Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to the Nova Scotia Firefighters Benevolent Fund ("NSFBF," "we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care and respect.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website www.nsfbf.com (the "Site") or interact with us. We understand that you trust us with your information, and we take that responsibility seriously.

By using our Site or providing us with your personal information, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect personal information from you in several ways:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Legacy Gift Interest Forms: When you request information about leaving a legacy gift to NSFBF, we collect your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, and any additional information you choose to provide.
• Donation Forms: When you make a donation, we collect your name, contact information, payment information, and donation amount.
• PayPal Donations: If you choose to donate using PayPal, your payment information is handled directly by PayPal and is subject to PayPal's privacy policy and terms. We receive confirmation of your donation and related details (such as donation amount, date/time, transaction identifiers, and contact information you choose to share with PayPal for the transaction). We do not store full credit card details.
• Website Contact Form: When you contact us through our website contact form, we collect your name, email address, and the contents of your message so we can respond to your inquiry and provide support. If you choose to include additional information in your message, we will collect that information as well.
• Newsletter Subscriptions: If you sign up for our newsletter or updates, we collect your name and email address.
• Application Forms: If you apply for financial assistance, we collect detailed personal and financial information as necessary to process your application.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Site, we may automatically collect certain information, including:

• Usage Data: Information about how you use our Site, including pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, and navigation paths.
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, and general location data.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our Site. See Section 9 for more details.

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 To Provide Our Services

• Process and fulfill donation requests
• Evaluate and process applications for financial assistance
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Send you information about legacy giving opportunities

3.2 To Communicate With You

• Send you newsletters, updates, and information about our programs and fundraising initiatives
• Follow up on your interest in legacy gifts or donations
• Provide receipts for tax purposes
• Notify you of changes to our policies or services

3.3 To Improve Our Services

• Analyze how visitors use our Site to improve functionality and user experience
• Conduct research and analysis to better understand our supporters and beneficiaries
• Develop new programs and services

3.4 To Comply With Legal Obligations

• Maintain records as required by law
• Issue charitable donation tax receipts in compliance with Canada Revenue Agency requirements
• Respond to legal requests and prevent fraud

4. Legal Basis for Processing (Canadian Privacy Law)

We collect and process your personal information in accordance with Canadian privacy laws, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). We process your information based on:

• Consent: You have provided clear consent for us to process your personal information for specific purposes.
• Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary to fulfill our obligations to you (e.g., processing donations).
• Legal Obligations: Processing is required to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests in operating as a non-profit organization, provided such processing does not override your rights and freedoms.

5. How We Share Your Information

We respect your privacy and do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, processing donations, sending communications, or conducting our operations. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify. Examples include:

• Payment processors for donation transactions
• Email service providers for newsletters and communications
• Website hosting providers
• Database management services
• Analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics)
• Cloud service providers (e.g., Google Cloud and/or Google Workspace) used for data storage, hosting, and processing

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or other legal process, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of NSFBF, our beneficiaries, or others
• Prevent or investigate potential fraud or security issues

5.3 With Your Consent

We may share your information with other parties when you have given us explicit consent to do so.

5.4 Public Recognition

If you make a donation, we may publicly recognize your contribution (including your name and donation amount) unless you request to remain anonymous. You can opt out of public recognition at any time by contacting us.

6. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect it, including:

• Secure socket layer (SSL) encryption for data transmitted through our website
• Restricted access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Secure storage systems with access controls
• Training our staff and volunteers on privacy and security practices

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

• Donation Records: We retain donation information for at least seven (7) years to comply with Canada Revenue Agency requirements.
• Legacy Gift Inquiries: We retain information from legacy gift interest forms until you request deletion or for a reasonable period to follow up on your interest.
• Assistance Applications: We retain application information in accordance with our internal policies and legal requirements.
• Marketing Communications: We retain contact information for marketing purposes until you unsubscribe or request deletion.

When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

8. Google Infrastructure (Data Storage and Processing)

We may use Google infrastructure and services (such as Google Cloud and/or Google Workspace) to store, host, backup, and process information in connection with operating our Site and our internal operations (for example, communications and document storage).

As a result, personal information may be stored or processed on servers located outside of Canada, depending on how these services are configured and where Google maintains its servers. We take steps to protect your information by using reputable service providers and appropriate safeguards, and we rely on Google's security standards and controls designed to protect data.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Site uses cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience and understand how our Site is used.

9.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences and understand how you interact with the site.

9.2 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for the Site to function properly (e.g., security, network management).
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our Site so we can improve it.
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and choices to enhance your experience.

9.3 Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors interact with our Site. Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to collect information such as pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, approximate location (based on IP address), and device/browser information. This information is aggregated and used to generate reports and improve the Site. We use Google Analytics in a way intended to collect traffic analytics and do not use it to identify you.

Google may process this information on our behalf as our service provider and may store and process data on servers outside of Canada.

Opting out: You can opt out of Google Analytics by (a) using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, and/or (b) managing or disabling analytics cookies through your browser settings.

9.4 Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our Site.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Under Canadian privacy law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

10.1 Right to Access

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.

10.2 Right to Correction

You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

10.3 Right to Deletion

You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions (e.g., donation records required for tax purposes).

10.4 Right to Withdraw Consent

You have the right to withdraw your consent to our processing of your personal information at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before withdrawal.

10.5 Right to Opt-Out

You have the right to opt-out of marketing communications at any time by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in our emails
• Contacting us directly at the information provided in Section 14

10.6 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 14. We will respond to your request within thirty (30) days or as otherwise required by applicable law.

11. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, including social media platforms, payment processors, or partner organizations. This Privacy Policy applies only to our Site. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

12. Children's Privacy

Our Site is not directed to individuals under the age of eighteen (18), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will post the updated policy on this page and update the "Last Updated" date at the top.

If we make material changes, we will provide notice through our Site or by other means, such as email, prior to the changes taking effect. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

We are committed to working with you to resolve any privacy concerns.

15. Complaints

If you believe we have not complied with this Privacy Policy or Canadian privacy laws, you have the right to file a complaint with: