1. Introduction
Three Links Co-operative (Barrie) Inc. (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “Three Links Co-operative”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website (threelinkscoop.com) (the “Website”).
By using the Website, you agree to the collection and use of your information as described in this policy.
2. What Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of personal information when you use our Website:
Contact information: name, email address, phone number (for example, if you fill out a contact form or subscribe to a newsletter).
Usage data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent on pages, referring/exit pages, and other analytics data.
Cookies and tracking technologies: we use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to analyze trends, administer the site, track users’ movements, and gather demographic information.
Member information: information you provide when you register for or access the members’ portal (such as login credentials, membership status, and communication preferences).
Other information you provide: any personal data you enter voluntarily, such as when you send us a message via a form, register for an event, or otherwise interact with the site.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
To communicate with you: respond to inquiries, send updates, newsletters, or other information if you opt in.
To improve our Website: analyse usage patterns, enhance user experience, and optimize content and layout.
For operational purposes: manage and maintain the Website, enforce our terms of use, and provide support.
To manage memberships: verify eligibility, provide access to member-only features, and facilitate communications with members.
For legal and security reasons: protect against fraudulent use, ensure the security of the site, and comply with legal obligations.
4. Members’ Portal
The Members’ Portal is a restricted area of the Website that is accessible only to approved members of Three Links Co-operative (Barrie) Inc. Access requires a valid username and password.
Information posted or shared within the Members’ Portal — such as meeting minutes, internal communications, announcements, and resources — is intended solely for use by members. This content should not be copied, shared, or distributed outside the Co-operative without express authorization from the Board or management.
We collect and use personal information within the Members’ Portal only for purposes related to membership administration, communication, and participation in Co-operative activities.
Examples include:
Verifying membership status and login credentials.
Managing user access to member-only materials.
Sharing updates, notices, and cooperative-related information with members.
All information within the Members’ Portal is treated as confidential and protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
5. Legal Basis & Consent
We collect and use your personal information only with your consent (for example, when you submit a form or join as a member) or when necessary for legitimate business purposes (e.g., website analytics, security, or membership administration).
By providing personal information to us, you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of that information as described in this Privacy Policy. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us (see “Contact Us” below), though this may affect our ability to provide certain services.
6. Cookies, Tracking & Third-Party Tools
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on our Website. These tools help us:
Gauge how visitors use the site (which pages are popular, how users navigate, etc.).
Recognize you when you return to the Website.
Provide more personalized content.
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that if you refuse or disable cookies, some parts of the Website may not function properly.
We may also use third-party services (e.g., Google Analytics) to analyze how our site is used. These third parties may collect certain information about your use of the Website to help us understand usage patterns and improve our services.
7. Disclosure of Your Information
We may disclose your personal information:
To third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf (e.g., hosting, analytics, email sending), under contractual obligations to protect your data.
To comply with legal obligations, such as responding to a subpoena, court order, or legal process.
To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users.
In connection with a business transaction, such as a merger, sale, or acquisition, provided that the party acquiring your data agrees to protect it under terms at least as protective as this Privacy Policy.
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected (as described in this policy), unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.
9. Security
We take reasonable organizational, technical, and administrative measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include encryption, access controls, and secure data storage.
However, no method of transmission over the Internet or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
10. Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction and applicable law, you may have the following rights with respect to your personal information:
Access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: ask us to correct or update inaccurate or incomplete information.
Withdrawal of consent: withdraw consent for certain uses of your data (where consent was the basis for processing).
Deletion: request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal or contractual restrictions).
Restriction: ask us to limit the processing of your personal information.
Complaint: lodge a complaint with us or with a relevant data protection authority.
To exercise these rights, please contact us (see below).
11. Children
Our Website is not intended for use by children under the age of 13 (or as otherwise required by local law). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected personal information from a child, please contact us, and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will:
Post the new version on this page.
Indicate the date of “Last updated” at the top of the policy.
If the changes are significant, we may provide more prominent notice (e.g., via a banner on our Website).
Your continued use of the Website after those changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
13. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, or you wish to exercise your rights, you may contact:
Three Links Co-operative (Barrie) Inc.
333 Sunnidale Rd, Barrie, ON L4N 6H5