Privacy Policy

Updated: June 2023

Lifewise (“lifewisenl.ca”, “we” or “us”) operates the website located at www.lifewisenl.ca and related websites and desktop, mobile and other applications (the “Site”).

We respect the privacy of our participants and are committed to protecting it through our compliance with this privacy policy. This privacy policy describes the types of information we may collect from you or that you may provide when you access or use the Site or any of our other products or services, including our online peer support service (the Site and any of our other products or services, collectively, referred to as the “Services”) and our practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting and disclosing that information.

This privacy policy applies to information we collect (i) on or through your use of the Services; (ii) in email and other electronic messages between you and lifewisenl.ca; and (iii) through any mobile and desktop applications you use in connection with the Services.

This privacy policy does not apply to information you provide to or is collected by any third party whether through or in connection with your use of the Services or otherwise, including through any third-party application or content that may link to or be accessible from or on the Services. You agree and acknowledge that lifewisenl.ca has no duty or responsibility to maintain and safeguard any information you may provide to, or is collected by, any third party whether through or in connection with your use of the Services or otherwise.

Please read this privacy policy carefully to understand our policies and practices regarding your information and how we will treat it. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, do not access or use the Services. By accessing or using the Services, you agree to this privacy policy.

This privacy policy may change from time to time (see Changes to Our Privacy Policy below). Your continued use of the Services after we make changes is deemed to be acceptance of those changes, so please check this privacy policy periodically for updates.

1. Information Collection, Use, and Disclosure

Categories of Information Collected

To let us operate the Services effectively and to let you use the Services we may collect, use, and store the information described below. We also disclose certain information to third parties, as described further below. The information we collect is received directly or indirectly from you and generated in the course of your use of the Services. 

Visitor Data: lifewisenl.ca collects, uses, and stores data regarding user visits to our Site (“Visitor Data“), including the particular pages visited or viewed by the user, the amount of time the user spent on the website or application, website errors experienced by the user, and information about the browser or device used to access the website and application, such as the user’s mobile device ID and IP address. 

Onboarding Data: In addition to the questionnaire responses provided by users in the process of initial registration for our Services, lifewisenl.ca collects, uses, and stores certain additional data from users during the onboarding process (“Onboarding Data“). This data includes the questionnaire responses, should you choose to complete them, are also stored by lifewisenl.ca.

Peer Support Group Data: lifewisenl.ca collects, uses, and stores certain general data regarding users during peer support groups such as whether a live group has been scheduled by the user, when a peer support group began and ended, and whether a group was canceled or re-scheduled (“Peer Support Group Data”). lifewisenl.ca does not record peer support groups and Peer Support Group Data does not include the video or audio content of any peer support groups.

2. Purposes for Which Information is Used

We may use the information we collect for one or more of the following purposes:

Communication with you

• To contact you or provide you with information, and suggestions that are related to the Services.
• To verify your identity.
• To complete an activity you requested, such as register for the Services or obtain more information.
• To reach out to you, either ourselves or using the appropriate authorities, if we have a good reason to believe that you or any other person may be in danger or may be either the cause or the victim of a criminal act.

Administration and improvement of services

• To supervise, administer and monitor the Services.
• To measure and improve the quality, effectiveness, and delivery of our Services.
• To debug and repair errors in our Services in order to maintain and improve the quality and security of our Services.
• To improve the Services through research, surveying, and engaging with you, for example, by sending you communications for these purposes.

Customization

• To personalize the Site experience and to deliver content and product and service offerings relevant to individual interests.

Compliance with the law

• To respond to law enforcement requests and as required by applicable law, court order, or governmental regulations.
• To comply with applicable provincial and federal laws, including, but not limited to laws related to protecting participant and public health and safety.
• To allow Service Providers to comply with the licensure, legal and quality requirements in their jurisdictions.

Other uses with consent

• Any other purpose with your consent.

We may maintain anonymized, de-identified or aggregated data, including usage data, for analytics purposes. If you have any questions about data retention or deletion, please email  admin@lifewisenl.ca.

3. Purposes for Which Information is Disclosed to Third Parties

Information about you may be disclosed to third parties for one or more of the following purposes:

With your direction or consent: We may share your information with third parties if you request or direct us to do so.

Compliance with law: We may share your information with a court, a regulatory entity, law enforcement personnel, or pursuant to a subpoena, to comply with applicable law or any obligations thereunder.

Note that if you make any information publicly available on the Site, anyone may see and use such information.

We may also share aggregated, non-personally identifiable information publicly, including with users, partners or the press in order to, for example, demonstrate how the Services are used, evaluate trends, or to create our marketing materials. Any aggregated information shared this way will not contain any personally identifying information.

4. Cookies and Web Beacons

Like many websites, we use “cookies” and “web beacons” (also known as pixels) to collect information. A “cookie” is a small data file that is transferred to your computer’s hard disk for record-keeping purposes. We collect cookies that are necessary for the Site to function, cookies that enhance the Site’s performance, and cookies used for third-party tracking. A “web beacon” is a tiny and sometimes invisible image or embedded code, placed on a Web page or email that can report your visit or use to a third party. Web beacons are typically used by third parties to monitor the activity of users at a website for the purpose of web analytics, advertising optimization, or page tagging. Additional information regarding web beacons is available on Wikipedia.

You can change your browser’s settings so it will stop accepting cookies and web beacons or to prompt you before accepting a cookie or web beacon.

5. Use of Cookies, Web Beacons, and Similar Technology for Analytics

We may use third party cookies or web beacons for the purposes of web analytics, attribution, and error management. Our Site may use vendor services that use cookies, web beacons, and similar technology to collect and store anonymous information about you, including when you pay for services, load a page, sign up for services, start the intake questionnaire, and your response as to the referral source to the Services.

Our Site also uses analytics vendors to collect information (for example, Visitor Data and Onboarding Data) about user actions on our websites for purposes of analytics and analysis of certain Site and Services usage.

6. Social and General Information Tools

We use several publicly-available tools and information exchange resources, such as (but not limited to) a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and others (collectively “Social and General Information Tools”). Any information you provide or share while using Social and General Information Tools may be read, accessed, collected by that site and users of that site according to their Privacy Policy.

7. Phishing

Online identity theft and account hacking, including the practice currently known as “phishing”, are of great concern. You should always be diligent when you are being asked for your account information and you must always make sure you do that in our secure system. We will never request your personal/public health information or your credit card information in any unsolicited communication (email, phone or otherwise).

8. Third Party Links

The Platform may contain links to other websites, services, or offers that are owned, operated, or maintained by third parties. If you click on a third party link, you will be directed to that third website or service. The fact that we link to a website or service is not an endorsement, authorization, or representation of our affiliation with that third party, nor is it an endorsement of their privacy or information security policies or practices. We do not have control over third-party websites and services, and we do not have control over their privacy policies and terms of use.

9. Storage, Transfer and Retention of Information

We store your information on remote servers operated by cloud and database service providers to lifewisenl.ca rather than storing it on our own servers. We work with trusted third party vendors and subprocessors for the storage and transfer of personal information and enter into data processing agreements and standard contractual clauses whenever feasible. Regardless of where you use our Services or provide information to us, the information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located inside Canada. By using our Services you acknowledge, agree and consent to your information, being processed outside your jurisdiction. Such transfers will only take place for the specific purposes mentioned in this Privacy Policy. 

10. Security of Information

While using any Internet-based service carries inherent security risks that cannot be 100% prevented, our systems, infrastructure, encryption technology, operation and processes are all designed, built, and maintained with your security and privacy in mind. We apply industry standards and best practices to prevent any unauthorized access, use, and disclosure. 

The safety and security of your information also depends on you. Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password for access to the Services, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share your password with anyone.Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the Internet is not completely secure.  Although we do our best to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information transmitted through the Services. Any transmission of personal information is at your own risk. We are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures we provide.

11. Service Providers

We may employ third-party companies and individuals to facilitate our Services, to perform certain tasks which are related to the Services, or to provide audit, legal, operational, or other services for us. These tasks include, but are not limited to, customer service, technical maintenance, monitoring, appointment scheduling, email management and communication, database management reporting and analytics. We will share with them only the minimum necessary information to perform their task for us and only after entering into appropriate confidentiality agreements.

12. Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect or solicit any information from anyone under the age of 16 or knowingly allow such persons to become our user. The Services are not directed and not intended to be used by children under the age of 16. If you are aware that we have collected personal information from a child under age 16 please let us know by contacting us and we will delete that information.

13. Compliance with Laws and Law Enforcement

We cooperate with government and law enforcement officials to enforce and comply with the law. We may disclose information necessary or appropriate to protect the safety of the public or any person, to respond to claims and legal processes (including but not limited to subpoenas), and to prevent or stop activity that may be illegal or dangerous. You should also be aware that Service Providers may be obliged to disclose information to law enforcement or other authorities to conform to their professional and legal responsibilities. Specifically, and without limitation, you should be aware that the law requires disclosure of information and/or take action in the following cases: (a) reported or suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult; (b) serious suicidal potential; (c) threatened harm to another person; (d) court-ordered presentation of treatment.

14. Changes to the Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page. We will let you know via a prominent notice on our website, and update the “effective date” at the top of this Privacy Policy. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

15. Contacting us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy-related practices, please contact us by emailing us at admin@lifewisenl.ca.