Privacy Policy

The City of Red Deer’s Commitment to Privacy

The City of Red Deer (the “City”) recognizes that the privacy and confidentiality of a person’s personal information is important. All personal information is managed according to the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the “FOIP Act”). As per Section 2 of the FOIP Act, the City will adhere to the following privacy principles:

(a) to allow any person the right to access records in the custody or under the control of a public body subject to the FOIP Act;

(b) to control the manner in which a public body may collect, use and disclose personal information from individuals;

(c) to allow individuals to access personal information subject to the FOIP Act;

(d) to allow individuals the right to correct their personal information held by a public body; and

(e) to provide for independent reviews of decisions made by a public body under the FOIP Act.

Visiting our Websites

When you go directly to the information portion of our websites (reddeer.ca and sub-domains thereof) (the “Site”) and move from page to page, read pages or download content onto your computer, we will automatically gather and store information about your visit using security audit logs and Google Analytics.

Security audit logs record the Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of site visitors. An IP address is the number automatically assigned to the computer or to the Internet Service Provider requesting the URL. The City cannot identify you from this information. The City archives and uses log files for systems analysis, maintenance and site evaluation.

In order to improve our Site, the City uses Google Analytics to collect data for statistical reporting purposes. Google Analytics analyzes the use of the Site through using cookies to collect and generate information about your visits to the Site (including your IP address) that is transmitted to their servers in an anonymous form for processing. In order to better protect your privacy we are currently masking user IP addresses as described in the section labeled “Use of IP address” in the Google Analytics Privacy Policy. Information collected by Google Analytics is stored on Google servers in the United States.

You can opt-out of analytics activity by setting your browser to notify you when a cookie is sent and block analytics cookies if desired. Please consult your browser's Help Menu for instructions. Visiting our Site with analytics cookies disabled will have no significant impact on your browsing experience. Google currently offers a free Google Analytics opt-out tool for Internet Explorer (versions 7 and 8), Google Chrome (4.x and higher), and Mozilla Firefox (3.5 and higher).

Links to Other Websites

The City’s Site may contain links to other sites. The City is not responsible for the content and the privacy practices of other websites and encourages you to examine the privacy policy and disclaimer of each site and make your own decisions regarding the disclosure of your information to that site.

Cookies

The City uses electronic "cookies". A cookie is a small amount of data that is transferred to your browser by a web server. It cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses. A session ID, along with time and date and other information may be placed in the cookie. This information is used to provide the user with an enriched experience while using the City's Site. Once the user leaves the City's Site, the session is considered done and the cookie expires. The City does not build profiles of users through the use of cookies and does not attempt to track individual users through the use of cookies. In order for a cookie to be written to your computer, cookies must be enabled by your browser. Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies. You can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, giving you the chance to decide whether to accept it. If you decide to refuse a cookie, you may find that the Site does not behave as designed (e.g. the interactive map may not function normally if cookies are disabled).

Email

Email messages are subject to FOIP. All email messages sent or received are the property of the City and may be accessed without the further consent of the author. All email messages required to be retained by law will be maintained through a records management process.

Online Services

When you register for one of our online services; for example, your tax account or permits, we compile a profile for you for that service. Your profile includes your name, address, account number(s), customer identification number and some other information, relevant to the specific service. If you register for multiple services or have existing services, your profiles may be linked.

Each time you use our online services, we collect your customer identification number, information about the transactions that you complete and any websites you visit while using the service. We use your profile in responding to your inquiries on the service. We use your customer identification number to identify you as a user of the service. We use the transaction information in the aggregate to assess and improve the service.

If you choose to provide the City with personal information in an email, by filling out an electronic form and submitting it to the City through our website or by using an online service, the City will keep and use that information to provide you with the requested information or service. The City will only use your personal information in the way for which it was collected.

Online Transactions

You can pay for some City services – such as dog license renewals and parking tickets – on the Site. These online transactions are done through our secure web site certificate (SSL) directly to Moneris Solutions Corporation, our merchant provider. This means that your credit card and other payment information is transmitted securely. Please refer to their website for their Privacy Policy at www.moneris.com.

Security

Security measures are implemented in order to ensure that web services remain available to all users. The City’s computer system employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify attempts to tamper with information, or to otherwise cause damage.

Keeping your Information Accurate

We will make every reasonable effort to keep your information accurate and up-to-date. Having accurate information about you enables us to give you the best possible service. You can help by keeping us informed of any changes: for example, a new address or telephone number. If you find any errors in our information about you, let us know and we will correct them immediately and make sure the correct information is conveyed to anyone we may have misinformed. If any information remains in dispute, we will note your opinion in the file.

Event Registration 

You can register for some City hosted events through Eventbrite. Eventbrite is a third-party Cloud service; please refer to their website for their terms and conditions and privacy policy. To register for events via Eventbrite you will have to create a personal account using your first name, last name and email address.  

Other

This policy is subject to change without notice.

For More Information:

Legislative Services Department 
Access & Privacy Coordinator 
4914 48 Avenue 
P.O. Box 5008 
Red Deer, AB T4N 3T4 

Phone: 403-406-8697 
Email: FOIP@reddeer.ca