Privacy Policy

CMHC values your privacy and trust. We are committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act and other applicable laws.

CMHC’s website is open to visitors. However, to access certain areas of the website, registration is required. It is your choice to provide personal information to us. By registering (and clicking on the “I Accept” button in the registration form) and by choosing to provide personal information to CMHC, or by using this website, you are consenting to the collection, use, disclosure, retention, handling and processing of your personal information for the purposes explained in the links below. Please ensure that all information that you provide is true, accurate and complete.

If you do not wish to register as a member, click on the “I Do Not Agree” icon provided in registration form. However, without your consent to collect, use and disclose your personal information we are unable to provide you with information or services from certain areas of the website. If you do not agree with this Privacy Notice or the Terms and Conditions of Use that govern this website, please do not provide CMHC with your personal information.

Purposes of Collection and Use

The purposes for which CMHC will collect and use personal information are explained below.

To improve your experience on our website and to tailor information, content, products and services to your interests and needs.

For a detailed explanation, refer to the section about “Cookies” below.

To promote our programs, products and services to you.

When you specify your consent on any online CMHC publication, subscription or registration form, CMHC may, from time to time, use your email or regular mailing address to send you information on CMHC’s programs, products and services, or other topics and events of current interest. To do so, CMHC may also collect the information that you provided on the subscription or registration form, such as your name, email and regular mailing address, telephone number, and your language of preference.
To reduce fraud and software piracy, and to protect visitors to our site.

We may monitor any part of our website at any time and may take appropriate measures to curtail inappropriate use. CMHC uses specialized software to monitor site traffic and to detect unauthorized attempts to upload, change information, or otherwise cause damage.
To allow you to apply for jobs and to assess your suitability for a career at CMHC.

To conduct market research about visitors to our site, their interests, and the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns if you have given us permission to do so.

Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer when you visit a website. We use cookies to collect and save information about your browsing activities to understand your preferences while you are visiting our site and to recognize you when you return. You may adjust your browser settings to manage and/or delete cookies as you wish. Please consult your browser’s Help Menu for instructions.

The use of cookies allows us to provide you with a tailored experience that is relevant to you based on 1) Web Analytics; and 2) Marketing Automation. 

Web Analytics

Web analytics is the collection, analysis, measurement, and reporting of data about website traffic for purposes of understanding and optimizing internet usage. Cookies support web analytics by creating aggregated statistics on visitors to websites and their browsing behaviour. We use the information collected by cookies to understand what portions of our website are visited the most and to identify areas for improvement.

The data is aggregated, which means the information is not used to identify you as an individual. Two types of cookies are used for this purpose:

Temporary or session cookies, which are only stored on your browser for the duration of your visit. These cookies follow and track your movements between screens to provide an improved browsing experience;

Persistent cookies, which are stored on your browser for the purposes of evaluating site usage and compiling reports on website activity.

Marketing Automation

Marketing Automation is the collection and analysis of browser activity and other engagements you may have with CMHC, such as, by telephone, email, webinars, and events. To gather your online activity on CMHC websites, a persistent cookie is stored on your browser when you first visit our web pages.

The analysis of this data allows us to provide you with information, content, products and services tailored to your interests and needs. Information about your interests and preferences will be linked to information you provide us when you choose to complete a form, for example: to submit a question, or register for a newsletter. If you choose not to provide us with this information we may not be able to provide you with the content you requested, respond to inquiries, or tailor the information we send you based on your preferences.

You can adjust your browser settings to manage and/or delete cookies as you wish. Please consult your browser’s Help Menu for instructions.

Sharing of Personal Information

Your information will only be viewed by those persons at CMHC who need that information for the purpose for which it was given. We also engage third parties for the purposes of providing services to us such as: IT services, web analytics, live chat services, legal and accounting services.

We need to share your information with these third parties for them to provide you with the services you have requested. These companies are only provided with the information necessary to provide the services. They are not authorized by us to use your information for any purpose other than delivering the services that have been requested by CMHC in accordance with CMHC’s instructions and authorization.

Please note: We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

Safeguarding of Personal Information

We take the safeguarding of your personal information seriously. We have implemented security policies and practices in the interest of protecting user and visitor information from unauthorized access, improper use, alteration, unlawful or accidental destruction, and accidental loss. CMHC’s security infrastructure is designed to block unauthorized access while permitting authorized communications.

While we have taken reasonable efforts to protect your personal information, CMHC cannot guarantee the security of electronic systems or email and cannot be held responsible for unauthorized or unintended access that is beyond our control. CMHC also cannot guarantee, warrant, or represent in any way that the personal information you provide will be transmitted securely or protected completely against interception, loss, misuse or alteration, and we strongly recommend that you use appropriate discretion before transmitting sensitive personal information electronically.

Hyperlinks to other websites are provided for convenience only and do not constitute our endorsement of such websites or the accuracy or reliability of material, content or services provided therein. Such websites are independent from and not within the control of CMHC. Before using such websites, you should review their terms of use and privacy policies, which may be different from CMHC’s.

CMHC cannot accept responsibility or liability for any damages that may result where personal information submitted by you has not been securely transmitted, or has been intercepted, lost, misused or altered.

Marketing

If you have provided your consent, CMHC may provide you with promotional messages. We give you choices regarding our marketing practices.

Unsubscribe

To unsubscribe, please advise CMHC at any time by email at contactcentre@cmhc.ca, or click on the “Unsubscribe” function included in specific emails. Please note that you will need to unsubscribe directly from each CMHC tool. Choosing to unsubscribe from one of CMHC’s mailing lists will not affect other email communications that you may receive from us or your access to our services and products.

Retention

We will retain your personal information only for such periods of time as required for business purposes and as prescribed by applicable laws and regulations. In accordance with legal requirements, expired business purpose and/or contract obligations, we will destroy, erase, render anonymous, or otherwise dispose of personal information after such period of time. For questions about the retention of personal information you can email contactcentre@cmhc.ca.

Changes to CMHC Privacy Notice

We reserve the right to change any part or all of this Privacy Notice at any time, without notice or liability to you or any other person by posting a new or amended Privacy Notice on our website. The updated Privacy Notice will supersede earlier versions and will also apply to personal information provided to us previously.

Questions or Comments

For questions or comments regarding this Privacy Notice or to access, update or correct your own personal information held by CMHC, email contactcentre@cmhc.ca. Please include sufficient details to enable us to search for relevant records.