Privacy Policy

1. Introduction and Scope

Birchwood Rest ("we," "us," or "our") operates a residential boarding home located at 47 Rosedale Valley Road, Toronto, ON M4W 1P7, Canada. This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through our website at birchwoo.biz and through direct enquiries made by telephone, email, or in person.

We comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Ontario privacy obligations. If you have any concerns about how your information is handled, please contact us at [email protected].

2. Information We Collect

2a. Information You Provide Directly

When you contact us, complete an enquiry form, or communicate with our team, we may collect:

• Full name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Message content and enquiry details
• Relationship to a prospective resident (e.g., son, daughter, personal representative)

2b. Information Collected Automatically

Our website may collect certain technical data when you visit, including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and duration of visit. This information is collected via analytics tools and is used only to understand general patterns of website use.

2c. Sensitive Information

We do not solicit detailed health or medical information through our website. If relevant health context is shared voluntarily during an enquiry conversation, it is treated with appropriate discretion and used only to help assess whether our non-medical residential arrangements are a suitable fit.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

• Responding to enquiries: To reply to questions submitted via our contact form or by phone and email
• Arranging visits: To coordinate in-person viewings of the home
• Resident onboarding: Where an individual proceeds to residency, to establish the arrangements and maintain appropriate records
• Service communication: To communicate updates or information relevant to the arrangements in place
• Website improvement: To understand general patterns of site usage and improve the information we provide

Our legal bases for processing are: consent (where you submit an enquiry form or contact us), legitimate interest (for website analytics and service improvement), and contractual necessity (for information necessary to manage a residency arrangement).

4. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as reasonably necessary:

• General enquiries that do not lead to residency: up to 12 months
• Residency records: for the duration of the residency plus 3 years, to meet legal and administrative obligations
• Website analytics data: anonymised and retained in aggregate form

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell personal information. We may share it with:

• Our staff: Limited to those who need it to respond to your enquiry or manage a residency
• Service providers: Such as our website hosting provider and email platform, who process data on our behalf under confidentiality obligations
• Authorities: Where required by law or to respond to a lawful request

We do not share personal information with third-party marketing companies or advertisers.

6. How We Protect Your Information

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, theft, and unauthorised access. Measures include:

• Encrypted email and web communications (HTTPS/TLS)
• Restricted internal access to personal data files
• Physical security for paper-based records held on premises
• Staff awareness of privacy responsibilities

In the event of a data breach that poses a real risk of significant harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada as required under PIPEDA.

7. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to support basic functionality and optional analytics. Essential cookies are necessary for the site to operate. Optional cookies — including analytics cookies — are only placed with your consent. You can manage your preferences at any time via our Cookie Policy page.

8. Your Rights Under PIPEDA

Under Canadian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Know what personal information we hold about you
• Request access to that information
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Withdraw consent for non-essential processing
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) at www.priv.gc.ca

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites (such as the City of Toronto or community organisations). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their policies independently.

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18 years of age. If you believe a minor has submitted information to us, please contact us so we can remove it promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we do, the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page will be revised. Continued use of our website following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions or requests:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: +1 (416) 847-3291
• Address: Birchwood Rest, 47 Rosedale Valley Road, Toronto, ON M4W 1P7, Canada