Privacy Policy

The Kitchener Waterloo Weavers’ and Spinners’ Guild takes privacy seriously and is committed to collecting, using and disclosing your personal information in a secure manner that is compliant with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). This Policy describes the types of personally identifiable information (Personal Information) we may collect from you through the kwws.org website, (Website), by you signing up in person or electronically for classes, when you request to receive communications or make an inquiry, to process and manage KWWS membership, to administer KWWS operations, and for other purposes required for legislative compliance (these operations will be collectively referred to as Services in this Policy).

This Policy also describes what choices are available to you regarding our use of your Personal Information and provides guidance about how you can request or correct the personal information KWWS has about you.

By accessing and using our Website and Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and consent to the terms of this Policy.

Collection of Personal Information

To access Services, we are required to collect your personal information to administer certain operations. Please be assured that only the personal information required will be collected, and all Personal Information will be collected, used, stored, and disclosed in a secure manner.

We receive and store any information you knowingly provide to us when you fill any forms on the Website. When required, this information may include the following:

• Contact information (such as email address, phone number, etc)

• Basic personal information (such as name, country of residence, etc)

You can choose not to provide us with your Personal Information, but then you may not be able to take advantage of some of the features on the Website. Users who are uncertain about what information is mandatory are welcome to contact us.

Privacy of Children

KWWS does not knowingly collect any Personal Information from children under the age of 13. If you are under the age of 13, please do not submit any personal information to KWWS. If you have reason to believe that a child under the age of 13 has provided personal information to us, please contact us to request that we delete that child’s personal information from our systems.

We encourage parents and legal guardians to monitor their children’s Internet usage and to help enforce this Policy by instructing their children never to provide Personal Information through the Website and Services without their permission. We also ask that all parents and legal guardians overseeing the care of children take the necessary precautions to ensure that their children are instructed to never give out Personal Information when online without their permission.

Use and Processing of Collected Information

Personal Information collected by KWWS will be used for the following purposes:

• Administering membership to KWWS, including creating and managing user accounts for KWWS Guild Members.

• Administering class registrations and communications

• Responding to inquiries and offer support

• Running and operate the Website and providing Services.

• Notifying you of upcoming activities that you may be interested in.

• Requesting user feedback and improving user experience.

• Enforcing terms and conditions and policies.

Please be aware that your Personal Information may be stored outside of Canada using third-party contracted services. Note that under some legislation we may be allowed to process information until you object to such processing by opting out, without having to rely on consent. You may contact us if you have any questions regarding this.

Disclosure of Information

Depending on the requested Services or as necessary to complete any transaction or provide any Service you have requested, we may share your information with Service Providers we rely upon to assist in the operation of the Website and provision of Services.

Service Providers are not authorized to use or disclose your information except as necessary to perform services on our behalf or comply with legal requirements. Service Providers are given the information they need only to perform their designated functions, and we do not authorize them to use or disclose any of the provided information for their own marketing or other purposes.

We may also disclose any Personal Information we collect, use or receive if required or permitted by law, such as to comply with a subpoena or similar legal process, and when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.

Retention of Information

Depending on the requested Services or as necessary to complete any transaction or provide any Service you have requested, we may share your information with Service Providers we rely upon to assist in the operation of the Website and provision of Services.

Service Providers are not authorized to use or disclose your information except as necessary to perform services on our behalf or comply with legal requirements. Service Providers are given the information they need only to perform their designated functions, and we do not authorize them to use or disclose any of the provided information for their own marketing or other purposes.

We may also disclose any Personal Information we collect, use or receive if required or permitted by law, such as to comply with a subpoena or similar legal process, and when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.

Cookies and Remarketing

KWWS uses cookies for the use of remarketing services (advertising based on visits to previous webpages), and for analytics. No personal or identifying information is gathered or transmitted with this cookie.

You can opt out of cookies by changing your browser settings or permanently using a browser plugin.

Some browsers incorporate a Do Not Track feature that signals to websites you visit that you do not want to have your online activity tracked. Tracking is not the same as using or collecting information in connection with a website. For these purposes, tracking refers to collecting personally identifiable information from consumers who use or visit a website or online service as they move across different websites over time. How browsers communicate the Do Not Track signal is not yet uniform. As a result, the KWWS website and services are not yet set up to interpret or respond to Do Not Track signals communicated by your browser. For a description of Do Not Track protocols for browsers and mobile devices or to learn more about the choices available to you, visit internetcookies.com

Social Media Features

Our Website and Services may include social media features, such as the Facebook and Instagram buttons, Share This buttons, etc. (Social Media Features). These Social Media Features may collect your IP address, what page you are visiting on our Website and Services,  and may set a cookie to enable Social Media Features to function properly. Social Media Features are hosted either by their respective providers or directly on our Website and Services. Your interactions with these Social Media Features are governed by the privacy policy of their respective providers.

Email Marketing

We offer electronic marketing notification to upcoming events to which you may voluntarily subscribe at any time. We offer electronic newsletters only to current members of KWWS. We are committed to keeping your e-mail address confidential and will not disclose your email address to any third parties except as allowed in the information use and processing section or for the purposes of utilizing a third-party provider to send such emails. We will maintain the information sent via e-mail in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Email communications sent by KWWS are compliant with CASL (Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation) and commercial electronic messages sent from us will clearly state who the e-mail is from and provide clear information on how to contact the sender. You may choose to stop receiving communications by unsubscribing using the link provided in the email, or by contacting publicity@kwws.org.

Links to Other Resources

The KWWS Website and Services may contain links to other resources that are not owned or controlled by us. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of these other resources or third parties. We encourage you familiarize yourself with their privacy statements and policies.

Information Security

We secure information you provide in a controlled, secure environment, protected from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect against unauthorized access, use, modification, and disclosure of Personal Information in our control and custody. However, no data transmission over the Internet or wireless network can be guaranteed.

Therefore, while we strive to protect your Personal Information, you acknowledge that (i) there are security and privacy limitations of the Internet which are beyond our control; (ii) the security, integrity, and privacy of any and all information and data exchanged between you and the Website and Services cannot be guaranteed; and (iii) any such information and data may be viewed or tampered with in transit by a third party, despite best efforts.

Data Breach

In the event we become aware that the security of the Website and Services has been compromised or your Personal Information has been disclosed to unrelated third parties as a result of external activity, including, but not limited to, security attacks or fraud, we reserve the right to take reasonably appropriate measures, including, but not limited to, investigation and reporting, as well as notification to and cooperation with law enforcement authorities. In the event of a data breach, we will make reasonable efforts to notify affected individuals if we believe that there is a reasonable risk of harm you as a result of the breach or if notice is otherwise required by law. When we do, we will send you an email.

Changes and Amendments

We reserve the right to modify this Policy or its terms related to the Website and Services at any time at our discretion. When we do, we will revise the updated date at the bottom of this page. We may also provide notice to you in other ways at our discretion, such as through the contact information you have provided.

Acceptance of This Policy

You acknowledge that you have read this Policy and agree to all its terms and conditions. By accessing and using the Website and Services and submitting your information you agree to be bound by this Policy. If you do not agree to abide by the terms of this Policy, you are not authorized to access or use the Website and Services.

Contacting Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints regarding this Policy, the information we hold about you, or if you wish to exercise your rights, we encourage you to contact us using the details below:

https://kwws.org/contact-us 

Kitchener-Waterloo Weavers & Spinners Guild
161 Stirling Ave S, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 3N8

We will attempt to resolve complaints and disputes and make every reasonable effort to honour your wish to exercise your rights as quickly as possible and in any event, within the timescales provided by applicable data protection laws.

This document was last updated on August 5, 2025