Privacy and Public Information

The Corporation of the Town of Caledon (“The Town”) is committed to operating its websites as an effective method of communication with interested users.  Part of that commitment is to explain what information may be collected and why, how it will be used, and who may have access to it.  

The Town owns and operates this website as an information service to its residents and to the public generally.  This website is a supplement to and not a replacement for, information available from the Town Hall.  All of the material provided on this website is the sole property of the Town and cannot be duplicated in whole or in part without the express written permission of the Town.  The Town reserves the right to determine what information shall and shall not be placed on this website, including linking and posting requests.  

The Town is not responsible for any damages incurred, either directly or indirectly, from the use of this website or the materials provided herein.  

By using this website, you are agreeing to be bound by the current version of this Privacy Statement.  The Town reserves the right to change or modify the Privacy Statement and this site at any time without notice.  

Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information 

The Town is subject to the provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).  MFIPPA requires that a local government protect the privacy of an individual's personal information that exists in its records and that it follows rules regarding the collection, retention, use, disclosure and disposal of personal information in its custody or control.  The Act also provides individuals with a right of access to records under the custody or control of the Town, subject to limited exemptions. Individuals may exercise this right by submitting a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

The Town does not collect information for commercial or marketing purposes, and does not sell, exchange, or otherwise distribute the information collected through this website for commercial or marketing purposes.  

We only collect, retain and use personal information where we believe it is essential (and allowed by law) to administer our business and to provide services and other opportunities requested by you.  

The only time we collect your personal information on this website is when you voluntarily provide it to us.  This includes when you:  

• Participate in an online forum, poll or survey; 
• Fill in a feedback or contact form; 
• Request further information about a specific topic;
• Send us an email; or 
• Create a user profile for online services including, but not limited to, registering for recreation programs or obtaining access to Town applications (e.g. PingStreet).  
  
  In each instance where you provide information to the Town, the Town will let you know the authority under which the information is being collected, how the information is used, and the contact information of an individual who is knowledgeable about the program or service for which you are registering.

Use of “Cookies” 

Cookies are temporary files that may be placed on your hard drive while you visit a website. Cookies are used to track how visitors use caledon.ca, but the Town does not store personal information through cookies, nor does the Town collect personal information from you without your knowledge as you browse this website.  Any cookies on our websites are used to aid in the collection of anonymous statistical information such as browser type, screen size, traffic patterns, pages visited.  

The information provided by cookies helps us to improve both our websites and online services. The information collected is not disclosed to any third parties.  If you are concerned about cookies, you can adjust your web browser to reject all cookies.  Keep in mind, however, that this may impact your use of the Town’s websites and services.  

Cookie and Token Usage

What information does our website track?

An authentication token stored in local storage for back-office users to authenticate them against
the CMS and other platform products
For what purposes is it tracked?

The general purpose of the various cookies is to ensure operation of the CMS (both public/back office)
No personally identifiable information (PII) is stored
How is this information stored?

Local storage (authentication token), local (cookies)
For how long is it stored?

Cookies are stored for the duration of a session
Authentication token stays active for 24 hours if the browser remains open, or is destroyed when
the browser is closed (or the user logs out)

Links to Third Party Sites 

The Town’s websites contain links to other websites that are created and operated by independent bodies and are therefore not under the control of the Town. These websites have their own terms of use, policies, procedures and privacy policies.  The Town is not responsible for, and makes no express or implied representation or warranties concerning the products, services and information found on the linked websites.  

Every computer connected to the internet is given a domain name and an Internet Protocol (IP) address, containing a unique set of numbers. This information reveals nothing personal about the visitor. When a visitor requests a page from within the Town’s website, our web servers automatically recognize that computer’s IP address. Web server log files are generated when visitors view our webpages.

How we use your data

Our website analytics only use non-identifiable data. Some parts of our website may not be logged on our servers, but third party servers. This includes such areas like payments through our third party payment processors Moneris or our public engagement site Social Pinpoint. The Town of Caledon uses server log data to:

• Fix errors on our website;
• Defend against malicious attacks; and
• Generate website usage statistics.
  
  In addition, we use Google Analytics 4 ("GA4"), a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to help us understand how visitors use our website. GA4 collects information such as pages visited, time spent on pages, device type, browser information, approximate geographic location, and interactions with website content.

Online Transactions 

You can pay for some Town services (e.g. recreation programs, property taxes, and parking tickets) through the Town’s websites.  We do not process any payment transaction on the Town’s website.  We redirect you to a third party who is compliant with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS). 

Use of municiPal AI Search Feature

This tool is powered by AI and may contain errors, omissions, outdated information, or interpretations that do not fully reflect current standards or best practices. All content is provided on an “as-is” basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied. Neither the Town nor its suppliers shall be responsible for any such errors or omissions. You are responsible for independently verifying any information obtained through this website before acting on it.  

Your use of the municiPal AI search feature, referred to as “municiPal”, confirms your acknowledgement and agreement to the terms of this disclaimer and to your search log being collected for product enhancement purposes only. At no time will municiPal collect any personal information. If you do not agree to the below terms and conditions of this disclaimer, please do not use municiPal. Instead, use the Google Search feature, located to the right of municiPal on desktop and below the municiPal feature on mobile devices.

The municiPal AI search feature is a project that is continually evolving and as a result, may undergo changes. Such changes may be influenced by search logs, generative artificial intelligence (AI) model updates, other Town of Caledon website updates, new data sources such the Town of Caledon Council Reports and Minutes, and other documents and platform updates by the host of this website (Town of Caledon). As a result, the information provided by municiPal AI search feature may change.

The municiPal AI search feature is meant to be used for information purposes only. The information generated by municiPal is not to be mistaken with advice of any kind.  

The Town of Caledon does not accept any responsibility for your use of municiPal AI and does not make any representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information provided. Your use of the municiPal is at your own risk. The Town of Caledon disclaims any liability for direct, indirect, special, incidental, exemplary, economic, consequential or other damage that may arise from the use of the municiPal or information provided by the Virtual Assistant, including your reliance upon such information.

The Town of Caledon may modify or update the terms of this disclaimer at any time, without notice. Use of municiPal following any such modifications or updates will act as confirmation of your acceptance of the terms in this disclaimer.

Inquiries can be directed to Customer Service by e-mail to info@caledon.ca, by phone at 311 or in person at our Town Hall (6311 Old Church Road, Caledon)