Protecting your personal information is important to us. We invite you to take a moment to find out what our Privacy Policy is all about. It applies to the use of the Web site https://www.laboratoiregmf.com and describes how we use and protect the personal information we collect through technological means.
By browsing on our Web site, you consent to the use of your personal information in compliance with this Policy.
For the purpose of this Policy, the concept of personal information is defined by the Act Respecting the Protection of Personal Information in the Private Sector, CQLR chapter P-39.1 (the “Québec Private Sector Privacy Act”).
We abide by these rules to protect your privacy and to comply with our legal obligations.
To Whom Does this Policy Apply?
The rules described in this Policy apply to you if we collect your personal information through technological means in the context of our activities.
Your Consent
When we collect, use and transmit your personal information, we always do so for specific purposes.
Consent to the collecting, use and transmitting of personal information is obtained before or at the time the information is collected, except in other cases and conditions prescribed by law. Consent is valid only for the time required to fulfill the purposes for which it was requested.
Depending on the nature and sensitivity of the personal information, consent may be explicit (for example, it can be given verbally, in writing, or through electronic means) or implied (for example, when you voluntarily provide personal information).
We always ensure that we comply with the purposes for which we have collected your personal information. In the event we would consider using or transmitting this information for other purposes, we will seek your consent unless the law already authorizes us to do so.
What Personal Information Do We Collect?
We consider “personal information” any information that concerns you and identifies you directly or indirectly (for example, by associating it to other information) and which is not public within the meaning of the Québec Private Sector Privacy Act.
We collect two categories of personal information about you:
Information that You Provide Voluntarily
Personal information which you provide to us either in person, by telephone, by email, or when filling out a form on our Web site in the following situations:
- Request for information, price quote or to register
- Supply of services or sale of products
- During a chat session, if our Web site includes this function during your visit
- During an exchange of written correspondence, email, telephone calls or in person
The type of information collected may include, without limitation:
- Your first and last names
- Your telephone number and email address
- Your home or professional address
- Title and position
- Language of correspondence
- Payment information
When You Browse on our Web Site
Site Usage Data
Usage data is collected during use of the Web site. It includes notably:
- Your computer’s IP (Internet Protocol) address when it accesses our site
- Web pages that are consulted
- Type of browser used to access the site
- Date and time of access
- Location data (approximate)
Tracking Technologies and Cookies
The Web site may use cookies (data files) that allow it to gather statistics and information about Web site traffic, facilitate browsing and improve service for the user’s comfort. Some of these cookies are automatically deleted after your browsing session, but others may remain on your computer for up to 24 months or until they are deleted.
The chart below explains what types of cookies are used and why:
| Strictly Necessary | Necessary cookies do not store any data that identifies you personally and are essential for the proper functioning of the site. They cannot be disabled. |
| Performance | Performance cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the Web site and help provide information on the number of visitors, the traffic source, etc. This helps us refine the Web site’s user experience. |
| Marketing | Marketing cookies are used to enhance the relevance of the ads presented to you. They also help us evaluate the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and prevent the same ads from reappearing repeatedly. |
| Functionality | These cookies help improve Web site experience, but are not essential for its use. Without them, some features (such as language selection, video display) might become inaccessible. |
| Unclassified | Unclassified cookies are cookies that do not belong to any other category or are in the process of categorization. |
It is possible to manage the use of cookie files on the Web site by clicking here.
You have the option to install a browser extension to deactivate Google Analytics, which will prevent JavaScript code (ga.js., analytics.js and dc.js) from transmitting information to Google Analytics about your visits to the Web site. More information here.
Use of Personal Information
We use personal information for the following purposes, among others:
- In order to provide our services and conduct our business, to fulfill our obligations as a result of any agreement entered between you and our company;
- In order to contact you. When required or reasonable, we will communicate with you by email, telephone, SMS or other to advise you of the functionalities, products, services or updates that might interest you;
- In order to make it easier to use our Web site and to ensure its content is relevant, as well as to ensure our Web sites’ content is presented in the manner that is most efficient for you and your device;
- In order to ask for your opinion about the products or services received. If you share a testimonial about our company, our products, or our services, it may be used on this site or elsewhere on the Web;
- For the purpose of acquiring statistical data and performance analyses on our Web site, notably through the use of performance analytics cookies.
- For purposes of marketing and business development in order to improve our marketing efforts, such as the use of targeted advertising that is adapted to your individual needs and interests;
- To create user accounts;
- To process and collect payments which are owed to us and, as the need arises, to implement such collection proceedings through the use of debt collection agencies;
- To fulfill and comply with our legal obligations.
Our organization is allowed to use personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected unless you consent otherwise or if the use is otherwise permitted by law.
However, we may use personal information for another purpose without your consent, notably in the following cases:
- When it is used for purposes which are compatible with those for which it was collected;
- When its use is manifestly intended for the advantage and benefit of the person in question;
- When its use is necessary for the application of a law of the province of Québec whether this use is expressly provided by law or not.
Sharing Personal Information
We limit the information we share with our partners or service providers to solely the information they reasonably require in order to perform their functions.
Outside suppliers: In order to conduct our business successfully, we may need to share some of your personal information with third parties belonging to the following categories, among others:
- Technological services (applications, data centres, data storage and backup, computer maintenance and support services);
- Professional services;
- Financial and banking services;
- Communications and advertising services;
- Courier services;
- Data analytics and marketing services.
As a general rule, the providers we work with will only collect, use or reveal your information to the extent this is needed for them to provide their services to us.
In all cases, our organization has implemented reasonable means to make sure the provider to whom the personal information is transmitted has measures in place so as to maintain the confidentiality and security of personal information.
According to the Québec Private Sector Privacy Act, your personal information may be shared by the organization without your consent to the following persons, among others:
- A person or an organization having the power to compel its communication and who requires it in the exercise of their functions;
- A person to whom such communication must imperatively be made because of an urgent situation endangering the life, health or safety of the person in question;
- A person who is authorized by law to recover a third party’s debt and who requires it for this purpose in the performance of their duties;
- A person to whom it is necessary to transmit the information pursuant to an applicable law;
- If this becomes indispensable in order to conclude a commercial transaction, we could also share personal information with the other party to the transaction, without the prior consent of the person concerned.
In this last case, an agreement will first be concluded with the other party, stipulating notably that the latter undertakes to: 1° use the information solely for the purpose of concluding the commercial transaction; 2° refrain from sharing the information without the consent of the person concerned, unless the present law allows it; 3° take the necessary measures to ensure the information’s confidential nature is protected; 4° destroy the information if the commercial transaction is not concluded or if the use of the information is no longer required for the purpose of concluding the commercial transaction.
Your information may be transferred to—and stored on—computers or servers that are located outside your state, province, country or jurisdiction, and where data protection laws may differ from those that are in force where you live.
Before we share your personal information, we take protective measures. We conduct an evaluation of the factors relating to your privacy, and during this process we examine all the elements that may have an impact on your privacy and assess whether this information will be sufficiently protected.
In all cases, our organization implements reasonable measures to ensure that the supplier to whom the personal information is transmitted has implemented sufficient measures so as to maintain the confidentiality and security of personal information.
Conservation and Destruction of Personal Information
Regardless of the medium used to store the personal information collected, all such information is stored in a secured environment.
To that effect, personal information is conserved for the amount of time needed to fulfill the purpose its collection was intended for, as well as to allow us to fulfill our duty of conservation described in the Québec Private Sector Privacy Act and in our conservation calendar.
The information will then be destroyed in a secure manner. Physical media will be destroyed appropriately, whereas electronic media will be erased or anonymized so that it is not possible to retrieve the information.
Internal Access to Personal Information—Roles and Responsibilities
Your personal information will only be accessible to our controlling companies, branches, affiliated companies, parent companies and/or our associated agents, to the extent this is necessary for the fulfillment of their mandates.
To that effect, only the staff members requiring access to your personal information in the performance of their duties shall be authorized such access.
Staff members whose functions require them to process personal information are trained so as to guarantee better protection of the personal information and the rights of their holders.
Security of Personal Information
We have implemented a series of physical, technical or administrative measures to prevent unauthorized or abusive access or use, disclosure, loss or alteration of the personal information that you have provided to us. The protection of your information is our priority. However, it is essential to recognize that no method of transmission on the Internet or of electronic storage is 100% secure. We undertake to apply commercially recognized solutions to preserve the security of your information, but are not able to guarantee its absolute security.
Any staff member having reason to believe that a confidentiality incident involving personal information held by our organization shall immediately inform the Person in Charge of the Protection of Personal Information (“PCPPI”).
The PCPPI must take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of harm to the people concerned and to avoid the recurrence of further incidents of the same nature.
In the event of a security incident involving the risk of serious harm, this event shall be promptly communicated to the Commission d’accès à l’information. We shall take all corrective and remedial measures required in such a situation.
We are not liable for the loss or deletion of data by users. Similarly, we accept no liability for eventual damages that may occur as a result of computer viruses, unauthorized intrusion or hacking.
Right of Access, Correction or Withdrawal
You may, at any time,
- Have access to your personal information or submit a request to correct or destroy them;
- Request the withdrawal of your consent to the use, communication and conservation of your personal information;
- Exercise these rights by submitting a written request by email to the PCPPI or by written correspondence sent to the postal address indicated at the end of this Policy;
- Request a copy of your personal data and information in an accessible format.
We may ask you to provide information required to validate your identity as the holder of the personal information in question.
Take note that some personal information may not be deleted if this could harm the legitimate rights or interests of third parties, or if there is a legal obligation in force to keep the information.
Updates to this Privacy Policy
As laws on the protection of personal information and our manner of using cookies may be modified from time to time, our policy statement in this matter may likewise be modified without notice.
These changes shall come into effect on the date they are published on our Web site or when they are communicated to you by any other means. Consequently, we encourage you to examine them each time you consult the Web site so as to remain informed on how we process personal information.
Questions, Complaints, or Comments
The present Privacy Policy is approved by the Person in Charge of the Protection of Personal Information.
If you have any questions or wish to comment on the subject of this Policy, exercise your rights, submit a complaint or obtain information about our practices in relation to our service providers located outside Canada, it is possible to contact our PCPPI using the contact information below:
Person in Charge of the Protection of Personal Information
Venka Loiseau
438-404-6436
7485, Avenue Duplessis
Saint-Hyacinthe
[email protected]
This Privacy Policy comes into effect as of April 24, 2024.