Privacy Policy
The Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation Privacy and Data Protection Policy
- Last Updated
Feb 14, 2022
- Introduction
We reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy and Data Protection Policy (‘Policy’) at any time and for any reason. We will alert you about any changes by updating the ‘Last Updated’ date of this Policy. Any changes or modifications will be effective immediately upon posting the updated Policy on the Site, and you waive the right to receive specific notice of each such change or modification.
You are encouraged to periodically review this Policy to stay informed of updates. You will be deemed to have been made aware of, will be subject to, and will be deemed to have accepted the changes in any revised Policy by your continued use of the Site after the date such revised Policy is posted.
This Policy is provided to inform clients, website visitors, and others dealt with by the Foundation in the normal course of business with the protections put in place to safeguard personal information and data.
The Policy describes how data and personal information is acquired, stored and used. Please become familiar with the Policy.
- Policy and Governance
The Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation (‘Foundation’, ‘we’ or ‘us’ or ‘our’) is a registered, not-for-profit, society under the British Columbia, Canada, Society’s Act and is governed by the laws of British Columbia. Date and personal information handled by the Foundation is covered by the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
The Foundation’s ‘Privacy and Data Protection Policy’ (‘Policy’) is written to meet legal requirements for such a policy and to provide clear information to users about data collection, use and security.
The Foundation maintains a website which may be accessed worldwide. During the process of booking activities or purchasing merchandise through the website personal information and data may be obtained. While the privacy and data protection is governed by the laws of British Columbia the Foundation strives to meet the privacy and security obligations of other organizations and governments as is reasonably practical.
- Information Collected
The Foundation collects the following types of information:
- Personal contact information such as name, address, telephone numbers and email addresses
- Billing details such as credit card numbers and information needed to verify credit billings such as name, address, etc.
- Website tracking information such as date and duration of website visits, pages accessed, user location, etc.
- Health information and waivers
- Tools Used to Collect Information
Information is collected in the following ways:
- direct input from clients into the website
- paper forms supplied by clients, contractors, employees, business contacts
- indirectly through tracking of website inputs or activity (e.g. Google Analytics)
- Justification for Collection of Information
- Clients
Personal information is provided to bill the clients, provide contact information for hike reservations, confirm that clients meet health and safety requirements for the hikes, confirm that clients fully understand risks.
Tracking information is acquired to aid in business planning and marketing. This information is not sold or intentionally transferred to any third parties.
- Employees and Contractors
Information is collected to process employment applications, meet government tax and reporting requirements, ensure safety and training compliance.
- Third Parties related to the Business
During the normal course of business the Foundation maintains data for parties it deals with in order to work with those parties, ensure that all dealings are legal and comply with the current best practices.
- Storage of Information
Personal information and data is stored in physical files, local digital files and in online locations. The software and security of the data is outlined in section 10 below.
- Use of Cookies
The Foundation may use cookies, web beacons, tracking pixels, and other tracking technologies when you visit our website https://www.burgess-shale.bc.ca, including any other media form, media channel, mobile website, or mobile application related or connected thereto (collectively, the “Site”) to help customize the Site and improve your experience.
The Foundation may use ‘cookies’ or other online methods to track the activity on Facebook or other Social Media pages. The data is used internally for business planning and marketing. This information is not sold or intentionally transferred to any third parties but may be acquired through third-party software outline in section 11 below.
COOKIES DEFINITIONS
Cookies are files created by websites that you visit. They improve your online experience by saving your browsing information. A cookie is a string of information which assigns you a unique identifier that we store on your computer. Your browser then provides that unique identifier to use each time you submit a query to the Site. We use cookies on the Site to, among other things, keep track of services you have used, record registration information, record your user preferences, keep you logged into the Site, facilitate purchase procedures, and track the pages you visit. Cookies help us understand how the Site is being used and improve your user experience.
There are two broad categories of cookies:
- First-party cookies are created by the site you visit, so in this instance we are referring to our website domain, burgess-shale.bc.ca.
- Third-party cookies are created by other sites. These sites own some of the content on our website. These cookies are put in your browser by sites that have a different domain than ours.
TYPES OF COOKIES USED ON OUR SITE
The following types of cookies may be used when you visit the Site:
Our Cookies
Our cookies are “first-party cookies”, and can be either permanent or temporary. These are necessary cookies, without which the Site won’t work properly or be able to provide certain features and functionalities. Some of these may be manually disabled in your browser, but may affect the functionality of the Site.
Analytics Cookies
Analytics cookies monitor how users reached the Site, and how they interact with and move around once on the Site. These cookies let us know what features on the Site are working the best and what features on the Site can be improved.
This site uses Google Analytics, a service provided by Google. However, it is a first-party cookie put in your browser by our domain.
Third-Party Cookies
Third-party cookies may be placed on your computer when you visit the Site by companies that run certain services we offer. These cookies allow the third parties to gather and track certain information about you. These cookies can be manually disabled in your browser.
We use Checkfront.com for our booking service. If you disable the Checkfront.com cookies you will not be able to make a booking with us.
You can make comments in our Blog using Facebook. The cookies associated with Facebook will only be loaded in your browser if you a) have a Facebook account, and b) are signed into your Facebook account. You can disable these Facebook cookies if you do not wish to make comments on our Blog.
On our Gallery Page we have Youtube videos. We have setup Youtube so that it will not load cookies in your browser.
CONTROL OF COOKIES
Most browsers are set to accept cookies by default. However, you can remove or reject cookies in your browser’s settings. Please be aware that such action could affect the availability and functionality of the Site.
For more information on how to control cookies, check your browser or device’s settings for how you can control or reject cookies, or visit the following links:
In addition, you may opt-out of some third-party cookies through the Network Advertising Initiative’s Opt-Out Tool.
OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
In addition to cookies, we may use web beacons, pixel tags, and other tracking technologies on the Site to help customize the Site and improve your experience. A “web beacon” or “pixel tag” is a tiny object or image embedded in a web page or email. They are used to track the number of users who have visited particular pages and viewed emails, and acquire other statistical data. They collect only a limited set of data, such as a cookie number, time and date of page or email view, and a description of the page or email on which they reside. Web beacons and pixel tags cannot be declined. However, you can limit their use by controlling the cookies that interact with them.
- Communications from the Foundation
The Foundation may use your personal information to contact you by email regarding activities or news if you have purchased hikes or merchandise on the website. Use of the website implies initial consent to receive these notices but you may choose to ‘unsubscribe’ from these promotional notices at any time.
- Rights to Personal Information
The Personal Information and Privacy Act (PIPA) provides a means for an individual to access personal information under the control of the Foundation. Please consult PIPA for more details and see the Contact Information below for who to contact within the Foundation.
- Data Retention and Security
- Data Retention
Data is retained only for the purposes noted in section 4 above. In compliance with PIPA all personal information will be retained for a minimum period of one year to allow a reasonable opportunity for an individual to request access to it.
The Foundation follows PIPA, section 35, which states:
An organization must destroy its documents containing personal information, or remove the means by which the personal information can be associated with particular individuals, as soon as it is reasonable to assume that
(a) the purpose for which that personal information was collected is no longer being served by retention of the personal information, and
(b) retention is no longer necessary for legal or business purposes.
- Security
- Digital – security for digital information is monitored both through the software used and on local computers of the Foundation. The Foundation currently uses the following ‘online’ software which handle client data and meet the requirements for our Policy:
- Bluehost – a subsidiary of The Endurance International Group – Website Host providing server space. Bluehost maintains its own privacy policy which can be viewed at https://www.endurance.com/privacy/privacy
- Checkfront – tools for handling online bookings. Checkfront maintains its own privacy policy which can be viewed at https://www.checkfront.com/privacy
- G-Suite: Google Analytics – tools for tracking website activity, Gmail – email program with storage of contact information, and Google Drive – document storage. Google maintains its own privacy policy which can be viewed at https://policies.google.com/privacy
- Stripe – online payment tools. Stripe maintains its own privacy policy which can be viewed at stripe.com/ca/privacy
- PayPal – online payment tools. PayPal maintains its own privacy policy which can be viewed at https://www.paypal.com/ca/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full?locale.x=en_CA
- CanadaHelps – fundraising aid for charities. CanadaHelps has its own privacy policy which can be viewed at: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/privacy-policy/
- Local Digital information is stored on Foundation computers. Access to these computers is limited to the Operations Manager and others designated by the manager.
- Non-Digital information is stored primarily in locked offices in Field, B.C. Occasionally, files are taken offsite for work by the Operations Manager or the directors as needed to complete work. Every effort is made to ensure the security of data while off site.
- Contact Information
The Foundation Director and Chair of the Governance and Regulatory Committee is the person responsible for ensuring compliance with the PIPA. Unfortunately, this position with the Foundation is currently vacant.
For information on this Policy at the Foundation please contact:
Hugh Southee, Operations Manager, Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation
Email: [email protected]