PRIVACY POLICY
PREAMBLE
This privacy policy (hereafter referred to as the “Policy”) applies to the website of MOREAU SOCIÉTÉ NOTARIALE INC. (hereafter referred to as the “Société”) and to all personal information collected by the Société in accordance with the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector and any other applicable laws or regulations.
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The Société recognizes the sensitivity of the personal information it obtains in the course of its activities and the importance of maintaining confidentiality to protect privacy and professional secrecy, in accordance with its professional obligations. Confidentiality extends to personal information collected from its clients as well as from third parties. The Policy has been designed to conceptualize the type of information collected, to describe the personal information handling practices, to provide for the collection, use, disclosure and retention of personal information, and to identify the security measures in place to protect personal information and the privacy of others.
COMMITMENT
The Société’s activities are based on a close relationship between notaries, support staff and clients.
The Société provides legal services, which means that its clients entrust it with highly confidential personal information.
It is essential for the Société to maintain this trust and confirm its determination to preserve the security of personal information shared within the framework of its business relationship.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
The term “personal information” refers to any information which relates to a natural person and enables that person to be identified, either directly or indirectly. With certain exceptions, personal information cannot be communicated without the consent of the person concerned.
USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Personal information collected, directly or indirectly, by the Société is used only for clear, explicit and legitimate purposes. Depending on the context, this information may be used to provide specific legal services between the parties and for a specific purpose in the conduct of its internal activities, as well as for any other purposes authorized or required by the various laws and regulations.
TYPES OF INFORMATION COLLECTED
While providing legal services and conducting its business, the Société collects personal information in various contexts, such as file management, service provision, professional meetings, job applications, visits to its premises, and when using its website.
Personal information may come from information you provide via forms and/or inquiries from the Société or from information collected via documents, whether in electronic or paper form.
METHODS OF INFORMATION COLLECTION
E-mail, fax and telephone are the preferred means of communication for the Société when communicating with its clients and business partners to gather information relevant to its activities.
CONSENT
Personal information is collected, used and disclosed only with the required consent or as authorized by law. Consent may be express when provided verbally, electronically, in writing or through an authorized representative. Consent may be implied, in particular when personal information is provided to members of the Société’s team in connection with the provision of legal services or its internal activities.
By visiting or using the Société’s website and communicating with the Société, you consent to the collection, use, disclosure and retention of your personal information in accordance with this Policy.
Consent to the collection, use, disclosure, communication and retention of personal information may be withdrawn and revoked at any time by contacting the Société. It should be noted, however, that failure to provide certain necessary information may hinder the Société’s ability to perform the tasks for which it is called upon to provide services.
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO THIRD PARTIES
Personal information is protected, and only members of the Société’s team and persons duly authorized by the Société may access it. The Société may communicate the personal information it collects as described in this policy to agents, suppliers and other third parties whose services it uses. These third parties are contractually bound to safeguard personal information, to use it only for the purposes for which the Société disclosed it, and to treat personal information in accordance with the standards set out in this Policy and in compliance with the various laws and regulations.
In accordance with the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, the Société may communicate personal information to any person or organization when such communication is necessary to provide legal services and fulfil its mandate in the conduct of its activities.
The Société communicates personal information only when this communication is closely related to and necessary for the provision of legal services and the pursuit of its activities.
Personal information may be disclosed outside the jurisdiction of Quebec, and if so, the information may be accessible to foreign third parties under the laws applicable in that jurisdiction. Should a transfer of personal information outside Quebec be necessary, the Société undertakes to ensure that such transfer is subject to a privacy impact assessment in accordance with the Act. The transfer will also be subject to appropriate contractual agreements to ensure adequate protection.
INFORMATION SECURITY
The Société takes all necessary or useful measures, at all times and with care, to protect the personal information collected as adequately as possible. It is committed to safeguarding the personal information it collects against loss, misuse and alteration of information under its control. Personally identifiable information held by the Société is kept at all times in a secure location in the province of Quebec. It is or may be deposited in a cloud service authorized by the Chambre des notaires du Québec, with limited administrative access. However, there is no such thing as totally secure transmission or storage of information. Consequently, an absolute guarantee of the security of information transmitted or stored cannot be provided.
INFORMATION RETENTION
Unless otherwise authorized or required by applicable laws or regulations, the Société retains personal information only as long as necessary to perform the agreed-upon legal services or for the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting legal, accounting and notification requirements to appropriate governmental and regulatory bodies.
In certain circumstances, the Société may anonymize personal information so that it can no longer be associated with its clients directly or indirectly. In such cases, the Société reserves the right to use the anonymized data for legitimate purposes without further notice or consent, in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND RECTIFICATION
By law, you have the right to request access to the personal information the Société may hold about you and to rectify that information when it needs to be updated for accuracy.
CONTACT
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, would like more information about it, or would like to exercise your rights with respect to your personal information, please contact the person responsible for the protection of personal information at the Société: Valérie MOREAU, Notary, at the following e-mail address: valerie.moreau@notarius.net.
GENERAL
The Société undertakes to comply with all requirements relating to the protection, collection, use, disclosure, retention and destruction of personal information set out in the various laws and regulations applicable to the conduct of these activities and relating to the protection of personal information.
The Société implements reasonable security measures against such risks as unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, or destruction of any personal information in its custody and control.
As such, the person responsible for the protection of personal information must ensure that the Société has in place appropriate practices to protect the personal information in the Société’s custody and control. This person is also responsible for ensuring that these practices comply with the various applicable laws and regulations.
These policies and practices have been approved by the Société and by the person responsible for the protection of personal information.
