Privacy Policy

Information on how we protect your personal information and disclose information to the public.

Who we are and why we may collect your information

Located on the east coast of Canada, Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites is an initiative of the Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub (GSBH). GSBH is a not-for-profit organization focused on accelerating the growth of Nova Scotia’s low-carbon bioeconomy.

Our objectives include working with businesses locally and internationally to:

  1. promote economic growth and business and social enterprise expansion in the Province of Nova Scotia;
  2. attract investment to the Province of Nova Scotia; and
  3. connect businesses in the Province of Nova Scotia with export markets and opportunities outside the Province.

From time to time, we may collect and use your contact information to reach out in relation to our objectives either directly by our employees or through digital automation and email campaigns. You will always be given an opportunity to opt-out of our email marketing campaigns.

The Government of Nova Scotia’s privacy information practices for websites and online services applies to Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites. By using Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites websites and online services, you accept the terms of the Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites Privacy statement and the privacy statement on the Government website.

Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites has a legal duty to protect your personal information, whether you are browsing for information or conducting business with us through electronic channels.  Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites’s handling of personal information is governed by legislation, including the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) Act as well as regulation and policies, including: the Personal Information International Disclosure Protection Act (PIIDPA), and the Canada Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). 

Where personal information is being collected using a web-based tool, secure connections are used, and the purpose for the collection will be stated.

Please note our website provides links to other sites that are not covered by our privacy policy or this statement.

Routine Access Policy

Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites’ information access and privacy matters are administered by the province’s Information Access and Privacy Services.

The purpose of our Routine Access Policy is to provide a proactive approach to accessing information that reflects the spirit of openness and accountability embodied in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) Act.

Schedule “A” of our Routine Access Policy identifies categories of records and information available on a routine access basis. To request access to information through the Routine Access Policy, please contact Information Access and Privacy Services. 

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

To request access to records not listed under our Routine Access Policy, a formal application may be submitted under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) Act. To obtain information about the FOIPOP application process and related fees, please contact Information Access and Privacy Services.

To request access to your personal information collected by Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites or to file a complaint about Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites’ privacy practices, please contact Information Access and Privacy Services. EU residents, contact us about GDPR-related privacy rights at info@novascotiainnovationhub.com.

ADDITIONAL WEBSITE PRIVACY-RELATED INFORMATION

Beyond the Government of Nova Scotia Website Privacy Statement, the following information is unique to your interaction with Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites websites and outlines the control and processing of the information we collect.

Where is your information stored?
Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites websites use both Government of Nova Scotia servers and cloud-based service provider servers, in Canada and internationally, to store website content and information collected through online forms.

What information does Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites collect?
We may collect personal information through online forms (or links to forms) or fillable PDFs available on our website or through a service provider. These forms collect information related to our objectives and may include:  Name, title, company name, phone number, email, and other related information required to deliver and administer our programs and services, process contact requests, send surveys, email marketing campaigns, digital automation, trend analysis, and event registrations.

Beyond the website, we may also collect and store your information through interactions with our employees over the phone, in-person or through email and other online, social media connections.

Will my information be shared with any third parties?
Information we collect may be shared with service providers for processing purposes and third parties or partners responsible for the applicable business opportunity or industry sector, and to enable Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites to analyze trends. Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites service providers are required to comply with Government of Nova Scotia privacy laws in providing services to Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites. (See below for a list of current third-party website applications and processors used to deliver our website experience and store data collected.)

How long will the information be stored?
Our retention periods depend on the purpose for which the information is collected. Generally, this will be 1-7 years after the end of any business transaction or program delivery, indefinitely where required by law, or until you request to have your information removed.

Your rights
You have the right to be informed of how your information will be used, the right to access your information and rectify it, and the right to erase your information from our systems at any time. You also have the right to restrict our processing of your data, object to its use and restrict profiling in relation to automated decision-making. You can contact us with any questions or concerns. If you are a natural resident of the EU, please contact us by email at info@novascotiainnovationhub.com to request access to your information and submit requests related to your rights.

Cookies
Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites websites use cookies, which are small pieces of data that web pages place on computers to assist in tracking activity on our websites. This information helps us identify what visitors are interested in, so that we may continually work towards providing useful and relevant content. It is possible to change the settings on a web browser to deny cookies or to warn when cookies will be deposited.

Our cookies pop-up notice will appear at the bottom of our site the first time you visit, and you will be prompted to review our privacy statement and cookies notice. By clicking the “X” and / or continuing to use the website you will indicate your consent to accept  our cookies. For more information on the types of cookies we use, review our Cookies Notice.

Third-party web applications
Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites websites use a variety of web applications, including, Google Analytics, Google Maps, Youtube, Vimeo, Infogram, Squarespace, and AddThis to provide visitors with relevant information and enhance the online experience. Through these applications, IP addresses and other system and browser information may be shared through a cookie. You can decline providing the information by refusing cookies in your browser. However, this may prevent personalized services from being provided and you may not be able to take full advantage of all the features available.

Further information on Google applications and Google’s policies on the protection of personal information, can be found through Google’s Privacy FAQ. Refer also to the VimeoInfogram, and AddThis Privacy Policy to learn more about their commitment to privacy.

Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to collect site usage data in aggregate to monitor the user experience and measure visitation patterns. Our instance of Google Analytics uses Google’s IP anonymization/masking feature through Google Tag Manager which takes place as soon as data is received by Google’s Analytics Collection Network, and before any storage or processing takes place. This means your complete IP address is not processed or stored by Google nor shared with us. We have also enabled relevant GDPR-related compliance features offered by Google and no personal information is collected through our use of Google Analytics.

Google Remarketing
Google uses these cookies to show relevant adverts to users who have previously visited our website, as they browse other websites. To opt out from Google’s remarketing program, please edit your Google Ad Settings.

Facebook
Cookies and pixels are used to understand and deliver ads and make them more relevant to you. We may also use a cookie to learn whether someone who saw an ad on Facebook later visited our website.

Salesforce
Salesforce is our customer relationship management platform. Information collected through our online forms, applications, registrations, and through interaction with Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites employees may be stored in Salesforce on servers within Canada and made available to Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites employees and our providers and partners for the purpose for which it was collected. Please review the Salesforce privacy policy and terms of service for more information. Data collection for Salesforce may use 3rd party integrated online form and event registration tools by FormTitan and Fonteva, respectively. All submissions are encrypted when collected and saved directly to Nova Scotia Bioeconomy Sites’s Salesforce database on Canadian data centres. By default, your information is not saved on FormTitan or Fonteva servers.

Microsoft Office
Information collected through our website and collaborative interaction may be processed and stored on Microsoft Office cloud-based services and Azure web services in North America. We have implemented a variety of security measures to ensure that your personal information is not lost, misused, altered, or unintentionally destroyed.

Videoconferencing
For virtual meetings and events, we use Microsoft Teams which stores data within Microsoft’s Canadian data centres and uses Teams web services in North America.  We also use Zoom Video Communications with our storage and services restricted to Canadian data centres.