Legal Notice & Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 26, 2023

1. Introduction

Welcome to Power Networks Canada. This website (the "Site") is operated by the Independent Editorial Power Systems Research Unit ("we", "us", "our"). We are committed to protecting the privacy of our visitors. This policy outlines our practices concerning the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information, in compliance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for our visitors from the European Union.

2. Data Collection and Purpose

a. Personal Information

We only collect personally identifiable information when you voluntarily provide it to us through our contact form. This information includes your name, email address, the subject of your inquiry, and your message. The purpose of collecting this information is solely to respond to your editorial inquiries.

b. Non-Personal Information (Analytics)

When you visit our Site, we may collect non-personal information, such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, and browsing behavior (pages visited, time spent on pages). This is done through the use of cookies if you provide consent. This data is aggregated and anonymized and is used for analytical purposes to help us understand how visitors use our Site and to improve its content and functionality. We do this only if you accept cookies via our consent banner.

3. Use of Data

The personal information you provide is used exclusively to communicate with you regarding your inquiry. We do not use this information for marketing purposes, nor do we sell, rent, or lease it to third parties. Anonymized analytical data helps us improve the user experience and ensure the relevance of our content.

4. Data Protection and Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access. These measures include HTTPS encryption for data in transit and secure storage practices. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

5. User Rights (PIPEDA & GDPR)

You have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to Erasure ('Right to be Forgotten'): You can request that we delete your personal information from our records where it is no longer necessary for the purpose it was collected.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on consent for processing, you have the right to withdraw it at any time. This includes withdrawing consent for cookies.
• Right to Object: You may have the right to object to our processing of your personal data.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

6. Use of Cookies

A cookie is a small text file stored on your device. We use cookies for the following purposes:

• Essential Cookies: A cookie is used to remember your consent preference regarding other cookies. This is necessary for the site to function correctly.
• Analytical Cookies: If you accept, we use cookies from a third-party analytics provider (such as Google Analytics) to collect anonymous traffic data. This helps us understand visitor engagement and improve our website. These cookies are only deployed if you click "Accept All" on our cookie consent banner.

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time. Declining cookies will not affect your ability to access the core content of our Site, but it will disable our analytics tracking.

7. Third-Party Links

Our Site, particularly within our publications, may contain links to other websites (e.g., sources, academic journals). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. We encourage you to be aware when you leave our Site and to read the privacy statements of each website that collects personal information.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information from contact form submissions only for as long as is necessary to resolve the inquiry. We retain anonymized analytics data for longer periods for trend analysis. Once no longer required, data is securely deleted.

9. Disclaimer of Liability

The information provided on Power Networks Canada is for general informational and educational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith; however, we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on the Site. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Under no circumstance shall we have any liability to you for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of the site or reliance on any information provided on the site.

10. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

11. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

By email: [email protected]

By mail: 510 West Hastings Street, Suite 1500, Vancouver, BC V6B 1L8, Canada