1. What does this policy cover?
This Privacy Policy covers our collection, use and disclosure of information about identifiable individuals (“Personal Information”), including that of our member (“Members”) as well as other users and visitors to the Website (collectively, “Users”). We do not knowingly collect or solicit Personal Information from anyone under the age of 13 or knowingly allow such persons to register for the Services.
2. Collection and use of personal information and other data
2.1 Membership Information
If you apply to be a Member of DesCan, DesCan collects the following Personal Information on the application form: name, mailing address, phone, fax, e-mail, and links website, social media handles and portfolio sample. This Personal Information is used to determine membership eligibility. This information is archived in our records until requested to be deleted.
Once you become a member of DesCan, we will use the Personal Information collected for the following purposes:
- To contact you about DesCan Member news, newsletters, journals, and updates;
- Advertise the member’s services on the public national database if the member has opted to make public their portfolio, contact or other business information;
DesCan makes every effort to ensure that information is accurate.
2.2 Scholarship Information
If you apply for a DesCan scholarship, DesCan may collect academic information, such as transcripts, in order to determine eligibility for scholarships. This Personal Information will be used exclusively for scholarship purposes, viewed only by those involved in assessing the entry, and will not be used again without the express consent and prior knowledge of the applicant. This Personal Information is destroyed after the applicable scholarship has been awarded.
2.3 Statistical Data
DesCan keeps track of demographic information about its Members. We may share anonymous, aggregate demographic or transactional information (“Aggregated Data”) with advertisers and other third parties so that they can tailor their advertisements and communications to the appropriate audience, as well as with our business partners to tailor our services to better suit our customer profile. This Aggregated Data does not constitute Personal Information.
2.4 Marketing
DesCan sends commercial electronic messages to Members in accordance with applicable anti-spam laws.
Occasionally we allow sponsors or other organizations a one-time use of our mailing list for promotions of interest to members. When paying membership invoices, Members may opt in or out of DesCan providing affiliated associations and sponsors with Member contact information. As such, Members have complete control over which third parties receive or have access to their Personal Information.
2.5 Employee and Applicant Information
By applying to DesCan for any position, including posted opportunities and unsolicited applications, applicants consent to the collection, use and necessary disclosure of the Personal Information provided during the application and selection processes.
We collect your Personal Information in this process in order to assess your qualifications and suitability as a potential employee or contractor of DesCan. This information will be reviewed by the DesCan executive with hiring-related duties. In addition, it will become part of DesCan’s database of candidates, which we may search to locate qualified candidates for specific positions as they arise.
Should you accept employment with DesCan your Personal Information will be disclosed to third party insurers and providers of employee benefits; to Canadian and/or United States governmental authorities including the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and to the Internal Revenue Service for taxation purposes; to consultants advising DesCan on employment, benefits and pension issues; to other DesCan employees in human resources, payroll, or in management positions, and to our legal counsel if relevant in legal matters.
If you do not accept a position with DesCan, DesCan may retain your Personal Information in our database for up to (1) year. You have the right to correct, update or delete your Personal Information in and from our database at any time before accepting employment with DesCan. To delete your Personal Information from our database, please send a request to the e-mail address below.
If you do accept a position with DesCan, DesCan will ask you for and retain Personal Information throughout your employment and for at least ten (10) years following the termination of your employment for any reason. Throughout that period, you have the right to request correction of any errors in the Personal Information in DesCan’s possession.
2.6 Payment Information
DesCan uses and makes available to Users Stripe, a third-party payment processor, to process payment transactions made through the Website. Stripe collects credit card and billing information directly from the User. DesCan only collects the last four digits of the credit card for its financial records. By using Stripe, the Member agrees to all of Stripe’s terms and conditions and privacy policy.
3. Storage location and transfer of personal information
DesCan stores its data, including Personal Information, on servers located in the United States and Canada. By submitting information, you agree to this transfer, storing or processing of your Personal Information in the United States and Canada. You acknowledge and agree that your Personal Information may be accessible to law enforcement and governmental agencies in Canada under lawful access regimes or court order.
4. Disclosure of personal information with third parties
4.1 Service Providers and Business Partners
We may from time to time employ other companies and people to perform tasks on our behalf and need to share Personal Information with them to provide the Services to you. Unless we tell you differently, such third parties do not have any right to use the Personal Information we share with them beyond what is necessary to assist us. This includes third-party companies and individuals employed by us to facilitate our Services, including database management, web analytics and general improvement of the Services, and businesses who engage our Services (to the extent provided for above).
DesCan uses Google Analytics, Google Analytics Demographics data, and Interest Reports which contain age, gender, and interest data so that we can better understand who uses the DesCan websites. To opt-out of this using Google’s opt-out tool, visit: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/.
4.2 Business Transfers
If we (or substantially all of our assets) are acquired, or if we go out of business, enter bankruptcy, or go through some other change of control, Personal Information may be made available or otherwise transferred to the new controlling entity, where permitted under applicable law.
4.3 With Your Consent
If we need to use or disclose any Personal Information in a way not identified in this Privacy Policy, we will notify you and/or obtain your express consent as required under applicable privacy laws.
5. Security
The security of your Personal Information is important to us. We use commercially reasonable efforts to store and maintain your Personal Information in a secure environment.
DesCan only allows those of its employees who require access to Personal Information in order to fulfill their obligations; not every executive member or employee of DesCan has or can have access to our databases or Members’ Personal Information. For security purposes we employ software programs to monitor traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, to screen our system for viruses, or otherwise cause damage to our database.
We take technical, contractual, administrative, and physical security steps designed to protect Personal Information that you provide to us. We have implemented procedures designed to limit the dissemination of your Personal Information to only such designated staff as are reasonably necessary to carry out the stated purposes we have communicated to you.
You are also responsible for helping to protect the security of your Personal Information. For instance, never give out your email account information or your password for the Services to third parties.
6. Retention
We will keep your Personal Information for as long as it remains necessary for the identified purpose or as required by law, which may extend beyond the termination of our relationship with you. We may retain certain data as necessary to prevent fraud or future abuse, or for legitimate business purposes, such as analysis of aggregated, non-personally-identifiable data, account recovery, or if required by law. All retained Personal Information will remain subject to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
7. Access, Correction, accuracy
You have the right to access the Personal Information we hold about you in order to verify the Personal Information we have collected in respect to you and to have a general account of our uses of that information. Upon receipt of your written request, we will provide you with a copy of your Personal Information, although in certain limited circumstances, and as permitted under law, we may not be able to make all relevant information available to you, such as where that information also pertains to another user. In such circumstances we will provide reasons for the denial to you upon request. We will endeavor to deal with all requests for access and modifications in a timely manner.
We will make every reasonable effort to keep your Personal Information accurate and up to date, and we will provide you with mechanisms to update, correct, delete or add to your Personal Information as appropriate. As appropriate, this amended Personal Information will be transmitted to those parties to which we are permitted to disclose your information. Having accurate Personal Information about you enables us to give you the best possible service.
8. Changes to this policy
We may amend this Privacy Policy from time to time. Use of Personal Information we collect is subject to the Privacy Policy in effect at the time such information is collected, used or disclosed. If we make material changes or changes in the way we use Personal Information, we will notify you by posting an announcement on our Software app or sending you an email prior to the change becoming effective. You are bound by any changes to the Privacy Policy when you use the Software app after such changes have been first posted.
9. Additional Information
Questions about this Privacy Policy / DesCan’s privacy practices can be directed to:
Privacy Officer
Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 6E2
director@descan.net
Last Updated: March 31, 2022
