Protecting Your Privacy

Policy Statement

Our privacy policy covers how individuals can expect their privacy and personal information to be handled and managed.

This Privacy Policy applies to Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries and Canadian Memorial Services referred to in this Privacy Policy as Mount Pleasant Group or MPG, we, our, or us.

You agree to this Privacy Policy when you:

• Make inquiries or seek information about our services or products


• Use any of our services or products


• Seek employment with us or become an MPG employee


• Use any of our websites, and


• Otherwise interact with us
  
  

This Privacy Policy will apply:

• When you make inquiries or seek information about our services or products


• When you ask to begin a relationship with us


• During the course of our relationship, including as an employee, and


• After services and products have been delivered by us.

We may give you additional privacy terms for a service or product when you sign up for or use that service or product, seek employment with us or become an MPG employee.

Committed to Privacy

Mount Pleasant Group respects individuals’ rights to privacy, and we are committed to taking measures that protect the privacy of personal information held by us.

MPG will limit the collection of personal information to that which is reasonably required to provide our products and services and to operate our business.

MPG’s policy is to at all times adhere to the requirements of applicable law and professional responsibilities, and to be responsive to our clients and personnel who expect us to respect their privacy and to protect their personal information.

For purposes of this Privacy Policy, the term “personal information” means information about an identifiable individual, as more specifically defined by applicable privacy legislation. The personal information we collect may include, but is not limited to:

• Contact information (for example, full name, number, email address, mailing address)


• Identifying information (for example, place and date of birth and social insurance number)


• Names and contact information of your family, friends, caregivers or legal representative


• Medical information (for example, pre-existing health conditions)


• Government ID (for example, driver’s licence, social insurance number)


• Proof of executorship (for example, last will and testament, power of attorney)


• Proof of death


• Surveillance (for example, surveillance cameras)


• Payment information (for example, billing address and banking/credit card information)


• Information about the products and services you have purchased from us or potential products or services you may be interested in


• Personal information you provide (for example, cover letter or resume) in response to an MPG job posting on our website and/or social networks or hiring platforms (for example, Indeed, LinkedIn)

MPG is accountable for all personal information in our possession or control.  This includes any personal information that we receive directly, for example, from potential clients, clients, individuals seeking employment, MPG personnel, as well as any personal information that we may receive from third parties such as hospitals, funeral homes, coroners or other governmental institutions.  We have established policies and procedures aimed at protecting the personal information in our possession or control.  We have appointed a Privacy Officer to oversee privacy issues for MPG.  We have also educated MPG personnel about our Privacy Policy and their role in protecting the personal information in our possession or control.  If you have questions about our privacy practices, you are free to contact our Privacy Officer.

Our privacy commitment meets or exceeds the standards and requirements set out in the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).

1. How We Use Information

Personal Information of Clients

When potential clients or clients provide us with personal information, it helps us better serve their needs. We collect personal information for the following purposes:

• To set up, administer and deliver the products and services clients have arranged to purchase from us;
  
  
• To provide clients with ongoing service;
  
  
• To develop, maintain and generate insights into our relationship with you;
  
  
• To conduct research to develop, evaluate and improve our products and services;
  
  
• To understand clients’ needs and preferences in order to develop products, programs and services that better meet those needs;
  
  
• To follow-up or introduce clients to related products and services which may better serve them or may be of interest to them;
  
  
• To communicate with you about products, services, offers, news and information updates or invitations to events that may be of interest to you;
  
  
• To ensure compliance with MPG policies and processes;
  
  
• To meet legal and regulatory requirements.
  
  

The terms and conditions of MPG client contracts include details about how MPG may collect, use and disclose personal information.  By signing the client contract, the client is providing his or her consent to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information described in the terms and conditions.  If a client provides us with personal information relating to a third-party, by signing the client contract the client represents and warrants that he or she has obtained consent from the third-party to allow us to collect, use and disclose their personal information as described in the client contract.

MPG may also aggregate personal information with information from other sources for the purpose of improving products and services, and for use in presentations, in a form where such information is sufficiently de-identified so as not to be attributable to any individual or organization.

Personal Information of MPG Personnel

We collect personal information about individuals seeking employment with MPG and MPG personnel directly from you, or indirectly form third-party sources (including publicly available sources, suppliers, vendors, previous employers, public websites, educational institutions, and social media) as permitted by applicable law.

MPG collects, uses, and discloses personal information about personnel in order to pay them, to comply with laws and professional standards, to provide them with benefits, to administer performance management tools, to administer, manage, enforce and monitor compliance with MPG programs, policies and employee relations, and generally to manage the employment relationship.

MPG may also collect, use, or disclose MPG personal information about individuals seeking employment with MPG for the purpose of evaluating their application, to communicate with them regarding employment opportunities that may be of interest, and for the purpose of evaluating or monitoring MPG policies, programs and practices.  At or before the time that MPG collects personal information, we will inform applicants of the reasons why we require such information, what use will be made of it, and with whom it may be shared, except where we are permitted or required by law to collect, use or disclose personal information without providing such notice.

2. Website Privacy:  How will we use cookies and other technologies

MPG maintains corporate websites and from time to time utilizes dedicated websites for programs or promotional support purposes. MPG and our third-party service providers may use cookies and other marketing automation tools for the purposes of tracking behaviour and preferences in order to deliver personalized content in advertising and marketing to you.  These cookies and marketing automation tools also assist MPG with understanding the content and advertising campaigns.  On these sites certain non-personal information and data may be automatically collected for analytic purposes. The data is captured through the use of “cookies” which are small text files that track visits to the site, pages viewed, time spent on a page, browsers used, etc. Note, this data does not identify the user, nor does it capture personal information about the user.  Where cookies are used, a statement will be sent to your browser explaining the use of cookies.  

Should you wish, you may disable cookies altogether by modifying your browser’s preferences or security settings.  You can manage and control cookies through your browser, including removing cookies by deleting them from your browser history (cache) when you leave the site.  Please note that disabling cookies may make some aspects of our sites unavailable to you.

3. How will you be asked for consent?

During the course of our relationship with you, we may obtain your consent, either express or implied, to collect, use and disclose your personal information.  

By providing your personal information, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with this Policy and/or any notice in a document or on a website.  

Canada’s Anti-Spam legislation (CASL) requires all companies to secure the consent of their clients and contacts to communicate with them electronically.  Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries and Canadian Memorial Services will provide information electronically which is relevant to you.  

You can withdraw your consent at any time by sending an e-mail to: unsubscribeCASL@mountpleasantgroup.com.

4. Ensuring Confidentiality, Security, and Retention of Personal Information

Trust is earned when information offered in confidence, remains in confidence. We do not disclose personal information for purposes other than for those which it was collected, except as required by law. Furthermore, we do not provide, rent or sell personal information to any third-party organization or individuals other than our affiliated companies, suppliers and agents who work on our behalf to provide clients with the products and services that will best meet their needs.

If MPG intends to use or disclose personal information for any purpose not previously identified to you, we will obtain your prior consent unless we are permitted or required by law to use or disclose your personal information without consent.

The personal information that we collect must be accurate, complete and current.  From time to time, clients and MPG personnel may be asked to update their personal information.  You are encouraged to advise us of any changes to your personal information.

Personal information is held only as long as it is deemed necessary and relevant to the purposes for which it was intended.  We will destroy records and files containing client or employee personal information when such information is no longer reasonably required for legal, administrative, audit or regulatory purposes.

We are responsible for all personal information transferred to third-party service providers.  We require third-party service providers to respect the confidentiality of personal information and all legal requirements under the applicable Canadian federal and provincial privacy legislation, and to agree to contractual requirements that are consistent with this Privacy Policy.  These third-party service providers are prohibited from using personal information except for the specific purpose(s) for which we supply it to them.

MPG will protect personal information by using physically secure facilities, industry standard security tools and practices, and clearly defined internal policies and practices.  Security measures are in place to prevent the loss, misuse and alteration of the personal information under our control.  Personal information is stored in secure environments that are not available to the public (e.g. restricted access premises, locked rooms and filing cabinets).  To prevent unauthorized electronic access to personal information, any information that is stored in electronic form is protected in a secure electronic and physical environment.

In order to protect the personal information in our possession, MPG employs data loss prevention software which is used to monitor access, use and disclosure of confidential and personal information through any device which is connected to the MPG network.  The use of data loss prevention software may result in the incidental collection or use of personal information.

In some circumstances, personal information may be collected, used, disclosed or stored outside of Canada, including but not limited to in the U.S., by MPG or a third-party to provide services and administrative, analytical and other support, and to comply with applicable law, regulation and professional standards.  Such personal information may be subject to disclosure in accordance with the law applicable in the jurisdiction in which the information is collected, used, disclosed or stored.  These laws may not provide the same level of protection as Canadian privacy laws, but any such transfer has been assessed to be in compliance with applicable law.

Personal information files are maintained in our offices or on our servers (or those of our service providers) and are accessible by authorized personnel and agents who require access in connection with their job responsibilities.

You have a right to review, update and obtain a copy of your personal information on record by contacting our Privacy Officer.  The right to access personal information is subject to certain legal restrictions and we will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before providing access.

In most instances, you will receive a response to your access request within thirty (30) days.  If you have any concerns about the access that is provided, you are encouraged to contact our Privacy Officer.

5. What happens if you choose not to give us your consent?  What if you withdraw your consent at a later date?

MPG clients always have the option not to provide their consent to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information, or to withdraw their consent at a later date, subject to contractual and legal restrictions and reasonable notice by contacting our Privacy Officer.  Where a client chooses not to provide us with permission to collect, use or disclose their personal information, we may not be able to provide, or continue to provide, the clients with our services.

Where an employee chooses not to provide us with permission to collect, use or disclose their personal information, we may not be able to employ them, continue to employ them or to provide them with benefits.

6. Privacy Officer

We know that protecting the privacy of our clients and employees is important.  If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy and our role in protecting it, please contact our Privacy Officer at privacyofficer@mountpleasantgroup.com or by mail at: Mount Pleasant Group, Suite 500, 65 Overlea Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario M4H 1P1, Attention:  Privacy Officer.

MPG will respond to your complaints and questions relating to privacy.  We will investigate and attempt to resolve all complaints.  To challenge compliance with this Privacy Policy, you should forward your concerns in writing to MPG’s Privacy Officer.  The Privacy Officer will ensure that an investigation of all complaints has been undertaken and will report their findings to you, in most instances within thirty (30) days.