Privacy
The City of Burlington takes your privacy very seriously and is committed to protecting the privacy of any personal information you may provide when visiting the City of Burlington Web site. Our privacy policy complies with the provisions set out in the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). This link leads to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario Office, which oversees MFIPPA and the rules established as to how government institutions may collect, use, and disclose personal information.
The purpose of the statement is to inform users of this site with regards to the collection and use of personal information.
Collection of information by Forms or Surveys
When you visit the City of Burlington website you do so anonymously and are not required to tell us who you are. The City may request personal information from you in order to provide requested specialized services, but such information is handled as it would be on an in-person visit. When personal information is requested it is our commitment to provide notice outlining:
- The legal authority to collect your personal information
- The purpose for collecting the personal information
- How the information will be used
- Who to contact if you have any questions about these practices
Access is limited to only those employees who need access in order to perform their assigned duties. Employees are regularly instructed in their responsibilities in protecting personal information and privacy.
All information voluntarily sent to the City website, by email, feedback form or other means, becomes the property of the City of Burlington.
The City of Burlington does not sell, nor distribute this information to any outside company or organization. The City does not reveal specific information about users or other personally identifiable data to unaffiliated third parties for their independent use, except if required to do so by law. This privacy statement is limited to the City of Burlington Web site.
The City assumes no responsibility for the Web sites that are linked to, hosted by or otherwise electronically connected to the City's Web site or Web server. The City of Burlington may change this policy at any time at its sole discretion.
Logging practices
When you browse the city's website our servers automatically collect limited amounts of standard information for traffic monitoring and statistical purposes. This information does not identify a visitor personally and is only used to administer the site and identify usage trends to improve the website. Our web logs store the domain name and IP address from which the city's website was accessed; the type of browser and operating system used; the date and time the site was access; the pages visited, and; the region of the world from which the site was accessed.
Cookies
The city's website uses cookies to improve users' experience. A "cookie" is a small text file that is stored on a user's computer, placed there by a web server for future access and retrieval of stored information. All employees and processors who have access to your cookies are obliged to respect the confidentiality of that information. Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. Be aware that by declining cookies some interactive features or online services that depend on cookies may not function as intended.
External links
The city's website has links to other external websites for your information and convenience. The City of Burlington is not responsible for the privacy practices of websites linked to from our site.
Freedom of Information (FOI)
The City of Burlington endeavors to make its information accessible to the public. Some records, however, contain information that is either privileged or of a personal nature. The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act compels the municipality to review such documents prior to their disclosure. Request to access such records requires a formal written Freedom of Information request.