Privacy Policy

EDC is committed to protect the privacy of visitors to this site. This page summarizes EDC's privacy policy.

General Principles

EDC gathers specific personal information that you supply voluntarily, such as information you supply by e-mail or when registering in a secure portion of this site, and automatically gathers information when you are accessing a secure portion of this site. Any personal information created, held or collected by EDC is protected under the federal Privacy Act. This means that at any point of collection, EDC will require your consent to collect your personal information, and will inform you of the purpose for which it is being collected and of your right to access such information.

Your information will only be viewed by those persons at EDC who need that information for the purpose for which it was given. EDC will not disclose your information to anyone outside EDC without your consent or unless required by law.

Electronic Mail

When you correspond with EDC using e-mail, EDC will use your e-mail address to respond to comments or questions. The information you provide by e-mail including your e-mail address and our response to your e-mail will be kept as long as EDC determines that it is necessary for its business purposes. To access your personal information, you may send an e-mail to EDC's Privacy Coordinator with a reference to the EDC Direct E-mail Correspondence Database.

IP Address Tracking Software

EDC uses software that monitors site traffic and detects unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. The software is also used to collect identifiable and non-identifiable information to understand users' needs, develop customized products and services and manage and develop EDC's business and operations. The software receives and records the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the computers that have visited this site, including the date and time of visits, the pages that were viewed and downloaded and the identifier attributed to any registered user who accesses any restricted areas on this site. The software also captures other non-identifiable information such as type of browser, operating system, clock and resolution settings as well as other information based on your browser settings. EDC does not attempt to link any such non-identifiable information collected with any identifier attributed to any user who accesses the site unless there is an attempt to damage the site. EDC retains any personal information pertaining to registered users for as long as EDC determines that it is necessary for its business purposes. To access your personal information, you may send an e-mail to EDC's Privacy Coordinator with a reference to the EDC Direct Client Tracking System.

Cookies

A cookie is a small file containing certain pieces of information that a web site creates when you visit a site. A cookie can track how and when you use a site. There are 2 common types of cookies, "session cookies" and "persistent cookies". Session cookies store information only for the length of time you are connected to a site and the information is not written or stored on your hard drive. Persistent cookies are written or stored on your hard drive until the expiry date of the cookie or until you manually delete the cookie from your hard drive.

EDC uses "persistent cookies". EDC records your User ID and information provided during registration and throughout your use of the EXPORT Able? questionnaire. On any subsequent visit to use this tool, you will be taken directly to the questionnaire and your previous information will be retrieved. EDC also uses persistent cookies to identify first time or subsequent users to the site and their language preference.

EDC also uses "session cookies" which are created when you are completing our online registration or payment forms. The information you supply on these forms and the related session cookie are destroyed once you close your web browser or once there has been a period of 20 minutes of inactivity at the EDC site.

To register or pay online you must have your browser set to accept cookies.

EDC Opt-in Mailing List

If you indicate on any online EDC subscription or registration form that your name is to be added to EDC's mailing list, EDC will, from time to time, use your e-mail or regular mailing address to send you information on EDC's products and services. EDC may also collect the information that you provided on the subscription or registration form such as your name and name of your company (if applicable), your address, telephone and fax numbers and your language of preference. Where applicable, EDC may also collect any industry- and export related information you provide.

EDC retains this information for as long as you are a subscriber to the applicable mailing list. EDC will delete, except as otherwise indicated, the information after you are no longer a subscriber.

At any time by return e-mail or regular mail, you may direct EDC to, and EDC will, remove your name from EDC's mailing list.

To access your personal information, you may send an e-mail to EDC's Privacy Coordinator specifying the mailing list to which you are subscribing.

Online Payment

When paying online for any EDC services or products offered online, you will be using the credit card facilities of the Royal Bank of Canada. Any information given during the payment process is first held in a session cookie as described in the foregoing section on Cookies. Once you have clicked the appropriate button to submit payment, the information you supplied during the payment session will be received on the Royal Bank of Canada's server. To view the privacy policy of the Royal Bank as it relates to the privacy of such information, please visit the Royal Bank of Canada.

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