- We respect your privacy
The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) is committed to protecting your privacy rights. This privacy policy describes:
- What personal information SHRF collects through the RMS
- How SHRF uses this information
- How SHRF protects this information
- Your rights
- Cookies’ usage
- Retention
- How to contact SHRF with regards to your personal information
SHRF is subject to provincial legislation in this matter, as outlined in The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (c. L-27.1 S.S.) and accompanying regulations. In Part II of the regulations, SHRF is defined as a local authority for the purposes of The Act. All information gathered by SHRF is subject to this provincial law.
- What is personal Information
SHRF follows the definition of personal information as defined in section 23(1) of The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The following items are included in the list defining “personal information” (refer to The Act for the full list): race, religion, color, gender, family status, disability, age, date of birth, nationality, education, employment history, health status, home address and phone number, business phone number, correspondence submitted explicitly or implicitly in confidence, and views or opinions of another individual with respect to the individual.
- What information SHRF collects
SHRF will collect various types of personal information and strives to collect personal information directly from the individual it pertains to. If you apply to a program offered by SHRF, or if you are part of an application made to SHRF, the applicant may be asked to provide through the application forms and related discussions and submissions with SHRF, certain information pertaining to the application such as:
- Name
- Residential and/or business address
- Phone number
- Email address
- CV details
- Qualifications
- Position & Area of Expertise
- Organization
- Department
- Degree information
- Funding applications
- Assessments of applicants
- Reviews
- Immigration status, work permits, visas
- Conflict of interest
- Progress reporting (annual and final)
- Financial Statements
- Signatures
- Email correspondence
- Authorizations including authorizations from funding partners
- Other demographic information (gender, , date of birth, disability,)
- How SHRF uses this information
SHRF will use personal information collected to assess applicants and their applications including program eligibility requirements and to administer grants, awards, programs and services provided by SHRF.
SHRF may also use appropriate personal information about applications received and proposals approved and funded to report to the public and other organizations providing funding or co-funding to SHRF’s programs
Per section 18 of The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, SHRF will NOT provide access to a record that contains trade secrets or scientific and technical information supplied to SHRF unless the individual consents to such access. Section 17, however, provides full disclosure of the amount of funding provided and application titles for research supported, along with the applicant’s name.
Some specific situations with respect to funding applications are addressed below:
- The comments from peer reviewers about a proposal are provided to applicants through SHRF RMS, attached to the related application. Therefore, all contacts added to the application by the principal applicant have access to the review comments.
- For peer review purposes, applications will be disclosed to review committee members and to external reviewers. SHRF will inform all reviewers of the obligation to maintain confidentiality, as outlined in SHRF’s peer review committee guidelines, and to protect the information entrusted to them.
SHRF may use demographic information as aggregate non-personally identifiable information to measure the inclusiveness of its programs, to inform general SHRF strategic policies, and to disclose in aggregate form to organizations providing funding or co-funding to SHRF programs or as otherwise stated in this document. SHRF does not use demographic information in any way in connection with its funding or approval decisions with respect to applications submitted for programs offered by SHRF (except when such demographic information is explicitly identified as a funding criteria).
We wish to remind you that this Policy applies to personal data that we collect/process through your use of the RMS. It does not apply to any links to third-parties’ websites and/or services, such as third-party applications, that you may encounter when you use the RMS. We encourage you to carefully familiarize yourself with the terms of use and privacy policies applicable to any websites and/or services operated by third parties. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third parties.
The personal data that we collect from you may be transferred to and stored by SHRF. It may also be processed by our staff. By submitting your personal data, you agree to this transfer, storing or processing of your personal data by SHRF for the purposes set out in this Policy.
- How SHRF protects your personal information
We do our utmost to protect user privacy through the appropriate use of security technology. We restrict access to personal data to employees, contractors and agents who need to know such personal data in order to operate, develop or support the services that we provide. We ensure that we have appropriate physical and technological security measures to protect your information; and we ensure that when we outsource any processes that the service provider has appropriate security measures in place.
We will implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risks that are presented by the processing of your personal data. In particular, we will consider the risks presented by accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure of, or access to personal data transmitted, stored or otherwise processed.
Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of any data transmitted to our RMS and any such transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorized access. We are not responsible for any delays, delivery failures, or any other loss or damage resulting from (i) the transfer of data over communications networks and facilities, including the internet, or (ii) any delay or delivery failure on the part of any other service provider not contracted by us, and you acknowledge that the RMS may be subject to limitations, delays and other problems inherent in the use of such communications facilities. You will appreciate that we cannot guarantee the absolute prevention of cyber-attacks such as hacking, spyware and viruses. Accordingly, you will not hold us liable for any unauthorized disclosure, loss or destruction of your personal data arising from such risks.
- Your rights
Your rights with regards to the information we collect are outlined in The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. In general, through the RMS, you have access to your personal information. If, for any reason, you request to access personal information through RMS to which automatic access has been restricted, you have the right to request access from SHRF.
SHRF will generally attempt to accommodate requests for access to information and will encourage requestors to write informally to SHRF. Whenever needed, the formal process outlined in The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act can be followed in case the request was not properly resolved through the informal process.
- Cookies’ Usage
A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your device by a web server which enables a website and/or mobile application to recognize repeat users, facilitate the user's ongoing access to and use of a website and/or mobile app and allows the website and/or mobile app to track usage behaviour and compile aggregate data that will allow content improvements and targeted advertising. We collate information in relation to the Service which is represented in aggregate format through cookies. They help us to improve our service and to deliver many of the functions that make your browser experience more user friendly.
By using the RMS and accepting the terms of this Privacy Policy you are consenting to the use of cookies as described in this Privacy Policy (i.e. you are agreeing to the placement of cookies on your device unless you specifically choose not to receive cookies).
The ‘Help Menu’ on the menu bar of most browsers will tell you how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie and how to disable cookies altogether. You can also disable or delete similar data used by browser add-ons, such as flash cookies, by changing the add-on's settings or visiting the website of its manufacturer.
For more information about cookies and managing them including how to turn them off, please visit www.cookiecentral.com. However, because cookies allow you to take advantage of some of our website’s essential features, we recommend you leave them turned on as otherwise you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of our website or other related websites which you visit.
- Retention
SHRF endeavors to ensure that any personal information collected through the RMS is as accurate, current and complete as necessary for the purposes for which SHRF uses this information. Personal information contained in files that have been closed is not actively updated or maintained. SHRF retains personal information as long as SHRF believes it is necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected.
- How to contact SHRF with regards to your personal information
For inquiries as to your personal information, please send a written request to Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, 324- 111 Research Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3R2 – Attention: SHRF or send an email inquiry to: info@shrf.ca.