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PRIVACY POLICY

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association [“OMHA”] is one of the governing bodies for amateur hockey programmes in the province of Ontario.  In co-operation with Ontario Hockey Federation [OHF] and Hockey Canada, the OMHA governs Hockey throughout its jurisdiction via their respective member associations/organizations. 

OMHA hockey programming involves governing amateur hockey leagues, teams and games including training of coaches, trainers and referees, determining players eligibility for specific divisions and establishing appropriate rules and regulations for competition within the OMHA. To maintain the current programmes, information is collected by the OMHA or its aforementioned partners, for the purposes of certifying team officials and referees registering players determining if transfer regulations may apply monitoring scouting gauging the success of certain programs in order to improve upon them facilitating emergency contact providing educational opportunities and/or career opportunities researching and facilitating electronic s/contacts. 


Purpose of this Policy

The OMHA has developed this Privacy Policy for implementation beginning January 1, 2004.  This Policy describes the way in which the OMHA collects, uses, retains, safeguards, discloses and disposes of the personal information of prospective members, members, and others including players, parents, trainers, coaches, referees, managers, volunteers and employees.

This Policy describes the way that the OMHA will, subject to applicable legal requirements, adhere to all relevant federal and provincial legislative privacy requirements. The Policy follows the 10 Canadian Standards Association [CSA] principles identified in the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act [PIPEDA].  The Policy describes each principle and the method of implementing each.  The OMHA will strive to meet or exceed federal and provincial legislative requirements and will ensure that it remains current with changing technologies and laws.

The OMHA reserves the right in its sole discretion to make whatever changes to its Privacy Policy it deems necessary and expedient. Any and all such changes will immediately be posted to the OMHA web site.


1. Accountability

1.1  The OMHA shall designate a Privacy Officer for the OMHA who will report to the Executive Director and they are jointly accountable to the OMHA Officers for compliance with this Policy. The Privacy Officer will be responsible for the OMHA’s compliance with PIPEDA privacy principles and for responding to access requests, corrections and complaints in accordance with this Policy.    

1.2   Each of the Member Associations of the OMHA, and or Clubs affiliated with the OMHA shall designate and identify to the OMHA and membership an individual or individuals as their Privacy Officer[s] and identify an appropriate hierarchy of contact and accountability for information.

1.3   The name[s] of the individual[s] listed as the Privacy Officer[s] for the OMHA and member Associations shall be made available upon request or by visiting the OMHA or Member Association’s website and Manual of Operations. In the case where neither of these individuals is available upon request, a delegate may act on their behalf.

1.4   The OMHA’s Privacy Officer will ensure that the OMHA is accountable for all personal information in its possession including that, which may be transferred to a third party.  Third party organizations that handle information on behalf of the OMHA shall be contractually obligated to adhere to the standards of the OMHA Privacy Policy.

1.5   The OMHA will implement internal policies, which will facilitate adherence to the Privacy Policies including but not limited to the following:

-   Security measures at all levels designed to protect personal information in its possession.

-   Procedures designed to respond to complaints and/or inquiries

-  Staff training in all facets of information management, including awareness of the OMHA’s Privacy Policy and subsequent policies and procedures developed in accordance with the Policy.


2. Identifying Purposes

2.1   The OMHA shall only collect information necessary to conduct hockey programming.  Access to our Privacy Policies and procedures will be readily available. Similarly, the process by which challenges may be made to the OMHA’s compliance and/or adherence to the legislation in question shall be readily available.

2.2   The OMHA collects personal information for the purpose of providing hockey programming, which endeavours to meet the individual needs of each participant.

2.3   The OMHA recognizes that hockey by its nature is a contact sport and injuries are to a certain extent, inherent in the game. Medical records, medical history and medical forms of the individual may be of assistance in an emergency situation and as such may be requested.  While participants are under no obligation whatsoever to supply this information and may refuse to do so without penalty, the OMHA will consider receipt of this information as consent for its subsequent use in an emergency medical situation.

2.4   The OMHA will request individual permission for the use of any data collected which is extraneous to that which has been identified below, unless said usage is authorized or required by law.

Type of Personal Information Purpose of Collecting
A participant’s name, gender, place of residence and date of birth. To determine that the participant’s geographical, division and level of play information are consistent with OMHA and Hockey Canada regulations.
Historical information concerning past teams played for. To determine if any Hockey Canada transfer regulations apply.
A participant’s skill and development level and feedback on programs, honours and awards received. To measure the success of our programs and maintain governance.
A participant’s parents [if applicable] name, address, telephone number[s], email addresses and fax. To facilitate emergency contact information and to ensure compliance with Hockey Canada residency regulations.
Educational information To ensure all Hockey Canada residency regulations have been adhered to.
E-mail addresses and fax To facilitate membership communication.
Skill levels, ability, emergency contacts and health concerns To ensure our activities are carried out in a safe and secure environment.
Registration information To conduct research studies including but not necessarily limited to hockey demographic type research. To be made available to related organizations, Branches, associations, leagues and/or third party service providers.
Appeal Information To administer appeals and any related proceedings, and the Rules, Regulations and By Laws of the OMHA.

2.5   The information will be collected via an oral and/or written agreement to allow the individual submitting information an opportunity to opt-out or opt-in to the use of personal information for third parties.

2.6   All information is kept for the duration of seven years or as long as required to fulfill the purposes identified, unless permission is obtained from the member providing the information to hold it for a different length of time.

2.7   The OMHA will endeavour through its Member Partners to advise potential registration candidates of the purpose for the collection of their data at the time of registration. This information will be made available by reference to the OMHA website or Handbook. The OMHA will further endeavour to ensure that all collectors of the personal information are familiar with the potential use of the data.  Any other purpose of collection will be stated at time of collection.

2.8   All data collected by the OMHA shall be maintained in the OMHA office or that of the applicable Member Partner.  All such offices are listed on the OMHA web site. 

2.9   The OMHA may also use information about user access to secure areas of the OMHA website.  Information you are asked to provide during your use of the OMHA web site may include your name, address, e-mail address, age, sex and will be treated within the same parameters as other personal information collected by OHF or Hockey Canada through other means.  It will always remain your choice to provide information in certain fields.


3. Consent

3.1   The OMHA will use the personal information for the uses specified in section 2. 

3.2   All members of the OMHA have the ability to consent to the use of their personal information on a yearly basis. A member of the OMHA agrees that the act of registering constitutes implied consent to such use of their personal information by the OMHA, its Member Partners, and their Associations and Hockey Canada.

3.3   Beginning with the 2004-2005-season registration, members will have the opportunity to choose whether information other than name, address, birth date, and information concerning registration, discipline, and honours and awards received may be kept for a longer period than otherwise mentioned.

3.4   If at any time you wish to withdraw your consent to the use of your information for any purposes, you may do so by contacting the OMHA Privacy Officer at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and by providing reasonable written notice. Previous consent will be removed from the OMHA database upon receipt of a written request and that request will be communicated to all Member Partners and their Associations within 10 business days.

3.5   The OMHA may collect personal information without consent where reasonable to do so and where permitted by law.


4. Limiting Collection

4.1   The OMHA and its Member Partners shall only collect personal information in a fair and lawful manner as set forth in this Privacy Policy.

4.2   The OMHA shall not indiscriminately collect information. The amount and type of information collected shall be limited to that which is required to fulfill its identified purposes.

4.3   The OMHA will not use any form of deception in gaining personal information from its members. 


5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

5.1   The OMHA, its Member Partners and their Associations, shall limit the use of personal information collected to purposes that are listed in Section 2.2 [Identifying Purposes] and 3.2 [Consent] and will not disclose the information for other purposes except as authorized or required by applicable law.

5.2   Prior to enlisting the services of third party organizations, the OMHA will contractually commit those parties to treat your personal information in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy.

5.3   The OMHA may disclose your personal information to a government authority that has asserted its lawful authority to obtain the information or where the association has reasonable grounds to believe the information could be useful in the investigation of an unlawful activity, or to comply with a subpoena or warrant or an order made by the court, person, or body with jurisdiction to compel the production of the information or otherwise as authorized or required by applicable law.

5.4   The OMHA may at its discretion release personal information for the purposes of collecting debts, which may be owed to the OMHA.       

5.5   The OMHA shall retain documents concerning registration, performance activities, discipline, events and honours and awards received for specific periods of time dependant upon necessity or destroyed accordingly when it is deemed appropriate. More specifically:

-      Registration data will be retained for a three-year period after an individual has left the OMHA programs in the event that an individual chooses to return to the OMHA programs after leaving.

-      Parental/Family information will be maintained for a similar three-year period after a member has left our programs.

5.6   Other personal information will be retained by the OMHA for regulated timeframes as requested by legislation governing its operation and/or the information provided, after, which time [unless consent is given to keep information for a longer period] the information will be destroyed in a secure manner.

5.7   If there is no legislative requirements to retain other information it will be kept for a minimum of 24 months from the time it was provided


6. Accuracy

6.1   The OMHA shall strive to ensure to the extent that it can, that the information entrusted to it is maintained in an accurate manner.  Members will have the ability to view and review data provided on their application for membership at any time through the Hockey Canada and OMHA database or equivalent in certain Member Association’s jurisdictional areas. The OMHA shall attempt to maintain the privacy interests of the individual and attempt to ensure that decisions are not made for or about an individual based on personal information that may be flawed.

6.2   The OMHA shall only information if a request is made in writing.


7. Safeguards

7.1   Security safeguards will be implemented to ensure your personal information is protected from theft as well as unauthorized use or access, disclosure, copying, or modification thereof.

7.2   All information collected by the OMHA [as per 2.2] will be considered highly sensitive. As such, a high level of security will be practiced at all times.

7.3   Methods of protection and safeguards to be employed shall include but in no way be necessarily limited to locked files, offices and storage areas, security clearances and need to know access as well as technological measures such as passwords and encryption.

7.4   These measures will be subject to yearly reviews by the OMHA and its Privacy Officer[s] to ensure the best methods possible are being utilized to maximize effectiveness.


8. Openness

8.1   The OMHA publicly discloses the methods by which personal information is handled. This information is readily available through its Privacy Policy, on its website or upon request by contacting the OMHA Privacy Officer.

8.2   The information available includes:

-  The name address and phone number of the OMHA Privacy Officer.

-  The forms [attached] to access your information or change your information.    

-  A description of the type of personal information and our general uses thereof [review chart in section 2.2 for more details].

8.3   If any participant shall have a question regarding the personal information collected, the investigation may be initiated to the Member Association Privacy Officer, then directly to the OMHA.


9. Individual Access

9.1   Upon request by the individual concerned, subject to applicable legislation, the OMHA shall disclose whether or not it actually holds personal information on an individual.  The OMHA shall disclose the source of this information when requested and provide an account of third parties to whom the information may have been disclosed.

9.2   The OMHA may request sufficient information to confirm your identity before releasing any personal information to you. 

9.3   Subject to applicable legislation, the OMHA shall endeavour to provide this information within 30 days of receipt of the request for information and only charge nominal fees for the purpose of satisfying its expenses incurred in the supply of requested information.  This information shall be in format understandable to you.

9.4   A member may challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information through written request and any inaccurate information, which may be so validated, shall be corrected and any third parties shall be notified of the corrections as per 3.4 [Consent].


10. Challenging Compliance

10.1   The OMHA has established a set of procedures for the resolution of grievances in the administration of its Privacy Policy.

10.2   Prospective members and staff may challenge the OMHA’s compliance with this Policy by contacting the OMHA Executive Director or/and Privacy Officer[s]. Upon receipt of a complaint the OMHA shall make available the complaint procedures, which will be simple and easy to access.

10.3   The OMHA shall investigate all complaints received.  If the complaint is deemed justified, the OMHA shall take the appropriate steps to ensure that compliance is achieved and will make any necessary changes to its policies to allow for compliance in the future.

10.4   All complaints shall be addressed to the OMHA Privacy Officer. OMHA policies and procedures must be adhered to in order to have the challenge dealt with in an appropriate and timely fashion.


11. Contact

11.1   If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please contact the OMHA in writing:

Ontario Minor Hockey Association
Attention: Privacy Officer
25 Brodie Drive, Unit #3
Richmond Hill, Ontario
L4B 3K7