OACIQ Privacy policy

 

1. INTRODUCTION

The Organisme d’autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec (OACIQ) is the authority in the field of real estate brokerage in Québec. Its mission is to protect the public. The OACIQ carries out its mission through a variety of mechanisms, including a certification process, a disciplinary process, inspections, a training program, professional liability insurance, information for the public and more.

The Organisme d’autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec (OACIQ) is the authority in the field of real estate brokerage in Québec. Its mission is to protect the public. The OACIQ carries out its mission through a variety of mechanisms, including a certification process, a disciplinary process, inspections, a training program, professional liability insurance, information for the public and more.

2. COLLECTION OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

In order to carry out its mission of protecting the public through the above-mentioned mechanisms, and also in its capacity as employer, the OACIQ must collect personal information.

Examples of personal information collected:

  • Your name;
  • Your licence number (if applicable);
  • Your personal or business contact information (e.g. mailing address, telephone number, email address);
  • Information contained in your identification documents;
  • Biographical information, including information regarding your occupation, background, etc.;
  • Information regarding your financial situation or marital status;
  • Subject and content of your messages sent to the OACIQ, including photos, videos;
  • Any other personal information.

The OACIQ collects personal information through various means:

  • hrough the oaciq.com and farciq.com websites, the secure synbad.com site of the oaciq.com portal, the secure employee portals, the secure portal of the farciq.com site, as well as through the platforms hosted and managed by the OACIQ, including the platforms supporting the online training courses offered by the OACIQ and licence maintenance (“sites and platforms”);
  • Through web forms and other administrative forms;
  • By email;
  • By phone;
  • Verbally (information provided in person);
  • By written correspondence;
  • Via surveys.

3. WHO CAN ACCESS YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

In order to accomplish the purposes for which your personal information was collected, OACIQ staff members or committee members may have access to your personal information, but only to the extent required by their respective functions.

The OACIQ may share your personal information with third parties, for example to its co-contractors, agents, sub-contractors or service providers (including website, hosting and providers, etc.). These third parties have access to your personal information only to the extent required by their functions, and are bound by the same obligation of confidentiality as the OACIQ.

Online payments

When you make a payment online, some of your personal information is shared with our online payment partner, including:

  • First and last names;
  • Home address;
  • Phone number;
  • Email address.

This information is shared for the sole purpose of enabling our partner to process your payment.

The information collected is forwarded in the form of an electronic message that has been encrypted to ensure confidentiality. This message is sent over a secure SSL connection.

The OACIQ does not keep the banking information you provide for each new transaction.

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In cases where the OACIQ must communicate your personal information outside Québec, it takes into account the sensitivity of the information, the purpose for which it will be used and the measures that will be taken to protect it outside Québec. Except in cases provided for by law, the OACIQ will communicate your personal information outside Québec only if it determines, after analysis, that it will benefit from adequate protection in the location where it is to be communicated or kept

In certain cases provided for by law, the OACIQ may communicate your personal information to third parties without your consent.

4. PROTECTION OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

The OACIQ takes appropriate measures to ensure the confidentiality and security of the personal information it collects, including that obtained through technology. It protects personal information in accordance with legal requirements and with its own policies. To find out more: Policies governing the protection of personal information.

Special security measures

Authentication by username and password

Access to the secure synbad.com site of the oaciq.com site, the secure portal of the farciq.com site, the platform supporting online trainings and licence maintenance, and the secure employee platforms are reserved for users identified and authorized by the OACIQ.

Your username and password constitute your identity when you log in to these platforms.

Confidentiality

You must keep your username and password strictly confidential. You must not at any time communicate or disclose them to third parties, or authorize third parties to use them for any purpose whatsoever.

Modification and recovery

For security purposes and to prevent ay unauthorized use of your username and password, the OACIQ recommends that you periodically change your password. If you believe the confidentiality of your password may have been compromised, you should change it.

If you forget your password, you can recover it at any time by clicking on the “I need a new password” link on login page of the synbad.com or on the “Forgot password?” on login page of the secure portal of the farciq.com site, as applicable. A temporary password will be sent to the email address in your file. When you log in again, you will be asked to choose a new password.

Secure connection

As soon as you access synbad.com on the oaciq.com site or the secure portal of the farciq.com site using your username and password, the connection is established using a secure SSL (Secured Sockets Layer) protocol. The URL displayed in your browser’s navigation bar will begin with “https://”.

This secure link is in effect for the duration of your connection, including your connection to the platforms hosted and managed by the OACIQ. It protects the confidentiality and integrity of the transactions you carry out during this connection, including those you may perform using web forms.

However, if you access an unsecured site via a hyperlink in synbad.com, the secure connection offered by OACIQ will cease. Note that this is the case in particular if you switch to the unsecured oaciq.com public site.

5. COOKIES

What is a cookie?

A cookie is a text file containing small amounts of information that is downloaded to your computer or mobile device when you visit our sites and platforms. Cookies are sent back to the website on each subsequent visit, or to another site that recognizes the cookie. Cookies enable a site to recognize a user’s device.

Some of these cookies are necessary to ensure the proper operation of our sites and platforms.

Others may be used to improve our services, for example for analysis purposes (information on traffic and visits). Some cookies allow us to make the advertisements you see online more relevant to you and your interests.

Except where authentication is required, information received through cookies does not directly identify you.

The OACIQ collects standard data through cookies, such as:

  • IP address (anonymized prior to processing);
  • Unique random identifier;
  • Start and end times of visit;
  • URL of the previously visited site;
  • URL of the pages visited on the oaciq.com or farciq.com website;
  • Type of browser;
  • Type of operating system;
  • Type of device (mobile or computer);
  • Other types of information.

Type of cookies

Necessary cookies

  • Authentification: an authentication cookie maintains a user’s connection to a website without having to log in again on each page.

Other cookies

Other cookies that the OACIQ analyzes and processes relate to advertising and personalized content, advertising and content performance measurement, audience data and product development:

  • Store and/or access information on a device: cookies, device identifiers or other information may be stored or accessed on your device for the purposes presented to you: a user’s past activity, areas of interest, sites visited or applications used, location or demographic data.
  • Measure content performance: the performance and effectiveness of the content you see or interact with may be measured.
  • Create a personalized ad profile: a profile may be created about you and your interests to show you personalized ads that may be of interest to you: information about a user, including activity, interests, sites or applications visited, demographics or geolocation data.
  • Create a profile to display personalized content: a profile may be created about you and your interests in order to present you with personalized content that may be of interest to you.
  • Develop and improve products: your data may be used to improve existing systems and software and to develop new products.
  • Use market research to generate audience data: market research can be used to learn more about the audiences who visit websites, use applications and see advertisements.
  • Measure ad performance: the performance and effectiveness of the advertisements you see or interact with may be measured.
  • Select standard ads: advertisements may be shown to you based on the editorial content you consult, the application you use, your approximate location, or your type of device: device type and capabilities, user agent, URL, IP address.
  • Select personalized ads: personalized advertisements may be presented to you on the basis of a profile created about you: a user’s past activity, areas of interest, sites visited or applications used, location or demographic data.
  • Select personalized content: personalized content may be presented to you based on your user profile.

Refusing or accepting cookies

When visiting our sites and platforms, you can configure your browser to accept or refuse all cookies from our sites and platforms.

Please note: it is not possible to refuse the cookies that are necessary for the operation of our sites and platforms.

When you refuse cookies, certain personalized services may not be available and, as a result, you may not be able to take full advantage of the features of our sites and platforms.

Viewing or modifying your preferences

After initially configuring your browser, you will be able to view or modify your cookie preferences at any time by clicking on “Cookie consent” at the bottom of any page on our websites.

You must configure your preferences annually (confirm or change your initial preferences); a request for cookie consent will appear for this purpose when you visit our sites and platforms.

Protection of information collected through cookies

In order to protect your personal information, the OACIQ has implemented physical, electronic and operational safeguards in accordance with its policies on the management of personal information.

In addition, all personal information collected through cookies is encrypted.

Who has access to the information collected through cookies

OACIQ staff members whose functions require it may have access to information collected through cookies. These include, in particular, those responsible for the OACIQ’s computer security and communications.

The Privacy Officer or the members of the Access to Information and Privacy Committee, as well as any person whose services may be required, may have access to this information in the course of their functions.

Partners with whom the OACIQ shares information collected through cookies

The OACIQ shares cookie data with its partners. These partners are information technology companies and may store this data on servers located outside Québec. When browsing our sites and platforms, you can set your device’s parameters to allow or block the possibility of your information being collected by these partners. You then have an opportunity to learn more about the activities of these partners, the data they collect and how they use it.

6. CONTACT/EMAIL WEB FORMS

The OACIQ provides web forms that allow you to communicate with certain OACIQ departments. As these forms and any emails you send to the OACIQ are not secure, we recommend that you do not send sensitive personal information via these forms. When you use these forms, you do so voluntarily.

7. WARNING

Information, including email and any communication via the Internet, network, telephone or any other technological means, may be illicitly intercepted by unauthorized third parties.

In accordance with regulatory requirements, the OACIQ implements appropriate protection measures. However, the OACIQ cannot guarantee the effectiveness or absolute security of these measures. It is always possible that a hacker may succeed in penetrating the OACIQ’s servers, or that any other type of breach of confidentiality of your personal information may occur. In the event of a confidentiality incident involving your personal information, the OACIQ will notify you in the cases required by law.

8. UPDATES

The OACIQ reserves the right to modify this policy in accordance with the applicable regulations.

9. RIGHTS OF ACCESS AND RECTIFICATION, COMPLAINTS RELATING TO THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

Any person concerned by personal information held by the OACIQ has, subject to the restrictions provided by law, the right to access this information and the right to request its rectification if it is inaccurate, incomplete or ambiguous, or if its collection, communication or use are not authorized by law.

Any person concerned by personal information may also submit a complaint to the OACIQ regarding the protection of personal information in accordance with the established procedure.

To submit a request for access or rectification or a complaint regarding the protection of personal information, or for any question related to this policy, please contact Mrs. Caroline Simard, person in charge of access to documents and protection of personal information at the OACIQ:

10. SCOPE

This policy no longer applies as soon as you leave the OACIQ’s sites and platforms to access a third-party site, including sites accessible via hyperlinks posted on the OACIQ’s sites and platforms.

By providing OACIQ with your personal information, you agree to it being processed in accordance with this policy, including disclosure to third parties.

11. FINAL PROVISION

The OACIQ reserves the right to modify this policy while respecting the rules set out in the regulations. The policy must be revised as needed, or at least every three years.

Last updated on: September 20, 2023
Reference number: 200050