Privacy and Cookies Policy 

Privacy Policy

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Montreal (SSVPM) is committed to protecting your confidential information and is committed to ensuring this online protection.

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Montreal (SSVPM) is a charitable organization that fights against poverty to promote dignity, autonomy, and integration of individuals into the community through food assistance, school perseverance and social integration programs, as well as access to basic necessities. In the context of our fundraising efforts, we collect, use, and disclose information on a daily basis for solicitation purposes, contributions in various forms, participation in events, and which may take the form of draws and lotteries. It is important for SSVPM to inform you that we adhere to the strictest ethical standards of confidentiality when processing all information, especially personal information.

This Privacy Policy, aimed at protecting personal information, aims to help you understand our practices regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and retention of personal information. By providing us with personal information, whether through our website, by subscribing to an electronic mailing list, completing an event registration form, participating through online donation forms, by email, by mail, in person, or by phone, you agree that they will be processed in accordance with what is stated in this Privacy Policy, and you authorize the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Montreal, its third parties, and its service providers to process your personal information for the purposes stated below.

This Privacy Policy regarding the protection of personal information does not apply to third-party websites that can be accessed by clicking on links on this website, and SSVPM is in no way responsible for such third-party websites. If you follow a link to a third-party website, it will have its own privacy policies that you should review before submitting personal information.

 

WHO ARE WE AND WHAT DO WE DO?

Our organization, present in Montreal, Laval, and the MRC de l'Assomption, serves individuals experiencing difficult situations regardless of their culture, language, or religion. Based on the civic action of our volunteers and their desire to create connections, our interventions focus on listening, support, and assistance for the most vulnerable individuals. We fight against food insecurity through the distribution of goods, food vouchers, Christmas baskets, and financial assistance for the back-to-school period, through our service points. We provide assistance and proximity services through our volunteers present on the ground and the dedicated work of employees.

Our services include:

• Food assistance (goods, Christmas baskets, food vouchers)
• Visiting and welcoming people in need
• Listening and referral
• School perseverance program Operation Bonne Mine (3 intervention axes: financial assistance for the back-to-school period, art therapy, and scholarships)
• Community thrift stores (clothing, accessories, furniture at affordable prices)

 

WHAT PERSONAL INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?

We may collect and process various types of personal information as part of our activities and service delivery, including:

• Professional and/or personal contact details, such as first name, last name, address(es), email address(es), date of birth, and telephone number(s).
• Biographical information such as job title, employer's name, professional and/or personal background, photos, and video or audio content.
• Marketing-related information and communication preferences, as well as related information such as dietary preferences, comments, and responses to surveys.
• Information related to contribution history, participation in organization events, billing, and financial information, such as billing address, banking information, or payment data.
• Service-related information, such as details regarding services we have provided to you.
• Information about your professional background, networks, social involvement, professional affiliations, and family connections.
• Recruitment-related information, such as a curriculum vitae, education and employment history, details regarding professional affiliations, and other information relevant to potential recruitment by SSVPM.
• Information about website usage and other technical information, such as details about visits to our websites, your interaction with our advertising and online content, or information collected through cookies and other tracking technologies.
• Information provided to us by or on behalf of our clients or produced as part of our service delivery, which may, where relevant, include special categories of personal information, such as racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, or sexual orientation, etc.
• Information such as your donation and community investment policies, contributions made, beneficiary organizations and their dedicated purposes, recognition received, decision-making process, and individuals involved in the organization and that process.
• Any other personal information provided. Please note that if you provide us with personal information about other individuals (such as your clients, directors, executives, shareholders, or ultimate owners), you must ensure that you have duly informed them that you are providing us with their information and have obtained their consent for such disclosure of information.
• Where applicable, evidence of the consent given to us (date, time, method), in circumstances where such consent is necessary for the processing of personal information.

We do not knowingly collect information from children or individuals under the age of 14. If you are a minor under the age of 14, please do not provide us with personal information without the express consent of a parent or guardian. If you are a parent or guardian and you become aware that your children have provided us with personal information, please contact us. If we learn that we have collected personal information from minor children without verifying parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information from our servers.

 

HOW DO WE COLLECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

We collect your personal information from you and through our interactions with you, as follows:

• When you register for events, training sessions, and newsletters.
• When you register for fundraising events.
• When you make a donation to our organization, regardless of the form of your donation.
• When you register as a volunteer for our organization.
• During the provision of services we provide to you.

We also collect publicly accessible information, including on public platforms, including our website.

 

HOW DO WE USE PERSONAL INFORMATION?

We may use personal information in any of the following ways, with your consent or, where applicable, on another legal basis. In each case, we specify the reasons for using your personal information:

• To provide our services and conduct our business, to administer and fulfill our services, including fulfilling our obligations under any agreement between you and us.
• To facilitate the use of our websites and ensure that the content is relevant and presented in the most effective manner for you and your device.
• For marketing and business development purposes - to provide details about new services, information about developments in our organization and industry, and invitations to seminars and events when a person has opted to receive such information.
• For research and development purposes (including security) - to conduct analyses to better understand the service and marketing requirements of our clients, and to better understand our organization and develop our services and offerings.
• For recruitment purposes - to allow us to process job applications and evaluate whether a person meets the requirements for a position they may apply for at SSVPM.
• To comply with our legal, regulatory, or risk management obligations.
• To prevent fraud and/or conduct other background checks that may be required at any time under applicable law, regulation, and/or best practices (if false or inaccurate information is provided or if fraud is detected or suspected, information may be shared with fraud prevention agencies and may be recorded by us or such agencies). When processing special categories of personal information, we may also rely on substantial public interest (crime prevention or detection) or established legal claims.
• To enforce our rights, comply with our legal or regulatory obligations regarding the disclosure of information, or protect the rights of third parties.
• To ensure we are paid - to recover payments owed to us and, if necessary, to enforce such recoveries through debt collection agencies or other legal means (including legal proceedings).
• To reorganize or modify our organization - if we undertake a reorganization (e.g., merging, consolidating, or transferring part of our organization's mission), we may need to transfer some or all of the personal information to the relevant third party (or its advisors) as part of any due diligence process or transfer to the entity resulting from the reorganization or to that third party for the same purposes as stated in this Privacy Policy or for the analysis of any proposed reorganization. We will take all reasonable steps in such a situation to ensure the protection and security of personal information.

 

WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE PERSONAL INFORMATION?

SSVPM is a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency and incorporated as a legal entity under Part III of the Companies Act (RLRQ), C.C-38. Therefore, the personal information we collect may be transmitted to any entity within the SSVPM network and processed by such entity. We may also share personal information with certain third parties, including the following:

• Volunteers and clients of SSVPM for the purposes of human resources recruitment, volunteer recruitment, and solicitation of financial or other contributions.
• Third-party service providers and/or partners, including those who provide us with donation solicitation services, database analysis, websites, application development, hosting, maintenance, and other services. These third parties may have access to personal information or process it as part of the services they provide to us. We limit the information we provide to these service providers to only the information that is reasonably necessary for them to perform their functions, and the contracts we have with these service providers require them to maintain the confidentiality of this information.
• Government authorities and law enforcement agencies when required by applicable laws. Specifically, we may disclose personal information and other information if required by law, including tax laws, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to comply with applicable laws, respond to a court order or subpoena, or a government search warrant, or otherwise cooperate with such government authorities and law enforcement agencies.
• The acquirer, successor, or assignee in the event of any merger, acquisition, loan financing, sale of assets, or similar transaction, as well as in the event of insolvency, bankruptcy, or receivership involving the transfer of personal information to one or more third parties as a business asset.
• We will only use personal information for the sole purpose of achieving the primary and applicable legitimate objective for which it was collected or for compatible purposes with that primary objective.
• The organization uses the services of third-party sites such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to promote its content and offers.
• When you visit our website, these third parties may use cookies, web beacons, or similar technologies on your hard drive to collect or receive information about your browsing activities on the website and elsewhere on the internet. These technologies enable the delivery of relevant and targeted advertisements based on your interests. You can view and delete cookies if desired. You have full control over them. We recommend referring to your browser settings to make appropriate modifications.
• If you wish for third-party sites to store cookies on your hard drive for the purpose of providing you with targeted advertising, you can enable this option.
• For more information, please refer to our Cookie Policy.

 

HOW LONG DO WE KEEP PERSONAL INFORMATION?

We will only retain personal information for as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy and to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.

To learn more about the specific retention periods for personal information, please contact us using the contact details provided in the "How to Contact Us" section.

 

WHERE DO WE STORE PERSONAL INFORMATION AND TRANSFERS OUTSIDE QUEBEC?

SSVPM takes all reasonable measures to ensure that the personal information it holds is up to date, accurate, and complete for the purposes for which it is collected or used.

SSVPM retains personal information for as long as required to carry out its activities, subject to the timelines set out in its retention schedule.

It processes and stores personal data in a secure environment, whether physical, organizational, or technological, for the duration necessary for the purposes for which they were retained.

For data that is in digital format, it is stored on SSVPM's computer server, which is managed by a specialized firm that ensures its security.

No personal data will be transferred outside the province of Quebec.

 

HOW DO WE PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION?

We follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. We maintain appropriate physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect personal information against accidental or unlawful destruction, accidental loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure or access, misuse, or any other unlawful form of processing of the personal information in our possession. We have taken measures to ensure that only personnel who need to know the personal information or whose functions reasonably require such information to be known have access to it.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the security of the information you transmit to us or provide to us, and you do so at your own risk. We also cannot guarantee that such information will not be accessed, acquired, disclosed, altered, or destroyed as a result of a breach of our physical, technical, or administrative safeguards. If you have reason to believe that personal information has been compromised, please contact us using the contact details provided in the "How to Contact Us" section. In the event of a privacy incident affecting your personal information, we are committed to notifying you promptly upon becoming aware of the incident. We will take reasonable steps to mitigate the risks of harm and to prevent any similar incidents from occurring in the future.

 

WHAT RIGHTS DOES A PERSON HAVE REGARDING HIS PERSONAL INFORMATION?

In certain circumstances and in accordance with applicable data protection laws, individuals have the following rights:

• Access: the right to request whether we are processing personal information and, if so, to request access to the personal information. Subject to applicable law and, if applicable, payment of a monetary fee, the individual may receive a copy of the personal information we hold about them and certain other information relating to them.
• Accuracy: we are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, complete, not misleading, and up to date.
• Rectification: the right to request the correction of any incomplete or inaccurate personal information we hold.
• Delisting: the right to request the cessation of the disclosure of their personal information or the delisting of any hyperlink associated with their name that provides access to information if such disclosure causes them harm or contravenes the law or a court order (right to erasure or right to be forgotten).
• Anonymization: our organization may anonymize personal information instead of destroying it for use, but only for serious and legitimate purposes (e.g., retention of information required for potential tax inspection).
• The right to be informed when you are subject to a decision based solely on automated processing.
• The right to be informed when using identification, location, or profiling technology and the means available to activate these functions.

Finally, it is also possible to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority, particularly in the country, province, or state where you normally reside (in Quebec, the Commission d'accès à l'information), where we are located, or where an alleged breach of data protection laws has occurred.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact details provided in the "How to Contact Us" section.

 

HOW DO WE USE COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES?

For detailed information about the cookies we use, please refer to our Cookie Policy below, which is part of this Privacy Policy.

 

HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH US?

To ask questions, provide comments, or file a complaint regarding this Privacy Policy or personal information, to exercise your rights, to lodge a complaint, or to obtain information about our policies and practices regarding our service providers outside of Canada, please contact the Privacy Officer via email at direction@ssvp-mtl.org, by phone at 514-526-5937 extension 125, or by mail at the following address:

Société de Saint-Vincent de Paul de Montréal

Attention: Romain Duguay, General Manager

Privacy Officer

1930 Champlain Street, Montreal, Quebec H2L 2S8

 

HOW DO WE UPDATE THIS PRIVACY POLICY?

We may modify the content of our websites and our use of cookies without prior notice, and as a result, our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy may be amended from time to time in the future. Therefore, we encourage you to review them each time you visit the website to stay informed about how we handle personal information. This policy was last updated on July 17, 2023.

 

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Cookie Policy

 

Consent

By using our website ssvp-mtl.org, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with this cookie policy. You would have seen a notice about this on your first visit to this website, although it typically does not appear on subsequent visits. You can withdraw your consent at any time by following the instructions below.

 

Disabling Cookies

When the organization setting the cookie provides an automatic opt-out tool for that cookie or cookies, we provide the name of the organization, the category of cookies it sets, and a link to its automatic opt-out tool. In all other cases, we provide the names of the cookies themselves and their source as of the date of this cookie policy, so that you can easily identify and disable them if desired using your browser controls.

If you do not accept the use of these cookies, please disable them by following the instructions for your browser provided on the following website (All About Cookies) or use an automatic opt-out tool if available. However, some services may not function as well if cookies are disabled.

After your initial visit to this website, we may change the cookies we use. This cookie policy will always let you know who is setting cookies, for what purpose, and how to disable them if you check it from time to time.

 

What Types of Cookies are Used by SSVPM?

The categories of cookies used by SSVPM and its providers are described below.

 

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential to enable you to navigate the website and access its features. Without these cookies, the services you request (such as navigating from one page to another) cannot be provided.

 

Performance Cookies

We use analytical cookies to analyze how our visitors use our websites and monitor the performance of the website. This allows us to provide a high-quality experience by personalizing our offering and quickly identifying and fixing any issues. For example, we may use performance cookies to track which pages are most popular, determine the most effective linking method between pages, and identify why certain pages receive error messages. We may also use these cookies to target website articles or services based on their relevance to you, according to your use of the website. We or our providers do not associate the information collected by these cookies with your personal information.

 

Website Functionality Cookies

We use cookies to provide you with certain functionality. For example, to remember choices you make (such as your username, language, or region) or to recognize the platform from which you access the site and provide you with enhanced and more personalized features. These cookies are not used to track your browsing on other sites.

 

Targeting Cookies

Targeting cookies (or advertising cookies) collect information about your browsing habits and are used to target advertising based on you and your interests. They are used by third-party services, such as Like or Share buttons. The aforementioned AddThis cookies are also examples of targeting cookies. These services are provided by third parties in exchange for recognition that you have visited our website.

When you use LinkedIn, Twitter, or other available sharing buttons, you are directed to a page controlled by these companies, which may place cookies (including targeting cookies), and you will be subject to the cookie policies of LinkedIn, Twitter, or any other relevant website, respectively.

 

Use of IP Addresses and Internet Logs

We may also use your IP address and browser type to help diagnose problems with our server, administer our website, and improve the service we provide to you. An IP address is a numerical code that identifies your computer on the internet. Your IP address may also be used to gather aggregate demographic information.

We may perform IP address checks to determine the domain you are from (e.g., google.com) in order to gain a better understanding of the demographic data of our users.

Information from these types of cookies and technology is not combined with information about you from any other source and will not be used to identify you.

 

Invisible Pixels in HTML Emails and Webinars

Our marketing emails contain a unique "invisible pixel" specific to the campaign that informs us if our emails are opened and, when combined with other technology, tracks clicks on the links within the email. We may use this information for various purposes, including determining which of our emails are of most interest to you and asking users who do not open our emails if they wish to continue receiving them. The pixel will be deleted when you delete the email. If you do not wish for the pixel to be downloaded to your device, you should choose not to click on the links we send you. This information may be linked to your personal identity.

 

Third-Party Website Coverage

Please note that this cookie policy does not apply to the privacy practices of third-party websites that may be linked to or accessible from this website, and we are not responsible for such practices.

 

Changes to the Cookie Policy

We may update this cookie policy, and we encourage you to review the policy from time to time to stay informed about how we use cookies. The last update to this cookie policy was made on July 17, 2023.