As an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of the Pontiac area in Quebec, the collection, use, and protection of information are crucial aspects of our daily activities. Whether it’s promoting our community’s heritage, managing access to our archives, or communicating with visitors and researchers, the confidentiality and security of personal data remain our top priority. We are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards by treating your personal data with the utmost care and respect.
Our Privacy Policy is intended to clarify our methods of collecting, using, disclosing, and retaining the personal information you entrust to us. By interacting with our archives, whether online via our website, by attending our events, or by contacting us by email, in person, or by telephone, you agree to your personal data being processed in accordance with the guidelines described in this privacy policy.
You also authorize the Pontiac Area Archives, as well as our partners and service providers, to use your personal data for the purposes described.
Please note that our privacy policy does not apply to third-party websites that may be linked to ours. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We advise you to read their privacy policies before submitting your personal data to them.
PERSONAL DATA COLLECTION: NATURE AND USE
As an organization focused on providing access to historical records and services to residents and visitors, we attach the utmost importance to transparency and accountability in managing your personal data. We are committed to collecting only the information necessary to improve our services and optimize your experience. Here are the categories of data we may collect:
- Contact Information: Names, postal and email addresses, dates of birth, and telephone numbers to facilitate communication and relationship management with visitors and researchers.
- Transaction History: Details relating to purchases, donations, and financial information to process transactions.
- Consent: Collection of consent for processing your data where necessary.
- Services Provided: Information about the services you have used to monitor their quality and offer personalized improvements.
- Marketing Preferences: Communication choices and survey feedback to help us personalize our services.
- Website Usage: Analysis of your interaction with our online content to improve our platforms.
- Recruitment: Application data processed exclusively for job applications.
- Sensitive Information: Processed only with your explicit consent where relevant and with appropriate safeguards.
- Other Personal Data: Any additional information you choose to share with us.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from persons under the age of 14. If you are a minor, your data should only be disclosed to us with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. If we discover that this data has been collected without appropriate consent, we will take necessary steps to delete it from our systems.
HOW DO WE OBTAIN YOUR PERSONAL DATA?
The Pontiac Area Archives acquires your personal data mainly from you and through various contact points. Data is collected in the following situations:
- During the process of registering or subscribing to our services or newsletters.
- When you participate in our events, promotions, or contests.
- When you make a donation or a financial transaction with our archives.
- If you participate in our surveys designed to improve our services.
- When you contact us directly, whether by email, telephone, or via our website.
- From publicly available sources or published online platforms, including our website.
USE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
We may use your personal information in the following ways, always with your consent or on an appropriate legal basis:
- To provide and optimize our services, manage our operations, and ensure the performance of our services within the framework of our agreements with you.
- Ensure payment for our services, including the use of collection agencies or legal action to recover sums due.
- Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations and our risk management policies.
- For marketing and business development purposes, to inform you of new services and developments and to invite you to events if you have opted to receive such communications.
- To prevent fraud and perform other compliance checks, as required by applicable laws or regulations.
- To enhance your user experience on our digital platforms and ensure content relevance.
- For research and development purposes, including security analyses to better understand our users’ needs.
- For recruitment purposes, to process applications and assess candidate suitability.
- To enforce our rights, meet legal or regulatory disclosure obligations, or protect the rights of third parties.
We undertake to use your personal information only for the legitimate purposes for which it was collected or for purposes compatible with those purposes, in accordance with the expectations of Law 25 and our privacy policy.
SHARING PERSONAL INFORMATION: FRAMEWORK AND GOVERNANCE
The Pontiac Area Archives is committed to managing personal information with the utmost diligence. We only share such information within the strict framework of our activities and with selected parties, as follows:
- Partners and Affiliates: Your data may be transmitted to partner entities solely to provide the requested services, subject to your explicit consent and in compliance with their original purpose.
- External Service Providers: We use third-party providers for various operational services. Access to your data is strictly limited to what is necessary to perform their tasks, and they are contractually bound to respect the confidentiality of your information.
- Legal Authorities: By applicable legislation, we may be required to disclose personal information to competent authorities or to satisfy legal obligations such as judicial requests.
Our organization also uses third-party platforms to provide content and promotional offers. These platforms may use cookies or similar technologies to collect information about your browsing behavior to provide you with advertising tailored to your interests. You have full control over these cookies and can manage them via your browser settings.
RETENTION PERIOD FOR PERSONAL DATA
The Pontiac Area Archives is firmly committed to not retaining personal data beyond the period necessary to achieve the objectives defined in our privacy policy or in accordance with current legislation. The criteria we apply to determine retention periods are as follows:
- The duration of our relationship with you, including any service requests.
- The existence of a legal obligation to which we are subject, such as tax registration requirements or other regulatory directives that require data to be retained for a certain period of time.
- If retention is desirable for our legal position, e.g., to comply with limitation periods applicable to legal actions or for internal and external audits.
When personal data is no longer required for the purposes for which it was collected or processed in accordance with the law, it is either deleted or rendered safely anonymous. If you would like further information about the specific period of time for which your personal data will be retained or the criteria used to determine this period, please contact us using the details set out in the “How to Contact Us” section of this policy.
LOCALIZATION AND PERSONAL DATA MANAGEMENT
The Pontiac Area Archives applies rigorous methods to the storage of personal data. Here’s how we do it:
- Data Storage and Security: Personal data is stored either in our secure on-site databases or with external data storage service providers with whom we have strict confidentiality agreements. This data is stored in access-controlled environments and protected by industry-standard security protocols.
- Physical Location: Our main servers are located in a secure data center in Quebec. To ensure data redundancy and availability, we may also use backup servers located in other provinces or countries, while respecting the requirements of Bill 25 on the protection of personal information.
- International Transfers: When personal data is transferred outside Quebec, we conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) to ensure that the level of protection offered is consistent with our high standards of confidentiality and with Quebec legal requirements. We will take all necessary steps to ensure that your data is managed securely and in accordance with our privacy policy.
We are transparent about our data management practices and remain at your disposal if you have any questions or concerns about where your personal data is stored or the safeguards we apply. For more information, please contact us using the details in our contact section.
SECURING PERSONAL INFORMATION
Protecting your personal information is a top priority for the Pontiac Area Archives. Here are the strategies we implement:
- Safety Measures Applied: We apply recognized and proven security standards to protect the personal information entrusted to us. These measures include physical and electronic security protocols designed to protect information against destruction, loss, alteration, disclosure, unauthorized access, or processing.
- Incident Prevention and Management: Strict procedures are in place to prevent any breach of information security. Our staff are trained to recognize and respond effectively to any data security breach. In the event of a security incident, we are committed to reacting quickly to minimize any potential impact and to notifying the parties concerned, in accordance with our legal obligations.
- Limited Access: Access to personal information is strictly limited to personnel whose duties require such information. Strict access controls are implemented to prevent any unauthorized access or sharing of data.
- Insurance and Risk Management: Although no security system is infallible, we are committed to implementing and maintaining precautionary measures to ensure the security of your personal information. Suppose we identify a security breach affecting your information. In this case, we will inform you without delay and take all necessary corrective measures.
We are committed to maintaining the trust you place in us by protecting your personal information. If you have any questions or concerns about the security of your information, please contact us using the means provided in our contact section.
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS REGARDING PERSONAL DATA
Each individual has specific rights under current regulations on the protection of personal data:
- Right of Access: The right to verify the existence of processing of one’s personal data and to obtain access to it. Under legal provisions, and possibly on payment of a small fee, it is possible to request a copy of the personal information held and other relevant details.
- Right to Rectification: The right to request the correction of erroneous or incomplete personal data.
- Right to Erasure: The right to request the deletion of personal data when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or processed, or when the processing is unlawful.
- Right to Restrict Processing: The right to request the restriction of processing under certain circumstances.
HOW TO CONTACT US
Pontiac Archives
lower floor of the Shawville-Clarendon Library,
358 Main Street, Shawville, Quebec
(819) 647-7013
Email:
