Website Privacy Policy
Settlement Assistance and Family Support Services (SAFSS) is a non-profit, charitable, multi-service organization providing services to the community in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), with a particular emphasis on unserved and under-served areas of Scarborough. SAFSS has been serving and advocating for newcomers, refugees and victims of all types of violence since 1989. SAFSS provides a range of services to a diverse, multi-cultural and multi-lingual community in a responsible and professional manner.
Our Privacy Commitment to You
SAFSS is committed to keeping your personal information accurate, confidential, secure and private.
When you visit our website, contact us, participate in one of our programs or attend an event, or donate to support our activities, we are committed to protecting your privacy rights and your personal information.
SAFSS’ privacy policy is based upon the 10 Privacy Principles contained within the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Model Privacy Code for the Protection of Personal Information and reflects the requirements of applicable legislation including the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
This Privacy Policy describes the principles that SAFSS will use to protect the privacy of your personal information in its possession. It addresses the reasons why such information is collected, how it is used, how it’s confidentially protected and outlines your rights with respect to this information.
This privacy policy is applicable to our Members, Customers, Community Partners, Donors, Volunteers, and Employees.
Personal information is defined as any factual or subjective information, recorded or not, about an identifiable individual. Examples are age, name, source of income, home addresses and telephone numbers. Personal information does not include the name, title, or business address or telephone number of an employee of an organization.
SAFSS Privacy Principles
1. Accountability
SAFSS is responsible for the protection of your personal information collected through our office(s), program activities and website. Individuals will be asked to review and sign a consent form before any personal information is released to third parties for the purpose of providing enhanced services or otherwise.
SAFSS HR Department has overall responsibility for the protection of personal information and for SAFSS’ compliance with this Privacy Policy.
Responsibilities include:
- Documentation of uses of personal information
- Training employees in correct practices
- Compliance monitoring
- Reporting and dispute resolution
2. Identifying Purposes
SAFSS will provide a statement to explain the purpose(s) for the collection of your personal information wherever possible, before we ask you to disclose it.
We collect personal data when you make use of or register for our programs and services, in order to better meet your program, service and information needs.
We also use and disclose data, which does not identify individuals, for statistical purposes to assess, develop and improve SAFSS’ programs and services.
We also collect personal information in order to refer you to enhanced services, or to satisfy legal, government and regulatory obligations.
We do not sell personal information we collect.
We will not disclose your personal information to anyone else without your prior knowledge or consent, except when required by a government body or agency, or as permitted by law.
If you supply us with your contact information, you may hear from us about important information concerning a SAFSS program or service for which you are registered.
You may also hear from us about other SAFSS programs and services that may interest and benefit you or we may ask you for feedback about the services you have already received as part of our quality assurance commitment.
If you do not wish to receive information about other SAFSS programs, services or opportunities, please call 416-431-4347.
Using our Website
You can access our website home page and browse our site without disclosing your personal data. Any personal information that site visitors voluntarily choose to provide in order to receive free electronic newsletters, participate in periodic polls and surveys and/or to complete any of our online application forms IS NOT shared with third parties
unless stated otherwise. SAFSS will ensure all personal information is secured and remains confidential.
Use of Cookies
A cookie is a small text file containing a unique identification number that is transferred from a website to the hard drive of your computer so that the website may identify separate visitors to the site and track users’ activities on the website. A cookie will not let a website know any personally identifiable information about you, such as your real name and address.
SAFSS uses cookies only to keep track of how many people visit our website and how frequently each page is visited. Each individual movement of any user cannot be tracked while on the SAFSS site. Cookies are only used to track page popularity for statistical purposes and to improve the quality of the site and meet your needs. (For more information on cookies, please check your browser’s settings.)
Links on our Website
SAFSS assumes no responsibility for the information practices of sites you are able to access through our site. We encourage you to review each site’s privacy policy before disclosing any personally identifiable information.
3. Consent & Disclosure
The only personal information that SAFSS collects is with your knowledge and consent.
You can choose not to disclose any personal information we may ask you to provide. However, a decision to withhold some personal information can result in our inability to provide you with our services.
Further, you can withdraw your consent to the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information at any time, subject to any legal requirements and reasonable notice.
4. Limiting Collection
The amount and type of information that SAFSS collects is limited only to that which is necessary to fulfill the purposes identified. SAFSS will ask for the information it requires directly from the individual. Personal information will be collected using procedures which are fair, transparent and lawful.
You can choose to disclose as much or as little personal information as you are comfortable with. As noted in Principle 3, a decision to withhold some personal information can prevent us from providing you with our services.
5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention
SAFSS will use your personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected.
Your information will not be disclosed without your knowledge and consent, unless permitted or required by law.
Your personal information will be retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, and in compliance with any laws surrounding information retention. If all identified purposes for the use of your personal information have been exhausted, we will destroy the information or render it unidentifiable.
6. Accuracy
In order to ensure the reliable delivery of services and information, your personal information will be kept accurate, complete and up to date.
We assume that the information that you provide to us is accurate. If at any time your personal information changes, we hope to be informed of it immediately. If you contact us with a request, we will take appropriate steps to update or correct the personal information in our possession that you have previously provided to us.
7. Safeguards
SAFSS employs a number of safeguards to protect your personal information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification. Such safeguards include physical measures, for example locked filing cabinets, restricted access to offices, and limiting access on a “need to know” basis, and use of passwords and encryption. Procedures for implementing these measures are communicated to all employees to ensure compliance with this principle.
8. Openness
SAFSS has easily understandable and readily available specific information about its policies relating to the management of personal information. Our policy is available at all times on our premises or online.
9. Individual Access
Upon request, we will inform you if we hold any personal information about you and provide you with access to this information. If we have any personal information about you, we will also tell you for what purposes it is used for, if applicable.
You have a right to update any personal information that we hold on you. Should you wish to see the full contents of your information that is on file, you must make a formal written request and mail or email it to:
We will respond to you within thirty (30) days after receipt of your written request or will notify you if a longer period is required by us in order to fully address your request, provided that an extension of thirty (30) day period is permitted by applicable privacy laws.
10. Challenging Compliance
If, for any reason, you are concerned about our compliance with our Privacy Policy, you may contact our HR Manger in writing, by phone or by emailing: tlarose@safss.org.
SAFSS has policies and procedures to receive, investigate and respond to individuals’ complaints and questions.
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. Notice of changes to this Privacy Policy that affect you will be posted on this site.
This policy was last revised on the 2nd of June, 2023.