Introduction

The City of Nelson is strongly committed to protecting the privacy of its user community. The intent of this privacy policy is to clarify what information may be obtained about users of the City of Nelson website, how this information is used and our disclosure practices.  Please note that this information may be updated at any time in order to address new issues and reflect changes on our website. We will post those changes here as they occur, so you will always be aware of our current policies. This privacy policy applies only to the City of Nelson website and not to other community, company or organization sites to which we provide links.

Site usage information

Every computer connected to the Internet is given a domain name and an IP (Internet Protocol) address, containing a set of numbers. This information reveals nothing personal about the visitor.

When a visitor requests a page from within the City of Nelson website,  our web servers automatically recognize that computers' IP address and domain name. Such data is used in the aggregate to help determine general usage patterns and fine-tune layout patterns to ensure our site is as user-friendly as possible. This information is not collected or evaluated for individuals and our web servers do not automatically record e-mail addresses.

Cookie technology

From time to time, the City of Nelson may send a “cookie” to your computer. A cookie is a small piece of data that is sent to your browser from a web server and stored on your computer's hard drive. A cookie  cannot:

• Read data off your hard disk; 
• Read cookie files created by other web sites; 
• Damage your system. 

The City of Nelson website may utilize cookie technology to aid visitors in filling out forms or ensuring that requested information is not sent to the visitor more than once.

You can choose whether to accept cookies by changing the settings of your browser. You can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or allow your browser to show you when a cookie is being sent. If you choose not to accept these cookies, your experience at our site and other websites may be diminished and some features may not work as intended.

What else should I know about my online privacy?

The City of Nelson website contains many links to many external websites. The City of Nelson is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites. Please check with those sites to determine their privacy policy.

Please keep in mind that whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information online—for example through e-mail, discussion lists or elsewhere—that information can be collected and used by others. In short, if you post personal information online that is accessible to the public, you may receive unsolicited messages from other parties in return. Ultimately, you are solely responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your personal information. Please be careful and responsible whenever you are online.

Security

The City of Nelson exercises care and due diligence in managing,  transmitting and securing personal information once we receive it. We have taken careful measures to secure both your information and our physical premises. This may include access to an on-site office, secure access levels to databases or the use of passwords and encryption.  However, it is important for you to know that data transmission over the  Internet is not 100 percent secure. Despite our efforts, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk.

Disclosure policy

The City of Nelson does not share any of the individually identifiable information you may provide with the sites to which the  City of Nelson links. We may, however, share aggregate data with such websites (such as how many people use our site).

Your personal information may be disclosed without your consent if the  City of Nelson has reason to believe that doing so is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against anyone damaging,  injuring or interfering with our rights, property, users or anyone else who may be harmed by such activities. We will also disclose your information without your consent where we are required by law.

Links to other websites

Our privacy policy only applies to the City of Nelson website. It does not apply to external sites that you may connect to from our site.

We recommend that you read the privacy policy of any website before you divulge individually identifiable information, to understand how they manage personal information. We are not responsible for the content or practices of websites operated by third parties that are linked to our sites. These links are provided as a service to our visitors. Unless otherwise stated, they do not constitute our endorsement, sponsorship or approval of their content, policies or practices.

Acceptance

By accessing any of the pages within the City of Nelson website, you signify your acceptance of our privacy policy. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use our website. Your continued use of the  City of Nelson website following the posting of changes to these terms will mean that you accept those changes.

Where the information you are providing to us is sensitive, your consent must be expressed. The following are examples of expressed  consent:

• Clicking on the submit button on a form that includes individually identifiable information 
• Sending an e-mail requesting a product or service 

The manner in which your consent is granted may vary depending on the sensitivity of the information that you are providing to us. Where the information is less sensitive, implied consent will be considered appropriate.

For more information please visit the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia.

Online Payments

The City of Nelson uses a third-party vendor to accept payments for specific services. All funds are taken in CND. Payment Methods: VISA,  MasterCard. Information gathered can be used to verify payment status and may be forwarded to appropriate agencies or groups as required.

Refund Policy

We do not offer any refunds or transfers.