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Privacy Policy – Chatbot

Findhelp Information Services

Effective Date: May 27, 2025  |  Last Updated: March 10, 2026

Findhelp Information Services (“Findhelp”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with applicable Canadian privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Ontario’s Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), as applicable. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you interact with our Chatbot Service (the “Service”), which is powered by OpenAI and connected to cords.ai.

By using the Chatbot Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with its terms, please do not use the Service.

1.  Scope and Application

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of the Findhelp Information Services’ Chatbot Service across Canada. Findhelp Information Services is headquartered in Ontario and operates this Service under Canadian federal and Ontario provincial privacy law. Where provincial privacy legislation provides stricter protections than PIPEDA, those stricter standards apply.

2.  What Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide and improve the Service. This may include:

2.1  Information You Provide Directly

  • Chat messages and queries – the text you enter while using the chatbot.
  • Personal information you voluntarily share – such as your name, contact details, or details about your situation, if you choose to include these in your messages.

2.2  Information Collected Automatically

  • Technical data – such as IP address, browser type and version, device type, and operating system.
  • Usage data – including session timestamps, pages or features accessed, and interaction patterns.
  • Approximate location data – derived from your IP address or, if you grant permission, from your device’s location services, used to provide relevant, location-based service recommendations.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 13 without appropriate parental or guardian consent.

3.  How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect only for the purposes for which it was collected, or for consistent and compatible purposes. These include:

  • Providing the Service – delivering accurate, location-relevant responses and resource referrals through the chatbot.
  • Improving the Service – analyzing usage patterns and performance data to enhance the chatbot’s functionality, accuracy, and user experience.
  • Security and fraud prevention – monitoring for and responding to technical issues, security incidents, or misuse.
  • Legal compliance – meeting our obligations under applicable Canadian law, including responding to lawful requests from authorities.
  • Aggregated analytics – generating anonymized, aggregate statistics about Service usage that cannot reasonably identify individual users.

4.  Legal Basis for Processing

Under PIPEDA, we rely on the following bases for collecting and using your personal information:

  • Consent – you consent to the collection of your information when you use the Service and agree to this Privacy Policy.
  • Legitimate interests – certain technical and security data is collected as reasonably necessary for Findhelp to operate and maintain the Service.
  • Legal obligation – we may process information where required to comply with applicable Canadian law.

5.  Data Sharing and Third Parties

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share limited data with the following trusted third parties only as described below:

5.1  OpenAI

Your chat messages are processed by OpenAI to generate responses. We take reasonable steps to minimize personally identifying information transmitted to OpenAI. OpenAI’s data practices are governed by its own privacy policy and terms of service. Data may be processed outside Canada; by using the Service you acknowledge this cross-border transfer.

5.2  cords.ai

Location or category information may be shared with cords.ai to retrieve relevant community service and resource listings. This data is used solely to fulfil your search request.

5.3  Community and Government Service Providers

If you click on a link or choose to contact a service provider listed through the chatbot, information you provide directly to that provider is subject to the provider’s own privacy policy. Findhelp is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party service providers.

5.4  Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Findhelp, our users, or the public.

6.  Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law.

  • Chat session data – we do not retain full chat logs beyond the active session. Conversations are not stored in identifiable form once the session ends, unless you have explicitly consented to a specific retention purpose.
  • Technical and usage data – retained in anonymized or aggregated form for analytics and security purposes for a period not exceeding 24 months.
  • Legal hold – data may be retained longer if required by applicable law or in connection with a legal proceeding.

When data is no longer required, we destroy it securely using methods appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.

7.  Your Rights and Choices

Under PIPEDA and applicable provincial law, you have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

  • Right of access – you may request access to the personal information we hold about you and receive an explanation of how it has been used or disclosed.
  • Right to correction – you may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
  • Right to withdraw consent – you may withdraw consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. Withdrawing consent may affect your ability to use the Service.
  • Right to decline location sharing – you may choose not to share your location; this may limit the relevance of service recommendations.
  • Right to file a complaint – you may file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) at www.priv.gc.ca if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 10.

8.  Security

Findhelp implements appropriate technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

  • Encrypted data transmission using industry-standard TLS/SSL protocols.
  • Access controls limiting internal access to personal data to authorized personnel only.
  • Regular review of security practices and third-party vendor agreements.

No method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. We encourage you to exercise caution when sharing sensitive personal information online.

9.  Cookies and Tracking Technologies

The Chatbot Service may use session cookies or similar technologies to maintain the continuity of your chat session and enable core functionality. We do not use cookies for advertising or cross-site tracking purposes.

You may configure your browser to refuse cookies; however, doing so may affect your ability to use certain features of the Service.

10.  Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy and, where appropriate, provide additional notice.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

11.  Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer:

  • Organization: Findhelp Information Services
  • Email: privacy@findhelp.ca

We will respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days of receipt, as required under PIPEDA.

This Privacy Policy was prepared in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), S.C. 2000, c. 5, and applicable Ontario privacy legislation.

 

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