Privacy Policy

This policy (the “Privacy Policy”) applies to information that personally identifies you (“You”) (other than publicly available information) (“personal information”), that is collected by AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST, a federal non-share not-for-profit corporation incorporated pursuant to the laws of Canada (“AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST”), on www.agoraopensciencetrust.org or any other AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST web properties (together, the “Website”), or that is otherwise provided by You to AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST.  The objectives of this Privacy Policy are (1) to notify You about how AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST collects, uses, and discloses personal information, and (2) to ensure that AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST complies with current privacy legislation in Canada.

USE OF THE WEBSITE OR PROVISION OF ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION CONSTITUTES AGREEMENT TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY.  BY PROVIDING PERSONAL INFORMATION TO AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST, YOU ALLOW DEEMED CONSENT TO THE COLLECTION, USE, AND DISCLOSURE OF YOUR INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS PRIVACY POLICY.  DO NOT USE THE WEBSITE OR PROVIDE PERSONAL INFORMATION (OR ALLOW OTHERS TO DO SO ON YOUR BEHALF) IF YOU (AND YOUR PRINCIPAL, IF YOU ARE ACTING AS AN AGENT) DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS PRIVACY POLICY.

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. As a result, You are responsible for reading this Privacy Policy each time You visit the Website or otherwise provide personal information, in order to be informed of possible changes. If the Privacy Policy changes, and personal information is collected for a purpose that is different from that stated at the time that it was originally collected, You may choose whether the information previously collected can be used for such additional purposes.  Each time the Privacy Policy is modified, the date of the Privacy Policy will be updated to reflect that changes were made.

Type of Information Collected

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST may collect some information automatically from visitors to the Website through the use of “cookies”, “web beacons”, and other tracking mechanisms in order to permit better and easier use of the Website and for statistical and analytical purposes.  For example, AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST may collect Your domain name and host for internet access; the internet address of the website from which You arrived; the date and time of Your access; Your computer’s IP address and information about its operating system, browser, and host; and the pages You visit.  You can set Your browser to disable cookies, but some pages and services within the Website may not work properly, or may not allow You access, if You do this.

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST may request that You provide personal information to it, including (but not limited to) when You register for its mailing list; when you sign a support statement or petition in support of its mission or programmatic objectives; when You make or inquire about making a donation; when You are applying for, negotiating, receiving, or reporting on AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST funding; or when You are applying for a job.  Such requested personal information may include (but is not necessarily limited to) Your name(s), location(s), email address(es), personal address(es), business address(es), employer(s) and/or organizational affiliation(s), language(s), job title(s) and/or position(s), age(s), personal identification documents, and phone number(s).  AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST may also collect personal information about You from public sources.  You may also provide AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST with personal information without having been requested to do so.

It is Your choice, or the choice of anyone acting for You, whether or not to provide personal information.  Some personal information must be provided, however, if, as examples, You wish to sign up for the AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST mailing list, sign a support statement or petition, apply for funding, make a donation, or participate in certain programs or activities.

Please exercise good judgment about the appropriateness of the personal information You submit.  Do not provide personal information about others unless You are authorized or required to do so by applicable law or contract and You consent to the Privacy Policy on behalf of Yourself and the person about whom You provide personal information.  By submitting any personal information about others, You represent and warrant that You are authorized to do so.  If applicable law allows or requires You to supply the information without authorization, You represent and warrant that You have abided by that law and that it allows AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST to receive and disclose the information under this Privacy Policy without any further action on the part of AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST.  You agree to indemnify and hold harmless AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST against any failure by You to comply with this requirement.

You may withdraw consent to the use of personal information at any time (subject to reasonable notice and the legal obligations to which AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST is subject) by contacting AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST using the contact information provided below.  After You have withdrawn consent, subsequent access to the Website by You, registration for the mailing list by You, or provision of personal information by You shall be deemed to once again constitute Your consent and agreement to this Privacy Policy.  If You do not consent to the collection and use of personal information described herein, please do not access the Website, register for the mailing list, or provide any personal information to AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST. 

Use of Personal Information

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST typically uses personal information to pursue its mission and operations and to engage in the activities for which it collects the information.  AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST may use the personal information collected by it for all lawful purposes, including to, inter alia:

  • Correspond with You

  • Respond to any questions or requests by You

  • Contact You about material changes to our terms or policies

  • Inform You about any relevant AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST news and information, or any relevant news or information of AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST’s partners or affiliates

  • Process and review funding applications or provide You with status updates on Your application

  • Contact You about opportunities to donate in support of AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST’s work

  • Invite you to events that may be of interest to You

  • Conduct advocacy in support of AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST’s mission and programmatic objects, for example when You have completed or submitted a relevant support statement or petition

  • Comply with the law

  • For other purposes related to the mandate of AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST.

In some cases, we may aggregate Your information with information obtained from other people, for example in order to report on campaigns.  We may count the number of people who donate or sign a support statement or petition based on e.g. their location or postal code. 

Disclosure of Personal Information

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST reserves the right to disclose personal information to partners, service providers, and others connected to AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST’s mission and operations, so long as such disclosure is consistent with applicable law.  As examples, AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST may disclose personal information to funding partners (AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST may partner with other organizations to develop, fund and administer grant programs) and third-party contractors, consultants and experts.

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST must also disclose personal information when required by law. For example, if AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST is presented with a search warrant or other legal order, or if personal information is requested from an investigative body in relation to a breach of the law, personal information may be disclosed.

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST may also post certain information about You (for example, Your name, title, organizational affiliation, location by province, etc.) on the Website in a way that is visible to other visitors, or may otherwise share such information about You with third parties or the public in connection with its advocacy initiatives, if You have completed or submitted a support statement or petition on the Website or otherwise to AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST.  For example (without limitation), we may compile, post on the Website, or otherwise disclose publicly a list of those persons who support a particular statement, policy position, or initiative of AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST.  

Protection of Privacy and Personal Information

Personal information will be processed and used for the purposes for which You have given it.  The processing of personal information will be carried out using both paper and electronic tools. With respect to the processing of personal information, You will be entitled to do the following:

  • Obtain confirmation as to whether or not personal information relating to You has been collected, and whether such information is being used and/or disclosed to third parties

  • Request the deletion of (i) Your personal information which was collected, used or disclosed unlawfully, and (ii) personal information which was been collected but that is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected

  • Request updating, rectification or, where applicable, completion of Your personal information

  • Request a statement confirming that the operations requested above were performed.

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST endeavours to maintain appropriate physical, procedural, and technical safeguards for your personal information. Some information we collect may be stored and processed on servers located outside Your jurisdiction of residence, including outside Your country. As a result, this information may be subject to disclosure to governments, courts, or law enforcement agencies in those areas, according to their laws, without notice to us or You.

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST will disclose breaches of Your personal information, as required by provincial and federal law in Canada.  If AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST is required to provide You with notice of a breach, You agree that AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST may do so when required by posting notice on the Website or sending notice to any email address You have provided.  You agree that notice to You will count as notice to others for whom You are acting, and agree to pass the notice on to them.

The Website may contain links to websites owned and operated by other organizations.  They may have their own privacy policies and terms and conditions and are not governed by this Privacy Policy.  We encourage You to carefully review the privacy policy and terms of use of each website You visit.

Retention of Information

AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST will retain personal information as long as it is necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and as required by law, after which time, the information will be deleted and destroyed.

For further information on our Privacy Policy, please contact AGORA OPEN SCIENCE TRUST at our email address info@agoraopensciencetrust.org or by mail:

Agora Open Science Trust
MaRS South Tower
101 College St, Suite 700
Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 

Last modified: January 6, 2020