Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Browse Ontario (“Browse Ontario,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).

Browse Ontario is an online platform that helps users discover Ontario culture, local activities, neighbourhood happenings, and events. We may also allow users to create accounts, submit events, contact us, subscribe to updates, and interact with our services through our website and related applications (collectively, the “Services”).

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with applicable Canadian privacy laws, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and, where applicable, Quebec’s Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector.

This Privacy Policy explains:

• what personal information we collect,
• how we use it,
• when we share it,
• how we protect it,
• the choices available to you, and
• how to contact us about privacy matters.

2. Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through:

• our website,
• user account registration,
• event submission forms,
• newsletter sign-ups,
• customer support inquiries,
• analytics and cookies, and
• other interactions with Browse Ontario.

It does not apply to third-party websites, apps, ticketing services, social media pages, or external links that may be accessible through our Services.

3. What Personal Information We Collect

Depending on how you use Browse Ontario, we may collect the following categories of personal information:

A. Information you provide directly

• your name
• email address
• phone number
• username and password
• organization or business name
• profile information
• event submission details
• neighbourhood, city, or region
• communications you send to us
• feedback, reviews, or survey responses
• images, flyers, or media you upload
• any other information you choose to provide

B. Event organizer and submission information

If you submit an event, we may collect:

• organizer name
• organizer contact information
• event title and description
• venue and location details
• dates and times
• website or ticket links
• images and promotional materials
• social media links
• any notes or supporting information submitted for moderation

C. Automatically collected information

When you use our Services, we may automatically collect certain technical and usage information, including IP addresses and related server log information used for security, auditing, troubleshooting, and service administration, such as:

• IP address
• browser type
• device type
• operating system
• pages viewed
• referral source
• time spent on pages
• clicks, interactions, and navigation patterns
• approximate location derived from IP address
• cookie identifiers and similar technologies

D. Information from third parties

We may receive information from:

• event feed providers and event APIs
• ticketing or listing partners
• analytics providers
• advertising or social media platforms
• sign-in providers, if social login is enabled
• users who report or refer events or organizers

4. Why We Collect Personal Information

We collect, use, and disclose personal information for purposes such as:

• providing and operating Browse Ontario
• creating and managing user accounts
• processing and publishing event submissions
• moderating user-submitted content
• improving the accuracy and quality of event listings
• sending service-related messages
• responding to support requests and inquiries
• personalizing content and recommendations
• understanding usage trends and improving the Services
• maintaining audit logs and investigating suspicious, unauthorized, or harmful activity
• detecting fraud, abuse, spam, and security incidents
• complying with legal and regulatory obligations
• sending newsletters, promotions, or updates where permitted by law or with your consent

We will generally collect, use, and disclose personal information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

5. Consent

Where required by law, we obtain your consent to collect, use, or disclose your personal information. Your consent may be express or implied, depending on the sensitivity of the information and the context. We aim to provide clear and understandable information so that consent is meaningful.

By using our Services, creating an account, submitting an event, subscribing to updates, or otherwise providing personal information to us, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy, unless applicable law requires a different form of consent.

You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. However, if you withdraw consent, some features of the Services may no longer be available to you.

6. Children and Youth

Browse Ontario is intended for a general audience. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children in a manner contrary to applicable law. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information without appropriate authorization, please contact us so we can review and, where appropriate, delete the information.

7. How We Use Cookies and Similar Technologies

We may use cookies, pixels, tags, SDKs, local storage, and similar technologies to:

• keep users signed in
• remember preferences
• analyze website traffic and performance
• improve usability
• measure campaign effectiveness
• detect abuse and protect the Services
• personalize content or promotions

You may be able to manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or any cookie banner/settings tool we make available.

8. When We Share Personal Information

We do not sell personal information in the ordinary commercial sense. We may share personal information in the following circumstances:

A. Service providers

We may share information with vendors and service providers who help us operate the Services, such as:

• cloud hosting providers
• email service providers
• analytics providers
• customer support tools
• fraud and security providers
• content moderation tools
• payment providers, if applicable

These providers are only authorized to use the information as needed to provide services to us, subject to contractual and legal safeguards.

B. Publication of event information

If you submit an event or organizer listing, some information may be displayed publicly, such as:

• organizer name
• event details
• venue/location
• public contact details you choose to provide
• website or ticket link
• event image and description

Please do not submit personal information you do not want made public.

C. Legal and compliance purposes

We may disclose personal information where required or permitted by law, including:

• to comply with legal obligations
• to respond to lawful requests or court orders
• to protect our rights, users, or property
• to investigate fraud, abuse, or violations of our terms

D. Business transactions

If Browse Ontario is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, asset sale, or similar transaction, personal information may be disclosed as part of that process, subject to applicable legal requirements.

9. Cross-Border Processing and Storage

Your personal information may be stored or processed in Canada or in other jurisdictions where we or our service providers operate. When information is processed in another jurisdiction, it may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction and lawful access by courts, law enforcement, or regulatory authorities in that place.

We use reasonable contractual and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information when it is handled by service providers.

10. Data Retention

We keep personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as otherwise required or permitted by law. When personal information is no longer needed, we will delete, anonymize, or securely dispose of it, subject to legal retention requirements.

Examples:

• Account information: retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward
• Event submission records: retained for moderation, audit, and operational purposes
• Security and access logs, including IP addresses: retained for auditing, fraud prevention, troubleshooting, and legal compliance for as long as reasonably necessary
• Support inquiries: retained as needed for follow-up and recordkeeping
• Analytics data: retained according to our analytics settings and business needs

11. Safeguards

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information in our custody or control. These measures may include:

• access controls
• role-based permissions
• encryption in transit and, where appropriate, at rest
• secure hosting environments
• logging and monitoring
• staff training
• vendor due diligence
• data minimization and moderation controls

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Accuracy

We try to keep personal information as accurate, complete, and up to date as necessary for the purposes for which it is used. Please notify us if your personal information changes or if you believe any information we hold about you is inaccurate.

13. Your Privacy Rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

• request access to personal information we hold about you
• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information
• withdraw consent, where processing is based on consent
• request deletion, anonymization, or de-indexing in appropriate circumstances
• object to certain uses of your information
• request information about our privacy practices
• make a complaint about our handling of personal information

Under PIPEDA, individuals generally have a right to access their personal information and request corrections where it is inaccurate or incomplete.

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

14. Privacy Breaches

If we become aware of a breach of security safeguards involving personal information, we will investigate and take appropriate steps under applicable law. Where required, we will notify affected individuals and report the breach to regulators.

Under PIPEDA, organizations must report breaches of security safeguards that pose a real risk of significant harm and must keep records of all such breaches.

15. Quebec-Specific Notice

If you are in Quebec, the following additional terms may apply to you:

• We aim to publish this Privacy Policy in clear and simple language.
• We maintain governance policies and practices concerning personal information, as required by applicable Quebec law.
• Where required, we will conduct privacy assessments and implement additional protections for certain processing activities, technologies, or transfers.

16. Third-Party Services and External Links

Browse Ontario may contain links to third-party websites, ticketing providers, maps, partner pages, or social media platforms. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal information to them.

17. Marketing Communications

If you subscribe to newsletters or promotional emails, we may send you updates about events, features, community opportunities, or Browse Ontario news. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the message or by contacting us.

18. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our Services, technology, legal requirements, or privacy practices. When we make material changes, we will post the updated version on our website and update the “Last Updated” date. Where required by law, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent.

19. Contact Us

If you have questions, requests, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact our Privacy Officer:

You may also have the right to contact the appropriate privacy regulator, including the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and, where applicable, the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec.