name, last name, email address and phone number. When entering GGC contests, entrants under the age of 14 are required to indicate parental consent prior to the submission of personal information.

Does the GGC directly contact girl Members?

A. GGC may periodically contact girl Members directly to ask for their ideas, opinions, and feedback and to provide information about upcoming events. Contact with Members under 14 is through their Unit Guider or parent/guardian. If parents/guardians do not wish for GGC to contact their child/ward, they may withhold permission or retract it at any time by contacting privacy@girlguides.ca.

Who has access to my information?

A. At the Unit level, information from Rosters and Health Forms should only be accessed by the Unit Guiders. Only GGC staff and members with a legitimate need to access this information have access to the membership database.

Why does GGC require health information?

A. The Unit Guiders are responsible for coordinating the management of girls’ health during Guiding activities, including activities like unit meetings, trips, events, and sleepovers. The form includes important medical information, allergies, health conditions and medications while also obtaining your emergency contact information. This also allows the Guiders to discuss any allergies or health issues with the parents/guardians, typical reactions, and treatments. Providing your child’s provincial health insurance number is optional. All health information provided is private and confidential and only shared outside the Leadership team on a need-to-know basis.

Ontario Girl Guides of Canada