The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada Privacy Policy

Effective date: 17 October 2025

INTRODUCTION

1. Argyll Regimental Foundation, a registered Canadian charity with registration number 888359643RR0001, is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information we collect, use, and disclose. This Privacy Policy outlines how we handle personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
2. We collect personal information primarily to support our charitable mission of supporting The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s). This policy applies to donors, volunteers, programme participants, employees, board members, and other individuals whose personal information we handle. It does not apply to publicly available information or business contact information (e.g., job titles and work emails).
3. By providing us with your personal information or engaging with our services (e.g., donating, volunteering, or subscribing to our newsletter), you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of that information as described in this policy. You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us (see Section 10).
4. For more details on our operations, visit www.argylls.ca. This policy may be updated periodically; changes will be posted on our website.

WHAT IS PERSONAL INFORMATION?

5. “Personal information” means any information about an identifiable individual, such as your name, address, email, phone number, donation history, financial details, or health information (if applicable to our programs). It excludes anonymized or aggregated data that cannot be linked back to you.

COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

6. We collect only the personal information necessary to fulfill our charitable purposes. Examples include:
   1. Donor Information: Name, contact details, donation amount, and payment method to process gifts and issue tax receipts.
   2. Volunteer Information: Contact details, skills, availability, and references to match opportunities.
   3. Programme Participant Information: Demographic data, health or emergency contacts (with explicit consent) to deliver services.
   4. Employment/Board Information: Resume, references, and performance data for hiring or governance.
7. We collect information through:
   1. Online forms (e.g., donation pages on our website).
   2. Email, phone, or in-person interactions.
   3. Third-party platforms (e.g., payment processors like Stripe or PayPal).
8. Collection is limited to what is reasonable and required. We use implied consent for basic purposes (e.g., sending thank-you notes to donors) and explicit consent (written or verbal) for sensitive uses (e.g., sharing with partners). If collecting information about others (e.g., family members), you represent that you have their consent.

USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

9. We use personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected or as permitted by law, including:
   1. Processing donations and issuing charitable tax receipts.
   2. Communicating about our programmes, events, and impact (e.g., newsletters).
   3. Recruiting and managing volunteers or staff.
   4. Delivering services to programme beneficiaries.
   5. Internal analysis to improve our operations (e.g., donor trends, anonymized).
   6. Legal compliance (e.g., CRA reporting).
10. If we wish to use information for a new purpose (e.g., a special fundraising campaign), we will seek your explicit consent first. We do not use personal information for automated decision-making that significantly affects you.

DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

11. We do not sell, trade, or rent personal information to third parties. Disclosure occurs only in limited cases:
    1. To service providers (e.g., email platforms like Mailchimp or accountants) under strict confidentiality agreements ensuring comparable privacy protections.
    2. To CRA or government authorities as required by law.
    3. To charitable partners with your consent (e.g., sharing donor details for joint events).
    4. In business transactions (e.g., merger), with notice and continued protection.
    5. To prevent harm or as required by law (e.g., court order).
    6. International transfers (e.g., to cloud servers) are safeguarded with appropriate measures, such as encryption.

MARKETING AND FUNDRAISING

12. We may use your contact information to inform you about our charitable activities, similar to your initial engagement. This includes emails about donation opportunities or events. You can opt out at any time by:
    1. Unsubscribing via email links.
    2. Contacting us (see Section 10).
13. We do not share your information for third-party marketing without explicit consent.

ACCURACY AND INTEGRITY

14. We strive to keep personal information accurate, complete, and up-to-date. You may request corrections by contacting us. We rely on you to provide current details (e.g., address changes for tax receipts).

SAFEGUARDS AND SECURITY

15. We implement reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect personal information against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, or destruction. Examples include:
    1. Password-protected databases and encrypted transmissions.
    2. Secure filing systems and access limited to authorized staff/volunteers on a “need-to-know” basis.
    3. Employee training on privacy best practices.
16. Security is reviewed regularly, and we comply with breach reporting requirements under PIPEDA (e.g., notifying affected individuals and the Privacy Commissioner if there’s a real risk of harm).

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL

17. We retain personal information only as long as necessary for our purposes or legal requirements (e.g., 7 years for CRA audits). Once no longer needed:
    1. Digital records are securely deleted or anonymized.
    2. Paper records are shredded.
    3. Historical donation records are stored securely and separated from active systems.

ACCESS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

18. You have the right to:
    1. Access your personal information we hold.
    2. Challenge its accuracy or completeness.
    3. Request deletion (subject to legal obligations).
19. Requests must be in writing to our Privacy Officer (below). We will respond within 30 days, possibly charging a nominal fee for processing or copies. Access may be denied if it reveals confidential information of others or for legal reasons.

PRIVACY OFFICER: 

20. Col (Ret’d) Rick Kennedy, Director, Argyll Regimental Foundation, 209-3380 South Service Road, Burlington ON L7N 3J5, rick.kennedy@argylls.ca.
21. Complaints about our handling of personal information can be directed to the Privacy Officer. If unsatisfied, contact the applicable privacy commissioner (e.g., Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca).

QUESTIONS?

22. If you have questions about this policy, contact our Privacy Officer. Thank you for supporting the Argyll Regimental Foundation — your trust is essential to our work.