Privacy Protection Policy
Commitment to Privacy Protection
Aidexpress has always been committed to respecting and protecting the confidentiality of the personal information it holds. This Privacy Policy explains how we protect such information in accordance with applicable laws.
Aidexpress’ privacy management practices are governed by the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector and by applicable provincial and federal standards.
Aidexpress collects, uses, discloses, retains, and destroys personal information solely for the purpose of providing high-quality home assistance, health care, and staffing services. Aidexpress personnel can expect their personal information to be protected in the same way as that of our clients.
For the purposes of this Policy, “personal information” refers to any information about an identifiable individual or that allows an individual to be identified. Whenever possible, we anonymize, pseudonymize, and/or aggregate such information so that it no longer identifies any person.
Accountability
At Aidexpress, every staff member is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of personal information. Our Director of Contractual Affairs and Compliance also serves as Aidexpress’ Person responsible for the protection of personal information and ensures compliance with privacy laws and Aidexpress’ internal practices.
To this end, all staff members receive training on Aidexpress’ privacy management policies, procedures, and acceptable practices. Aidexpress will update this document as necessary to reflect changes to privacy laws or best practices.
What Information Do We Collect and Why?
Whether you are a client or a worker, Aidexpress staff will only request information deemed necessary to provide the requested services. We do not collect information arbitrarily and we regularly review our practices to ensure they remain justified.
For example, when you require home support services, we collect information about your general health and ability to perform daily activities to better assess which support services to offer. Specific questions may be asked to help us develop a care plan or coordinate resources that help you maintain autonomy at home.
As a job seeker using Aidexpress’ services, you will be asked to provide information such as your contact details, preferred language, date of birth (collected only when employment-related background checks are required), résumé, availability, preferences, and other information necessary for your worker file.
If, at any time, we need additional information for purposes other than providing the requested services, we will contact you and request your authorization.
Our staff will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is accurate, complete, and up to date in order to provide appropriate services. We rely on your cooperation—please inform us if your situation or care needs change.
For a complete list of the personal information we collect, please contact Aidexpress’ Privacy Officer.
Your Consent
We are committed to obtaining consent before collecting personal information. Consent may be explicit or implied and may be provided directly by the individual or by an authorized representative.
We prefer to obtain explicit consent—verbally, electronically, through online registration, or in writing. However, implied consent may be reasonably inferred from an individual’s actions or inaction. For example, providing a name and address to receive a publication or a name and phone number to obtain an answer constitutes implied consent.
The type of consent obtained depends on the sensitivity of the information, the purpose of its collection, and reasonable expectations of a person in similar circumstances.
If we wish to use personal information for a new purpose, we will describe the intended use and request new consent.
You may withdraw your consent in whole or in part at any time by notifying us in writing. Aidexpress staff will inform you of any consequences related to such withdrawal.
How We Use Personal Information
Your personal information is used solely for the purpose of providing the services you have requested.
For clients, we disclose this information only to individuals directly involved in your care and exclude any unauthorized persons of your choosing.
For workers, Aidexpress uses your personal information to understand your qualifications, preferences, and availability in order to match you with the best job opportunities, to respond to client inquiries, to manage payroll services, and to conduct background checks when applicable.
In addition, your information may be reviewed during internal audits or quality improvement activities. In such cases, these processes are carried out without the ability to identify the individuals concerned.
These activities are essential to our quality management system and allow us to monitor performance and continuously improve our services.
We never disclose the names of our clients or workers to any third party for commercial purposes, that is, we do not sell, trade, or rent personal information.
To Whom We Disclose Personal Information
For Clients
At the beginning of your registration with Aidexpress, and when signing the service agreement, we will explain to you who may receive your personal information.
Not all Aidexpress employees have access to your personal information simply because they work for us or because you are our client.
Information about you is disclosed only to the individuals directly involved in your care.
You also have the option, either at the start of service delivery or at any time during the provision of services, to inform us of any person or organization to whom you do not wish your personal information to be disclosed, in whole or in part.
For Workers
In the normal course of its business activities, Aidexpress may disclose your personal information to its clients when we determine that there is a potential job opportunity or placement match.
As a job seeker, you rely on us to share this information. Aidexpress will provide your information to clients only if there is a position that may interest you, and we will share only the details that are necessary and requested to allow the client to make an informed hiring decision.
We may also share limited information with our affiliates, partners, contractors, or other companies (collectively referred to as “representatives”) that we engage to deliver comprehensive staffing services.
However, we disclose only the information strictly required for the task performed by the representative on our behalf.
We also ensure that every agreement with such representatives clearly outlines their obligation to protect your personal information and comply with all applicable privacy and data protection laws.
Examples of organizations with which Aidexpress may share limited personal information include:
- Organizations conducting criminal background checks
- External payroll service providers
- Placement opportunities within CISSS and CIUSSS networks, private seniors’ residences (RPA), and other healthcare institutions
In rare circumstances, the law or certain legal authorities may require us to disclose your personal information — for example, when we receive a court order or a subpoena.
In such cases, Aidexpress will verify the legal authority before disclosing any information and will make every effort to disclose only what is necessary to comply with the request.
Where and How Long We Retain Personal Information
Aidexpress is required to comply with strict rules regarding the retention of personal information. In accordance with legal requirements, Aidexpress must retain the personal information of its clients and employees for a specified period of time.
This retention period varies depending on the type of information and its purpose.
For example, medical records must be kept for a minimum of ten (10) years from the date of the last service provided, while financial records may be retained for seven (7) years from the account’s closing date.
Aidexpress is committed to respecting these legal obligations in order to ensure the confidentiality and security of the personal information of its clients and employees.
The main locations where personal information is stored include the cities where Aidexpress has offices or facilities, as well as locations where Amazon Web Services (AWS) maintains servers that host data collected by Aidexpress.
We keep detailed records of stored files to ensure they can be retrieved if necessary.
Once the retention period has expired, personal information is securely destroyed.
Only statistics or reports containing de-identified and anonymized data may be retained for extended periods.
In certain cases, records created by Aidexpress are held by other healthcare organizations (“health information custodians”), such as a government care program, healthcare facility, or research group conducting clinical studies.
In such cases, these organizations will apply their own retention schedules, and any requests for access to those records will be referred to them.
Security Measures
Aidexpress considers personal information to be strictly confidential data and has implemented several security mechanisms to ensure its protection.
Personal information is stored in various forms at Aidexpress due to the nature of our operations. Your information may be maintained electronically, in paper files, and is also accessible to authorized staff as needed.
All employees receive orientation and training on Aidexpress’ privacy protection practices and must sign a confidentiality and conflict of interest agreement upon hiring. They also receive ongoing, job-specific privacy training and are regularly informed about our privacy practices through internal communication channels.
Any information accessed by our staff is treated as confidential. Employees use such information only in the performance of their duties and do not disclose it to anyone. If an employee is asked to share information about an Aidexpress client, they must refrain from doing so and refer the request to their supervisor.
Personal information stored electronically is protected by security firewalls, encryption software, user names, and passwords that control and limit access to authorized individuals only.
Paper records are stored in appropriate facilities at our head office, accessible solely to authorized personnel. Outside business hours, these files are kept in locked and secured areas.
In addition, all outgoing emails include a confidentiality disclaimer that instructs recipients on what to do if they receive the message in error. If a fax or email is sent to the wrong recipient, that person is asked to contact the Person responsible for the protection of personal information at Aidexpress.
Aidexpress places the highest importance on the security of your personal information and is committed to handling it in accordance with industry standards and best practices, solely for the purposes for which it was collected, as described in this Policy or in any specific notice provided to you.
However, absolute protection cannot be guaranteed due to the inherent security limitations of data transmission over the Internet. Therefore, any information transmitted to us is ultimately done at the user’s own risk.
Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies
Aidexpress may use cookies, web beacons, invisible pixels, log files, or other similar technologies to collect certain personal information about visitors to our websites, as well as about recipients of our newsletters, invitations, and other communications.
Cookies are small data files sent from a server to a browser during a website visit that uniquely identify the current session. These data may include information such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, the pages of our site that you visit, the date and time of your visit, the duration of your session, and other related statistics.
The cookies we use help recall search history and session-related preferences to improve the user’s online browsing experience.
It is important to note that enabling cookies in your browser may, depending on your configuration, allow other servers to install cookies on your system.
You can adjust your browser settings to notify you when cookies are being used, giving you the option to accept or reject them.
Please note that our website may contain links or references to third-party sites.
This Policy ceases to apply once you leave our website, and Aidexpress is not responsible for the collection or processing of personal information by these third parties or through such external sources.
Your Right to Access Your Personal Information
If you wish to review your personal information or obtain a copy of your file, in whole or in part, you may submit a written request to Aidexpress’ head office.
You also have the right to request a correction if any of your personal information is inaccurate.
We will assist any individual who requires help preparing a written request for access to their personal information.
Please note that we may need to collect additional information to verify the identity and authority of the person making the access request.
This process ensures that only authorized individuals can access your personal information.
Any additional information collected for this purpose will be used solely to validate the request.
Reasonable fees may be charged for retrieving or copying records, depending on the nature of the request.
Please contact us if you have any concerns about these potential fees.
Aidexpress strives to respond to all requests for access to personal information within 30 days.
Some requests may be subject to restrictions or may be refused.
Reasons for refusal may include the following:
- The requested information is confidential or proprietary
- Disclosure could infringe upon another individual’s privacy
- Disclosure is prohibited by law
- Aidexpress may, at its discretion, withhold or limit disclosure if it determines that releasing the information could cause harm
When a request for access is denied, you will be informed of the reasons for the decision, including the recourse options available to you.
Your Right to Request the Erasure of Your Data
Aidexpress’ Privacy Policy also upholds the right to be forgotten with respect to the deletion of your personal data. You have the right to request that Aidexpress cease the dissemination of your personal information.
In situations where such dissemination causes you harm or violates a court ruling, you also have the right to request the de-indexing of all links associated with your name.
To submit a request, you must contact the Person responsible for the protection of personal information and provide the following details:
- The specific personal information subject to the request;
- The reasons justifying the deletion or de-indexing of the information;
- Any supporting evidence or documentation relevant to the request.
The Person responsible for the protection of personal information will review the request within a reasonable timeframe and assess its validity in accordance with the criteria established by applicable legislation.
If the request is deemed valid, appropriate measures will be taken to delete or de-index the relevant information within a reasonable time.
If the request is deemed invalid, the person in charge will provide a written explanation outlining the reasons for the refusal.
The right to be forgotten is not absolute and must be balanced with the right to freedom of expression and access to information.
Therefore, deletion requests will only be granted if the information in question does not serve a legitimate public interest and is not related to criminal activity.
Deletion or de-indexing of information may not result in complete removal from the Internet, as other sources or copies of the information may exist that are beyond Aidexpress’ direct control.
If You Need More Information, or If You Have Questions or Concerns About Aidexpress and Its Privacy Practices
Individuals who wish to file a complaint, ask a question, or express a concern or compliment regarding Aidexpress and how it handles personal information may contact us directly.
A thorough investigation will be conducted in all cases, and if a complaint or concern is found to be valid, appropriate corrective measures will be taken.
These measures may include revising this Policy or our existing practices.
The corrective actions taken will be included in our response to the individual who submitted the complaint or concern within 30 days.
All Aidexpress personnel are required to protect the confidentiality of your personal information.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your personal information, or if you wish to obtain more details about Aidexpress’ policies and practices for managing and processing personal information, please contact our staff.
If your privacy-related concern cannot be resolved to your satisfaction, or if you wish to obtain further information, your request will be forwarded to the Person responsible for the protection of personal information at Aidexpress.
You can contact Aidexpress by:
Email: info@aidexpress.ca
Phone: 1-855-397-7733
Mail: 20 Allée de Hambourg, Suite 210, Gatineau, Québec, J9J 4K3
You also have the right to contact your provincial Privacy Commissioner if you deem it necessary.
We will make every effort to resolve your concerns and will assist you in reaching the Privacy Commissioner’s office in your province if appropriate.
Person responsible for the protection of personal information
Richard Mercier
President
1 855 397-7733
rmercier@aidexpress.ca
aidexpress.ca
210-20, Allée de Hambourg,
Gatineau (Québec) J9J 4K3
Last updated: September 14, 2023
