1. Who we are

Muwasat Association Community Support Group ("Muwasat," "we," "us," or "our") is a registered Canadian Not-for-Profit Corporation (Corp. No. 1517448-1) incorporated in the Province of Ontario, with a registered office at 485 Morden Rd, Oakville, ON L6K 3W6, Canada. Muwasat operates a voluntary community mutual aid program providing financial assistance toward funeral and burial costs for our members.

2. Privacy Officer

Muwasat has designated a Privacy Officer responsible for compliance with this Policy and applicable privacy laws.

Privacy Officer: [Name of designated Board member or appointee]
Email: darmuwasat@gmail.com
Mail: Privacy Officer, Muwasat Association, 485 Morden Rd, Oakville, ON L6K 3W6, Canada

3. What personal information we collect

We collect the following categories of personal information from members and applicants:

Identification and contact details: full name, date of birth, address, email, phone number.
Family information: names, dates of birth, and relationships of covered dependents.
Residency information: Canadian citizenship or permanent residency status (or visitor status) for each covered individual, where relevant.
Health declaration: a one-time attestation that no listed individual is in a critical medical condition or hospitalized at the time of application. We do not collect detailed medical records.
Payment information: handled by our payment processor (see Section 7). Muwasat itself does not store full credit card numbers, expiry dates, or security codes.
Account information: username, hashed password, login history, and account activity.
Death notification information: when a covered death is reported, we collect the deceased's full name, date and place of death, relationship to the principal member, and supporting documentation (death certificate, funeral provider invoice).
Volunteer information: name, contact details, availability, and areas of interest, for individuals who apply to volunteer.
Website usage data: cookies and similar technologies, as described in our Cookie Policy.

4. Why we collect this information

We collect personal information only for purposes a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances, namely:

Administering memberships: processing applications, maintaining membership records, tracking waiting periods, and confirming good standing.
Processing contributions: collecting registration fees and per-event contributions.
Coordinating benefits: verifying eligibility, coordinating with partner funeral providers, processing invoice reimbursements.
Communicating with members: sending contribution calls, notices, and program updates.
Maintaining transparency: preparing the Board's annual financial summary.
Complying with legal obligations under Canadian and Ontario law.

5. How we collect information

We collect personal information directly from you through the website (the membership application form, volunteer form, member account portal), through email and phone communications, through our payment processor when you make a payment, and from partner funeral providers when they invoice us for services delivered to your family.

6. Consent

By submitting a membership application, signing the Policy and Membership Agreement, or using the website, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. For information considered sensitive (such as the health declaration), we obtain express consent through a clearly worded statement on the application form. You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal and contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. Withdrawing consent may mean we are unable to continue your membership.

7. Who has access to your information

Access to member personal information is strictly limited:

Muwasat Board members and authorized administrators may access member records for the purposes described above.
Our payment processor (Clover, a Fiserv company) receives and stores payment card information directly — Muwasat itself does not see or store full card details.
Our partner funeral providers receive only the minimum information necessary to deliver service to a specific bereaved family.
Our email and communications service providers process member contact details to deliver our messages.
Professional advisors (such as Muwasat's auditor and legal counsel), under appropriate confidentiality obligations.

We do NOT sell, rent, or trade personal information. We do not share your information with anyone for marketing or fundraising purposes.

8. International data transfers

Some of our service providers, including Clover, may store or process data on servers located outside Canada (including in the United States). When information is transferred outside Canada, it may be subject to foreign laws and may be accessible to foreign government authorities through lawful processes. We take reasonable steps, including contractual safeguards, to ensure that any service provider handling member information provides a comparable level of protection.

9. How long we keep information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Specifically:

Active membership records are retained for the duration of the membership.
After termination or withdrawal of membership, we retain core records (name, dates of membership, contributions paid, benefits received) for seven (7) years for audit and legal-compliance purposes.
After the retention period, records are securely deleted or anonymized.
Volunteer applications that do not result in a placement are retained for one (1) year and then deleted.

10. How we protect your information

We use technical, administrative, and physical safeguards proportionate to the sensitivity of the information, including:

Encryption of personal information in transit (TLS) and at rest.
Role-based access control: only Board members and authorized administrators may access bulk member records.
Multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts.
Audit logging of all administrative actions (record access, edits, deletions, payment events).
Regular backups, stored securely.
Confidentiality and security obligations in contracts with all service providers.

11. Your rights

You have the right, under PIPEDA, to:

Access the personal information Muwasat holds about you.
Request correction of inaccurate information.
Withdraw your consent (subject to the consequences described in Section 6).
File a complaint with our Privacy Officer or with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (priv.gc.ca).

To exercise these rights, contact the Privacy Officer using the details in Section 2. We will respond within 30 days.

12. Data breach response

In the event of a breach of security safeguards that creates a real risk of significant harm to affected individuals, Muwasat will notify affected members and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada as required under PIPEDA's Breach of Security Safeguards Regulations.

13. Cookies and website tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies for essential website functions (session management, security) and for limited analytics. See our Cookie Policy for details. You can control cookies through your browser settings; some website features may not function correctly with cookies disabled.

14. Children's privacy

Muwasat does not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under the age of 13. Children covered under a family membership are enrolled by their parent or guardian (the principal member), who provides the information on their behalf.

15. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated to members in writing (by email and via a prominent notice on the website) at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use of the website or continued membership after the effective date of changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

16. Contact

Questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how Muwasat handles your personal information should be directed to:

Privacy Officer, Muwasat Association
485 Morden Rd, Oakville, ON L6K 3W6, Canada
darmuwasat@gmail.com