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Privacy Policy

​ The following statements are made with regard to the use, viewing, and downloading of any site content by site visitors. These statements apply to any site content published under any top level domain name ending in .simcoe.ca. 

Freedom of Information, and Protection of Privacy

All information collected, used and disclosed by the County of Simcoe is governed by the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act ("MFIPPA"), or Personal Health Information Protection Act.

The County of Simcoe is a shareholder in the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport, which is governed by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. 

Accountable 

The County Clerk’s Office has oversight of the County of Simcoe’s privacy program, while many front-line departments have active roles to ensure appropriate collection, usage, disclosure, retention, or transfer of personal information or personal health information to third party service providers.​

To direct your inquiry correctly, email clerks@simcoe.ca or call 705-726-9300, ext 1246.

Identifying Purpose

Before the County of Simcoe collects your personal information or personal health information, you will be made aware as to why (purpose) we are collecting your personal information or personal health information, either before or at time of collection. Should the purpose of the collection not be clear, you have the right to ask for the purpose of collection to be explained.

Limited Collection 

The County of Simcoe will only collect as much personal information or personal health information as may be required to deliver you with services. Should the purpose of the multiple collection not be clear, you have the right to ask for the purpose of volumes being collected to be explained.​

Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention 

Unless you consent to the collection, use, disclosure, your personal information or personal health information shall be used or disclosed only for the identified purposes for which it was collected. However, our collection, use and disclosure may also be authorized by law.


The County shall keep personal information or personal health information only as long as it is needed to deliver services, ensure statutory compliance and auditing of service delivery – and will be retained in accordance with the approved retention by-law, with few exceptions.

You have the right to know what personal information or personal health information the County has about you, where it is, and what the County is doing with it.

The County of Simcoe offers many services, such as but not limited to Long Term Care, Ontario Works, Paramedic Services, Affordable Housing, Child Daycare; should the opportunity present itself to offer you additional services or connect you with additional services, we will ask for your consent and we will collect, use or disclose personal information or personal health information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

Accuracy


The County will minimize the possibility of using incorrect information when making a decision about an individual or when disclosing information to third parties; we will keep personal information or personal health information as accurate, complete and up to date as necessary.

Safeguards


The County shall protect personal information or personal health information in a way that is appropriate to how sensitive it is, and shall protect all personal information (regardless of how it is stored) against loss, theft, or any unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification.

Openness


The County has guidelines, policies and or practices for managing personal information, and upon request, relevant documents will be made available. Efforts are made to review and update core privacy documents on an annual basis to ensure compliance with applicable legislation.

Access

Under the applicable privacy Act, individuals have a right to access the personal information or personal health information that the County holds about you, and you have the right to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information, and have that information amended as appropriate, with few exceptions.​

When asked, the County will advise you in a reasonable amount of time about the personal information or personal health information collected and used; where the information was obtained; how that information is or has been used and to whom it has been lawfully disclosed; give access to your personal information or personal health information at minimal or no cost, or explain your reasons for not providing access. 

We may provide access in writing, paper or electronic format or view the original information at a scheduled time/location.

Information may be corrected or amended in cases where accuracy and completeness is deficient, and where a correction or amendment is not possible, we will note any disputes.

Oversight


You may send a written request to clerks@simcoe.ca regarding any of the above, or to request assistance in obtaining additional information regarding the above, or accessing information about you. 


If you choose to write a letter rather than complete an Access Request form, please include the following information:
  • your name
  • your full mailing address
  • a telephone number where you can be reached during the day
  • as much detail as possible as to the specific records (or type of records) you are seeking
To learn more about the various privacy Acts, please visit www.ipc.on.ca

Oversight Appeal

You may appeal the County’s collection, use, disclosure and retention to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at:

2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Email: info@ipc.on.ca
Toronto Area: 416-326-3333
Toll Free: 1-800-387-0073
TDD/TTY: 416-325-7539

​Disclosure

The County of Simcoe will not sell, share, lease or disclose personal information to any third party. It will ensure that personal information will not be disclosed to any individual, agency, or other government authority except if required by Canadian Law. Personal information may be used for statistical or comparative analyses prepared by or on behalf of the County of Simcoe provided that summary results cannot be associated to an identified individual or business.

Cookies and Scripts

Internet 'cookies,' are small files that site visitors may choose to accept to download (an option within most internet browser settings). Cookies are intended to enrich a site visitor's experience while browsing site content or when returning to the site an additional time. Some County of Simcoe site content uses cookies or scripts to enhance the experience of site visitors. If site visitors are uncertain about the security of such content they should consult their browser software and computer security settings.

On-line Forms

Normal browsing of site content will not result in the disclosure of personal information. From time to time the County of Simcoe may collect personal information through on-line forms. When site visitors are presented with an option to complete an on-line form, a disclosure statement will be provided that describes the purpose of the collection of the information and its intended use.

Only authorized personnel of the County of Simcoe that need access to personal information collected using on-line forms are granted access, and this access is regulated under MFIPPA with regard to further use, analysis and disclosure.

Links

The County of Simcoe cannot be held responsible for any circumstance resulting in a site visitor being directed towards or away from inappropriate content when navigating the World Wide Web. The County of Simcoe is not responsible for the private practices of web sites linked to this site. The County of Simcoe makes every effort to ensure that links to external content are current and appropriate. We encourage site visitors to view the posted privacy statement whenever interacting with any web site. Please report broken or inappropriate links.

Security

Where necessary this web site uses industry standard encryption technology to keep personal information safe. This technology does not protect site visitors from any virus, worm or Trojan that may already be infecting a visitors system, nor does it protect a site visitor from physical risks such as computing in a public place where personal information may be viewed by others on a computer screen. There are inherent risks in using the internet and the County of Simcoe recommends that site visitors use current technology to protect themselves and minimize these risks.

Liability

The site content on County of Simcoe websites has been provided as a public service. While every attempt has been made to ensure its accuracy, the County of Simcoe makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, concerning the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information contained in or linked from the web site. In the event of a discrepancy between the information contained on the website and the information contained in the records of the County of Simcoe, the information contained in the records of the County of Simcoe shall be deemed accurate. Under no circumstances shall the County of Simcoe be liable for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use of, or the inability to use, the site content. The County of Simcoe reserves the right to terminate or block access to site content whenever and wherever necessary.

Copyright

The site content (which includes all logos, graphics, documents, designs and source code) unless otherwise identified, is the copyrighted material of The Corporation of the County of Simcoe or is republished by the County of Simcoe under license. Site visitors may not copy, reproduce, republish, decompile, distribute, post, display or transmit the site content without the express permission of the County of Simcoe.