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The Good Neighbour Community Care & Companionship (“The Good Neighbour,” “we,” “us” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of the personal information entrusted to us.

 

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain and safeguard personal information when you visit goodneighbourcare.ca, contact us, book a consultation, request services or otherwise interact with The Good Neighbour.

We provide non-medical companionship, newborn support and household assistance services in Durham Region, Ontario.

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Information We May Collect

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The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us and the services you request.

We may collect:

• Your name, address, telephone number and email address;

• The name and contact information of a parent, guardian, family member, emergency contact or authorized representative;

• Information submitted through website contact, consultation, intake or booking forms;

• Appointment dates, service schedules and service preferences;

• Information needed to understand and assess your requested services;

• Limited health, mobility, safety, routine or personal information voluntarily provided to help us deliver services safely;

• Newborn routines, feeding preferences, sleep information and family instructions provided by a parent or legal guardian;

• Billing, invoice, transaction and payment-related information;

• Communications between you and The Good Neighbour;

• Feedback, concerns, complaints and service records;

• Job application information where employment opportunities are offered; and

• Technical website information, such as your IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited and website activity.

We will only collect information that is reasonably necessary for an identified business or service-related purpose.

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How We Collect Information

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We may collect personal information:

• Directly from you;

• Through our website forms, email, telephone communications or booking tools;

• During consultations, assessments, intake processes or service delivery;

• From a parent, guardian, substitute decision-maker or authorized representative;

• From a referral source or professional where you have provided consent or where permitted by law;

• Through payment, scheduling, website hosting or other service providers; and

• Automatically through cookies and similar website technologies.

Please do not submit urgent, emergency or highly sensitive information through a general website contact form.

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How We Use Personal Information

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We may use personal information to:

• Respond to questions and service inquiries;

• Schedule and conduct consultations;

• Assess whether our services are appropriate for your needs;

• Prepare service agreements, assessments and individualized service plans;

• Schedule caregivers and coordinate visits;

• Communicate with clients, families and authorized representatives;

• Provide safe and reliable non-medical services;

• Process payments, issue invoices and maintain financial records;

• Confirm appointments and provide service-related notices;

• Respond to concerns, complaints, incidents or emergencies;

• Maintain accurate client and business records;

• Improve our services and website;

• Protect clients, caregivers, families and the public;

• Prevent fraud, misuse or unauthorized activity;

• Meet insurance, accounting, contractual and legal requirements; and

• Fulfil any other purpose identified when the information is collected.

We will not use personal information for an unrelated purpose without obtaining additional consent unless the use is permitted or required by law.

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Consent

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We obtain consent before collecting, using or disclosing personal information, except where consent is not required or where collection, use or disclosure is permitted or required by law.

Consent may be provided:

• In writing;

• Electronically;

• Verbally;

• Through the completion of a form;

• Through a signed service agreement; or

• Through actions that reasonably indicate consent.

The type of consent required will depend on the sensitivity of the information and the circumstances.

You may withdraw your consent by contacting us. Withdrawal of consent may affect our ability to provide certain services and remains subject to legal, safety, record-retention and contractual requirements.

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Information About Children and Newborns

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Information about a child or newborn must be provided by, or with the authorization of, a parent or legal guardian.

We collect only the information reasonably required to assess and provide the requested services, maintain safety and communicate with the family.

We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children through our website without appropriate parental or guardian involvement.

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When We May Share Information

 

We do not sell or rent personal information.

We may disclose personal information:

• To employees, contractors or caregivers who require the information to perform their duties;

• To a parent, guardian, authorized family member or designated representative;

• To website hosting, scheduling, payment, accounting, communications, technology or administrative service providers acting on our behalf;

• To insurers, accountants, legal advisers or other professional advisers where reasonably necessary;

• With your consent to a referral source, healthcare professional or community service;

• During an emergency involving health, safety or security;

• To investigate an incident, complaint, suspected fraud or policy violation;

• To collect a valid outstanding debt;

• In connection with a business reorganization, sale or transfer, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections; or

• Where disclosure is permitted or required by law, regulation, court order or lawful authority.

Service providers are expected to use personal information only for the services they perform for us and to apply appropriate safeguards.

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Website Hosting and Third-Party Services

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Our website may use third-party services for hosting, forms, scheduling, payments, analytics, email delivery or other website functions.

When you use these features, information may be processed by the applicable service provider under its own privacy practices and contractual obligations.

Some service providers may process or store information outside Canada. Personal information processed in another country may be subject to the laws and lawful access requirements of that jurisdiction.

We select service providers based on our operational needs and take reasonable steps to ensure personal information is handled appropriately.

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Cookies and Website Analytics

 

Our website may use cookies, digital markers and similar technologies.

These technologies may be used to:

• Operate essential website functions;

• Remember visitor preferences;

• Improve website performance;

• Understand how visitors use the website;

• Diagnose technical issues;

• Measure website traffic; and

• Support security and fraud prevention.

You can adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Disabling certain cookies may affect how some website features operate.

Where legally required, visitors will be provided with appropriate cookie notices or choices.

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Payment Information

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Payments may be processed through a third-party payment provider.

The Good Neighbour may receive transaction information such as the payment amount, payment date, payment status and limited payment details. We do not intend to store complete credit card numbers directly on our general website systems.

Payment providers process payment information according to their own privacy and security practices.

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Email and Marketing Communications

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We may send service-related communications, such as appointment confirmations, scheduling updates, invoices and important notices.

Promotional or marketing messages will only be sent where consent has been obtained or where otherwise permitted by law.

You may unsubscribe from promotional emails using the unsubscribe option provided or by contacting us. Unsubscribing from promotional messages will not prevent us from sending necessary service or transaction-related communications.

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Safeguarding Personal Information

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We use reasonable administrative, physical and technological safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.

Safeguards may include:

• Password-protected systems;

• Restricted access based on job responsibilities;

• Confidentiality agreements;

• Secure storage of paper and electronic records;

• Staff privacy and confidentiality expectations;

• Secure disposal and deletion practices;

• Device and account security controls; and

• Procedures for responding to privacy incidents.

No electronic system or method of transmission is completely secure. Although we take reasonable precautions, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

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Retention and Destruction

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We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Provide services;

• Maintain business and client records;

• Meet legal, insurance, accounting and contractual requirements;

• Respond to disputes or complaints; and

• Protect the legitimate interests of clients and The Good Neighbour.

When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely destroyed, deleted or anonymized.

 

Accessing or Correcting Your Information

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You may request:

• Access to the personal information we hold about you;

• Information about how your personal information has been used or disclosed; or

• Correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.

Requests must be submitted in writing and may require verification of your identity.

Access may be limited where permitted or required by law, including where disclosure could reveal another person’s personal information, confidential business information or legally privileged information.

 

Privacy Breaches

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If a privacy or security incident occurs, The Good Neighbour will take reasonable steps to:

• Contain the incident;

• Investigate what happened;

• Assess the possible risks;

• Correct identified weaknesses;

• Notify affected individuals where required; and

• Report the incident to the appropriate authority where required by law.

 

Third-Party Websites

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Our website may contain links to websites or services operated by other organizations.

The Good Neighbour is not responsible for the content, security or privacy practices of third-party websites. We encourage visitors to review the privacy policies of any external website they use.

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Privacy Questions and Complaints

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Questions, access requests, correction requests or complaints about our privacy practices may be directed to:

Privacy Officer
The Good Neighbour Community Care & Companionship
Email: info@goodneighbourcare.ca
Website: goodneighbourcare.ca

We will review privacy concerns fairly and confidentially and take appropriate corrective action where warranted.

Individuals may also have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada regarding an unresolved privacy concern.

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Changes to This Privacy Policy

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We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our services, website, technology, operations or legal obligations.

The revised policy will be posted on this website with an updated revision date. Continued use of the website or our services after an update means the revised policy will apply from its effective date, subject to applicable consent requirements.