CitSci Alberta Online Privacy Policy

(Last updated: October 28, 2024)

The CitSci Alberta Hub website is maintained and hosted by the Miistakis Institute for the Rockies Inc.

The Miistakis Institute is committed to protecting the privacy of our users. We strive to provide a safe, secure user experience.

About our privacy policy

Personal information in the context of this policy, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your personal information in any of our online tools.

What personal information do we collect from the people that visit and use our website?

When registering on the CitSci Alberta Hub website, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name and email address to create a profile which will allow all data you enter to be connected to one identity, thereby enhancing both the user experience and the scientific rigour.

The CitSci Alberta Hub website may ask for your name and email address so that we can contact you to clarify information you may have provided, or provide information you have requested (e.g., our newsletter). In these cases, that is clearly indicated at the time you enter your information, and the intended purpose explicitly stated.

When do we collect information?

We collect information from you when you register on our Directory, fill out a form, or sign up for our newsletter.

How do we use your information?

Your email address and name, when collected, are used only for the purpose identified by the web site where you are asked to enter this information.

Who will have access to your information

Only CitSci Alberta’s designated project manager in charge of the Hub for which the information is collected, and CitSci Alberta’s web programmer will have access to any personal information. That information will not be shared without your express permission.

How will your information be safeguarded?

All personal information is stored in an online database housed by the Miistakis Institute. This
database is safeguarded with a firewall and a Black Shield service to limit malicious activity. If
you have any questions about security on the CitSci Alberta Hub website, you may contact us at
info@citscialberta.com.

How long will your information be retained?

Personal information gathered as part of a specific project is retained for the duration of the project (specific citizen science initiatives indicate project durations). Personal information gathered as part of the online newsletter is removed when the user unsubscribes.

Opt-In and Opt-Out Choices

At any time, CitSci Alberta will respond to a written request for the deletion of personal information by immediately deleting that information from the relevant project or organizational databases.

Users may delete their profile at any time by contacting CitSci Alberta at info@citscialberta.com. Online newsletter subscribers can unsubscribe at any time using the instructions included in each newsletter mailing.

Do we use ‘cookies’?

‘Cookies’ are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer’s hard drive
through your Web browser (if you allow) that enables the site’s or service provider’s systems to
recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information.

Although cookies are quite commonly used by web sites, the CitSci Alberta Hub does not use cookies directly. The CitSci Alberta Hub however may use third party tools on their websites, such as WordPress or Google Analytics that may use cookies as part of their standard operation.

Third-party disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties any personal information collected directly or indirectly by our web site.

We also do not provide non-personally identifiable visitor information to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.

For certain web tools, we do transfer data which is provided by users (for example wildlife observation data) to third parties for the purposes of improved conservation management, but we do not transfer any personal information with those data.

PIPEDA / PIPA Compliance

The Miistakis Institute operates under the laws of Canada and the Province of Alberta, and as such is bound by the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

To ensure compliance, the privacy policy for the CitSci Alberta Hub website was developed using Guidelines for Online Consent (https://www.priv.gc.ca/media/2105/gl_oc_201405_e.pdf) and Seizing Opportunity: Good Privacy Practices for Developing Mobile Apps (http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/priv/IP54-45-2012-eng.pdf) both developed by the federal Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta.

Contacting Us

If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy, you may contact us by emailing info@citscialberta.com.