Privacy Policy

Last Updated November 12, 2025

Intent

Habitat for Humanity GO is committed to protecting the privacy of the personal information of its donors, employees, volunteers and other stakeholders.  We value the trust of those we deal with and of the public, and recognize that maintaining this trust requires that we be transparent and accountable in how we treat the information that our constituents choose to share with us.

Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to the personal data provided to Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa when you make a donation, register for an event, sign up for a newsletter, visit our website, or otherwise provide us with information via the Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa website located at www.habitatgo.ca and www.habitatgo.com. It also applies to personally identifiable data you may provide to Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa via telephone, email, regular mail, social media, texting, mobile applications, at a special event, in response to a solicitation, or face-to-face. 

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GREATER OTTAWA (“Habitat Greater Ottawa”) is dedicated to protecting your privacy and maintaining the trust that you have placed in us. As such, our privacy policy (the “Privacy Policy”) incorporates the standards set out in applicable federal and provincial privacy legislation across Canada, including the 10 principles as outlined in the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

1. Accountability

1.1 We are accountable for all personal information in our possession.

1.2 All employees, volunteers, agents and authorized service providers of Habitat for Humanity GO are required to protect the confidentiality of personal information.  Every precaution is always made to ensure confidentiality of all personal information.

1.3 Where we chose to have certain services, such as data processing, provided by third party providers, we select the service provider carefully.  We take all reasonable precautions to ensure that the service provider protects personal information.  These service providers enter into confidentiality agreements, do not keep any personal information on file beyond the life of their contract with us and are prohibited from selling any personal information accessed through our organization.

1.4 Third Party Service Provider Data Storage locations, as of November 2025: 

2. Identifying Purposes

2.1 Personal information collected will be limited to that required for the purpose identified by us, including:

• Help us in our fundraising activities
• Process and receipt donations
• Provide our constituents with information about our activities including newsletters and build notices.
• Respond to constituent requests for information.
• Process applications for partnering for a Habitat home
• Keep appropriate personnel records on volunteers and employees

2.2 Habitat generally collects personal information as necessary to administer our programs and services, including as described below, in accordance with applicable law:

• We may collect banking and credit card information to receive and process donations. In addition, we may collect contact information to acknowledge donations and issue tax receipts. We deeply appreciate your financial support. 
• We may collect family and neighbourhood statistics to raise awareness of and increase potential for fundraising and new family applicants. 
• We may collect your name, mailing address and email address in order to issue tax receipts, to send you newsletters for which you have signed up, and to inform you of and to request support for our future endeavours because you have demonstrated an interest in supporting Habitat Greater Ottawa’s mission. 
• We may collect and use personal information in other circumstances with your consent or as permitted or required by law. 

3. Consent

Habitat Greater Ottawa is committed to obtaining your consent for the collection of your personal information and the subsequent use or disclosure of this information, unless otherwise permitted or required by law. 

3.1. In obtaining consent, we make a reasonable effort to ensure that you are advised, in a manner that can be reasonably understood, of the purposes for which the information will be used, including by explaining our personal information handling practices in this Privacy Policy. 

3.2. Consent can be obtained in many ways. Consent can be express or implied. You may provide your consent in some circumstances where notice has been provided to you about our intentions with respect to your personal information and you have not withdrawn your consent for an identified purpose, such as by using an “opt out” or “unsubscribe” option provided, if any. In determining the appropriate form of consent, we will take into account the sensitivity of the personal information and the reasonable expectations of individuals with whom we deal with. 
 
3.3. Generally, by providing us with personal information, we will assume that you consent to our collection, use and disclosure of such information for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or otherwise at the time of collection. By providing us with personal information about another individual, you represent that you have consent from that person to provide his or her personal information to us. 
 
3.4. You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice, by contacting Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa Administration as described in Part 7. Please note that the withdrawal of your consent may impact our ability to serve you and to maintain our relationship. 
 
3.5. In certain circumstances personal information can be collected, used or disclosed without your knowledge and consent (for example, to comply with a court order, local or federal regulations, or legally permitted inquiry by a government agency or to collect a debt owed to us). We may also collect, use and disclose information without your consent if it is reasonable for the purposes of establishing, managing or terminating an employment or volunteer relationship. 
 
3.6. We may rely on third parties to obtain your consent for our collection, use and disclosure of personal information when we cannot seek consent directly from you. An example of such third- party reliance includes, but is not limited to, third-party fundraising event hosts (including but not limited to individuals, companies, foundations) who collect your personal information at an event in support of Habitat Greater Ottawa and pass it along to our office to continue communications. 

4. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

We will only collect personal information related to a specified purpose and only what is needed for that purpose.

We do not sell personal information.

4.1. We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification, regardless of the format in which it is held, including:
(i) physical security measures, such as locked filing cabinets and restricted access to areas where personal information is stored;
(ii) organizational security measures, such as employee training, security clearances and limiting access to a “need-to-know” basis; and
(iii) technological security measures, such as passwords, 2-factor authentication, and encryption, to prevent unauthorized access to personal information stored on computer systems.

Despite these measures, since no system or security measure is completely secure, it is possible that personal information may be lost, stolen or accessed without authorization. Habitat Greater Ottawa commits to reaching out in a timely manner if we learn that any personal information may have been stolen or accessed without authorization, so you can take appropriate measures to safeguard relevant accounts. 

4.2. Personnel who require access to personal information will have access for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, which may include personnel in our Homeowner Services, Communications, Fund Development, and Finance and Administration departments. We have internal policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws, including policies and procedures relating to record retention, complaints handling, and the appropriate handling of personal information by personnel. 
 
4.3. When disposing of or destroying personal information which is no longer needed, we ensure that appropriate measures are taken regarding the disposal or destruction so as to prevent unauthorized parties from gaining access to the personal information. 

We will keep personal information only as long as it is necessary to satisfy the purposes for which it is obtained, or as required by law.  When we destroy personal information, we will use safeguards to prevent unauthorized parties from gaining access to that information during the process.

5. Accuracy

People whose personal information has been collected by HFH GO are entitled to seek correction of their personal information if they believe that the information in our possession is not correct.

6. Safeguards

6.1 We protect personal information against loss, theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification.  The level of security is appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.

6.2 Access to personal information is restricted to Habitat for Humanity GO staff, agents and authorized volunteers and service providers.  Access is granted on a need to know basis and monitored by the organization’s Privacy Officer.  All Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers who have access to personal information have received training on the importance and proper handling of personal information.

6.3 Personal information is stored in locked cabinets and/or password protected and encrypted databases with mandatory 2-factor authentication.

7. Openness

Habitat for Humanity GO will make readily available to any interested party specific information about our policies and practices relating to the management of personal information.

8. Individual Access

Habitat may establish and maintain a file of your personal information for the purposes described above, which will be accessible at the address listed below in ‘Questions and Contact Information’.

Upon receipt of a written request, Habitat Greater Ottawa will inform you of the existence, use and disclosure of your personal information and will give you access to that information, subject to applicable legal restrictions.

You will also be able to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate. Before responding to your written request, we may require you to provide sufficient information to permit us to verify your identity. Please forward your request in writing to Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa Administration at the address set out below in ‘Questions and Contact Information’.

9. Challenging Compliance

Anyone whose information is held by HFH-GO may register a privacy-related complaint by contacting Habitat for Humanity’s Privacy Officer.  The Privacy Officer will explain the procedure for filing a complaint and the process of its investigation. If an objection is found to have merit we will take appropriate steps to repair the situation, including changing our policies and practices if necessary.

9.1 Procedure:

1. All staff and volunteers who handle personal information on behalf of HFH GO will be required to annually review and sign a Professional Standards Agreement, and a Confidentiality Agreement.
2. The reason for the collection of personal information must be clearly stated verbally or in writing at the time of the collection of private information.  The information collected must be used only for the reason stated at the time of collection.  Permission must be sought to use the information for any other purpose.  The ability to “opt out” of the multiple use of information must always be made available at the time of collection.
3. If a staff, volunteer, donor or other key stakeholder expresses a desire to “opt out” of any particular use of their personal information; adjustments must be made to all records to reflect this wish as soon as possible.
4. All personal information will be kept in locked files and password protected computer environments.  All reasonable attempts must be made to keep records taken from these sites (i.e. for the purposes of meetings) secure.
5. Personal information will not be kept indefinitely.  Records will be shredded once the utility of the information has expired or in accordance with legal requirements or HFH GO Board policies.
6. Staff, volunteers, partner families, donors and key stakeholders may request a viewing of the information held by Habitat for Humanity GO, with up to 24 hours notice. The records will be made available by the Chief Executive Officer or Privacy Officer in a timely fashion and assure that access does not breach the confidentiality of other private information stored in the same environment.
7. The Chief Executive Officer or Privacy Officer may refuse access to a record containing personal information in cases involving the courts, or where the security of the organization is compromised. Any refusal to access personal information will be reported to the Privacy Commissioner in accordance with the Personal Information Privacy Electronics Documents Act (PIPEDA).
8. Staff, volunteers, partner families, donors and key stakeholders have the right to file a complaint about the handling of their private information.  The Privacy Officer will provide a complaint form to anyone wishing to file a complaint with Habitat for Humanity GO.  A record of the outgoing complaint form will be made.  The complaint must be filed within two weeks of requesting the form for a timely review. Once the complaint is received the Privacy Officer will review it; a remedy will be sought, approved by the Chief Executive Officer and proposed to the complainant.  If this remedy is acceptable it will be executed and the case will be considered resolved. A copy of the complaint and resolution will be filed with the Privacy Commissioner.  If the remedy is not considered acceptable by the complainant they will be asked to provide the terms of what they would like to see happen to resolve the complaint. This will be taken to the Chief Executive Officer for review.  If the terms are not acceptable it will be forwarded to the HFH-GO Board and subsequently the Privacy Commissioner if a resolution cannot be reached internally.

10. Internet Usage 

10.1. When you visit Habitat Greater Ottawa’s website at www.habitatgo.ca to obtain information about us, to research our products and services, or to use our online tools, please rest assured that we do not collect identifying information about you unless you specifically provide it. The only information we collect is non- identifying information (such as the ISP, the type of Internet browser used, the referring web site, the pages requested and the date and time of those requests), which we use to create aggregate data in order to determine the level of interest in the information provided on the website and to improve the content of the website. 

10.2. We collect this non-identifying information described above through the use of cookies and server log files, including IP addresses. Our website does not link IP addresses to any personally identifiable information. Cookies identify which areas of our website you have visited or customized and make these pages readily accessible the next time you visit. If you do not want non-identifying information collected through the use of cookies, you can disable it by changing the setting of your Internet browser. 
 
10.3. We may provide links to other websites managed by third parties. We cannot control or prevent the use of cookies or any information obtained through cookies by such third parties. 
 
10.4. Finally, please be advised that information voluntarily disclosed online in discussion areas and other public areas of our website or on Habitat Greater Ottawa-sponsored pages on social media sites can be collected, used and disclosed by third parties. Any submissions made to discussion areas or other public areas on our website or on Habitat Greater Ottawa-sponsored pages on social media sites are done at the user’s risk and with the understanding that such information may be accessible to third parties. We cannot control and will not be liable for any damages that may arise from such user activity. 

11. Changes to Privacy Policy 

11.1. Habitat reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at our sole discretion. In particular, the Chair of Governance Committee  and The Secretary of the Board of Directors may periodically review and modify this Privacy Policy in response to developments and changes in privacy law. If we intend to use or disclose personal information for purposes materially different than those described in this Privacy Policy, we will make reasonable efforts to notify affected individuals, if necessary, including by revising this Privacy Policy. Any modifications shall be effective immediately upon its publication by any means, including posting on this website. You agree to regularly review our Privacy Policy posted at this website, be aware of any modifications and be bound by the same. 

Questions and Contact Information 

You may direct any questions or complaints concerning Habitat’s handling of personal information to Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa Administration: 
 
Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa 
3 Iber Rd, Stittsville ON K2S 1E6 
Or by e-mail at: admin@habitat.ca