Privacy Policy

1. SCOPE AND APPLICATION
2. WHY WE COLLECT INFORMATION
3. THE INFORMATION WE COLLECT
4. HOW INFORMATION IS STORED AND SHARED 
5. HYPERLINKS AND THIRD PARTIES
6. SECURITY AND STORAGE
7. YOUR RIGHTS
8. CONTACT US

This personal data protection policy (the "Policy") governs the collection, use, sharing, and storage of information obtained by AQT concerning the following individuals (collectively, "you"):

i. Those who register and interact with AQT as members (the "members"); ii. Those who access or use the website (the "users"); iii. Those who apply for or hold employment at AQT (the "employees"); iv. Those who act as service providers to AQT; or v. Those who communicate with us, whether by email, phone, social media, or any other method.

BY ACCESSING THE WEBSITE OR OTHERWISE PROVIDING PERSONAL INFORMATION TO US, YOU CONSENT TO THE COLLECTION, USE, SHARING, AND STORAGE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION UNDER THE TERMS SET OUT IN THIS POLICY.

1. SCOPE AND APPLICATION

The term "personal information" refers to any information that, when taken alone or combined with other data, allows the identification of an individual. For example, this can include name, date of birth, email address, and any other information that must be treated as "personal information" in accordance with applicable laws.

AQT reserves the right to change this Policy at any time without prior notice. The current and up-to-date version of the Policy is available on the website, with the date of the last update indicated. If changes are made that significantly increase privacy risks or change the protection of personal information, we will notify you via an announcement on the website's homepage or contact you directly, as required by law. If you continue to use the website after such changes take effect, you will be deemed to have accepted the updated Policy. We recommend you regularly review this Policy.
This Policy is an integral part of the website's Terms of Use, which govern your use of the website.

2. WHY WE COLLECT INFORMATION

The personal information we collect and use is mainly for the following purposes:

• To provide our services to members within a transparent and efficient internal administration;
• To ensure proper management of human resources for our employees;
• To enable users to access and use the website properly;
• To process requests from users, members, and employees, including inquiries;
• To share personal information with our members, partners, and internal service providers;
• To conduct and facilitate research, recruitment, and candidate selection and to communicate with them;
• To evaluate, optimize, and improve the services offered to AQT members, the content available, and the website's features;
• To communicate with you regarding AQT activities, any issues, requests, or needs you've raised, your experience with our services or website;
• To offer advertising content to users, including "retargeting" (or "remarketing"), and improve our advertisements and website content to make them more relevant to the audience; and
• To track your use of website features.

We only use the personal information for the purposes for which it was collected.

3. THE INFORMATION WE COLLECT

AQT may also collect certain personal information to identify and contact you when necessary, which you voluntarily provide when you register as a member or apply for a job. This may include your full name, date of birth, contact details (postal address, email address, phone number, preferred language), employer name and job title, your résumé, and certain financial information for membership dues payment.

When you access and use the website, AQT may collect certain data related to your usage, such as features used, sections visited, or any other data allowing us to identify the operating system of the device you use. This data cannot be used to personally identify you. We may use third-party performance tools, such as Google Analytics, to collect non-personally identifiable information like the browser and operating system you use and the domain name from which you accessed the website. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect statistical data in aggregate form, to analyze how visitors use a website. You can disable the collection of data by Google Analytics by using the browser add-on for Google Analytics opt-out available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. For more information about Google Analytics and how it handles your personal information, you can consult their Privacy Policy at https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/.

Additionally, when you visit the websites, we may introduce a data file on your device, such as a cookie, pixel tags (very small graphic elements), or a similar file. These files allow us to store certain information about your use of the website, including the date of your most recent visit, pages viewed, and files downloaded. They help us tailor the website to better meet the interests and preferences of our users. These files may also be used by AQT for targeted marketing to present content or ads that we believe may be of interest to you based on your browsing behavior. You have the option to disable these cookies by managing your browser settings.

4. HOW INFORMATION IS STORED AND SHARED

AQT retains personal information for a reasonable period either to provide you with access to the website, to fully respond to your requests, or to fulfill the purposes set out in this policy, in accordance with legal requirements, whichever period is longest. After this period, we ensure that the information is anonymized or destroyed to protect it from unauthorized access or disclosure.

Only authorized personnel have access to personal information when necessary to perform their duties related to the services we provide, in line with the purposes outlined in this Policy.

We never disclose your personal information to anyone outside of AQT without your consent, except for the following third parties and only if they have implemented appropriate security measures to ensure at least the same level of security as ours:

• Our service providers whose services we have contracted to perform certain functions on our behalf (e.g., data processing and storage, service quality analysis, candidate recruitment and management, etc.). In such cases, we take necessary measures to ensure that these third parties only access the information required to fulfill their contracted services, process your information solely for the purposes we've defined, and have in place privacy protections compliant with applicable laws, maintaining the same level of protection as outlined in this Policy;
• Any entity in the event of a merger, corporate reorganization, or change in control of AQT, in whole or in part, but only if the parties have signed an agreement stating that the collection, use, and disclosure of information is limited to the purposes of the business transaction;
• Any public authority if required by law, or to defend our rights, or as otherwise required by law. If AQT is required to disclose or provide a copy of personal information to a government agency under law or pursuant to a court order, AQT will attempt to notify you beforehand, where permitted by law.

5. HYPERLINKS AND THIRD PARTIES

The website may contain sharing options or links to third-party websites or platforms. By using or activating these links or features, you leave the website and your navigation is then subject to the third-party terms of use and privacy policies. We have no control over these third-party platforms, and the inclusion of these platforms on the website does not engage our responsibility.

6. SECURITY AND STORAGE

All personal information and other data are stored on highly secure servers protected against misuse and unauthorized access. We strive to maintain the necessary physical, administrative, and technical security measures at our offices and data storage centers. Personal information is only accessible to employees or agents who require it to fulfill their responsibilities.

AQT takes reasonable steps to protect your personal information transmitted during your use of the website. Specifically, we use technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access or disclosure, both internally and externally. However, no security mechanism is perfect, and you should be aware that there is always some risk of a security breach. AQT disclaims any responsibility in the event that such information is disclosed, except in cases of AQT's negligence.

All data, including personal information, collected through your use of the website is stored on servers located in Canada. However, this data may be processed by third-party service providers of AQT located outside Canada to allow them to perform tasks on behalf of AQT. In such cases, AQT takes reasonable steps to ensure that these third parties are bound by appropriate safeguards.

7. YOUR RIGHTS

You have the right to know the purpose of the collection and processing of your personal information by AQT, as well as the right to access, update, and correct your personal information. You can withdraw your consent to the use and storage of your personal information by AQT at any time. In such a case, however, you may no longer be able to use certain member services or features of the website.

8. CONTACT US

If you have questions about this Policy, access to your personal information, or the collection, use, and sharing of personal information by AQT, or about how to exercise your rights outlined above, file a complaint, or update your personal information, please contact our Personal Data Protection Officer as follows:

• Responsible Person : Nicole Martel, President and CEO of AQT
• By email : protectiondesdonnes@aqt.ca
• By mail:

Quebec Technology Association
Attn : Mrs Nicole Martel, Personal Data Protection Officer
1111, rue Saint-Charles Ouest, bureau 115
Longueuil (Québec) J4K 5G4

We will make every effort to process your request promptly.

Last revision: August 18, 2023