Private-sector organizations that collect, use or disclose personal information in the course of commercial activities are subject to Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and to provincial privacy statutes, where applicable. The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, confidentiality and security of personal information about its member representatives and customers and has therefore established this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy sets out the practices and procedures of HRAI in connection with the personal information that HRAI collects, uses and discloses about its member representatives and its customers. "Member representative/s", for the purposes of this policy, are employees or representatives of HRAI member companies. "Customers", for the purposes of this policy, are individuals who purchase products or services from HRAI, including training and certification programs. By applying for membership or renewing membership, the company member delegate confirms that it has obtained consent from any individual in respect of whom the company member delegate discloses personal information to HRAI for the collection, use and disclosure of such personal information by HRAI in accordance with this policy. By requesting HRAI products and services, a customer consents to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information in accordance with this policy.

Personal information is information about an identifiable individual. Personal information does not include business information (i.e. information about corporations, partnerships or other organizations) or the name, title, business address or business phone number of an employee of an organization.

1. Information Collection, Use and Disclosure

HRAI collects, uses and may disclose personal information about member representatives and customers who request information from HRAI for the following purposes:

• to process membership, course and event applications
• to provide products and services to member representatives and customers
• to make publicly available and to Government Ministries, a list of certified individuals
• to communicate with member representatives and customers, including communications regarding goods and services offered by HRAI and selected service providers
• for payment for products or services
• for accounting and billing purposes
• for internal management and audit purposes
• to meet legal and regulatory requirements

Personal information collected about member representatives and customers may include:

• home address & home telephone numbers
• drivers license information
• credit card & banking information (i.e. personal cheques)
• trade, contractor and fuel licenses
• survey opinions, consumer opinions/complaints
• conference/training registrations that may include food & hotel preferences etc.

In addition to collecting personal information directly from member representatives and customers, HRAI may obtain information from other sources including:

• financial institutions or other lenders
• credit bureaus
• other third parties that represent they have the right to disclose such personal information

2. Website

The HRAI website may contain links to other websites, which are not governed by this Privacy Policy. HRAI's internet service provider (ISP) may automatically record some general information about your visit. This information would be used for statistical analysis, to help us make our site more useful to visitors. If you do not wish to provide this information, please do not use the HRAI website. The collection of this information is secured by HRAI password access only.

3. Consent to Information Collection, Use and Disclosure

By applying for membership or renewing membership, the company member delegate confirms that it has obtained consent from any individual in respect of whom the company member delegate discloses personal information to HRAI for the collection, use and disclosure of such personal information by HRAI in accordance with this policy. By requesting HRAI products and services, a customer consents to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information in accordance with this policy.
You may inform HRAI that you are withdrawing your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. However, should you withdraw your consent for some or all purposes, HRAI may not be able to serve you effectively.

4. Security

HRAI maintains administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect against unauthorized disclosure, use, alteration or destruction of the personal information in its possession appropriate to the sensitivity and nature of the information. HRAI is committed to providing appropriate security controls to protect personal information that it holds.

5. Retention Policies

HRAI retains personal information about its member representatives and customers for a sufficient time for the purposes for which it is collected and for a reasonable period thereafter. HRAI has adopted minimum and maximum retention periods for personal information.

6. Keeping Information Accurate

HRAI will update or amend any personal information that it holds if it is provided with updated or amended information by a member representative or customer. HRAI will use its reasonable efforts to maintain accurate information as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.

7. Access to Personal Information

You may review and revise, correct or update any of the information that HRAI has on file about you at any time and you may also learn how HRAI has used it and to whom HRAI has disclosed it. If you wish to review or update your information, you may do so by contacting HRAI in any of the ways described below.

8. How to Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or HRAI's collection, use and disclosure of your personal information, or to make an access request or for further information about HRAI's privacy practices, please contact the HRAI Privacy Officer by email at hraimail@hrai.ca or by writing to:

Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada
2800 Skymark Avenue
Building 1, Suite 201
Mississauga, ON L4W 5A6

9. Changes to the Privacy Policy

HRAI reserves the right to revise this Privacy Policy from time to time. The date this Privacy Policy was last revised appears below.

(December 19, 2005)