The Town of Cochrane (the Town) is committed to providing a website that respects your privacy. This statement summarizes the privacy policy and practices on The Town website and all associated systems, processes, and applications under the direct control of The Town. The Town of Cochrane is subject to Alberta’s Access to Information Act (ATIA) and Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) Access to Information Act (ATIA) | Alberta.ca(External link) Protection of Privacy Act | Alberta.ca(External link)

What this policy covers

Personal information may include, but is not limited to, your name, email address, age, gender, address, telephone number and other Personally Identifiable Information (PII). The Town does not automatically gather any personal information from you. This information is only obtained if you supply it voluntarily through contacting The Town via email or online forms or by setting up a user account.

Any personal information that we ask you to provide via our website is collected in compliance with section 4(c) of the Alberta Protection of Privacy Act.

We collect only what is necessary for the operation of the website and the provision of requested materials to you. The information is used only for the purpose it was collected or for a consistent purpose. We keep the information for the length of time necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected and within the parameters set in The Town’s Retention Schedule.

The software platform this website runs on and associated technology operations are provided by Bang the Table Pty Ltd. Click this link for the Privacy Policy governing their service.(External link)(External link)

What personal information we collect

Profile Information

The Town collects information from you when you register to use this site. This includes your email address and additional demographic information as provided by you on the registration form. Please note that you can browse any publicly accessible sections of this website completely anonymously without signing up.

Engagement Information

The content you create as part of your interactions with this website. These can include responses to surveys, comments on discussion forums, or any of the other engagement opportunities available here.

Usage Information

When you visit letstalkcochrane.ca, the web server automatically collects a limited amount of standard information essential to the operation and evaluation of the website. This information includes:

• the pages you visit

• the date and time of your page request

• the Internet Protocol (IP) address your computer is using to receive information (we make no attempt to link these addresses with the identity of individuals visiting our site)

• the type and version of your browser

• the name and size of the file you requested

Some of this information (e.g., browser type) does not identify who you are and is not used to identify individuals who come to the website. Other information, such as your Internet Protocol address or IP address, may identify you depending, in large part, on the naming standards followed by your Internet Service Provider. You may wish to ask them about their policies and practices in this regard.

We collect information about your usage of the site, such as pages visited, documents downloaded, etc.

The Town collects this information in order to:

• analyse and interpret it to help meet our objectives and obligations;
• communicate information to you about engagement opportunities, events and other initiatives; and
• respond to enquiries and otherwise engage with stakeholders.

External links

Our website may contain links to other websites. Those links are provided for convenience and may not remain current or be maintained. We are not responsible for the content and the privacy practices of other websites and encourage you to examine each site’s privacy policy and make your own decisions regarding the accuracy, reliability and correctness of material and information found.

Security

While no online service is completely secure, we work very hard to protect information about you against unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction, and take all reasonable measures to do so.

Requesting access or correcting your personal information

Subject to applicable local laws and regulations, you may have some or all of the following rights with respect to your personal data:

• to access your personal data and to rectify any inaccuracies within that personal data;
• to request for the erasure of your personal data residing with us;
• to request your personal data in portable, machine-readable format; and
• to withdraw your consent to our processing of their personal data.

If you wish to notify us of a request relating to personal information we hold about you, please contact us using the contact details set out below including your name and contact details. We may need to verify your identity before providing you with your personal information. In some cases, we may be unable to provide you with access to all your personal information and where this occurs, we will explain why. We will deal with all requests for access to personal information within a reasonable timeframe.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to change or modify this Privacy Policy at any time without notice to the users of our site, except that we will post the changed or modified Privacy Policy on our site as soon as practicable as such changes or modifications are implemented.

Contact us

For further information about our privacy policy and related information practices, or to access or correct your personal information, or make a complaint, please contact us on webmaster@cochrane.ca.(External link)(External link)

Please contact The Town of Cochrane’s Access and Privacy Coordinator at ATI@Cochrane.ca(External link) regarding access to information or privacy issues under ATIA and POPA, and for assistance in updating, deleting, or adding your personal information to The Town of Cochrane’s databases.

The following Terms and Conditions govern the use of Let's Talk Cochrane ("the site"). The software platform is owned by Social Point by Open Point and operated by us, Town of Cochrane.

By accessing and using this site, you are choosing to accept and comply with the Terms and Conditions presented as well as the Privacy Policy and Moderation Policy. These Terms and Conditions apply to all visitors and users of this site. Linked sites, affiliated services or third party content or software have their own Terms that you must comply with. If you disagree with any of the Terms and Conditions presented, you may discontinue using the site immediately.

If you are under 18 years old, please ensure that your parent or guardian understands and accepts these Terms and Conditions (including the Privacy Policy and Moderation Policy).

What are the conditions with a user's account?

While using the site, you must not violate any applicable laws and regulations, or our Privacy and Moderation Policies. When you create an account with us, you must always provide us with accurate information. Failure to provide accurate information violates the Terms, which may result in immediate termination of your account on our service. You are responsible for protecting your password. Unauthorised use of your password or account must be immediately reported to us. In some cases, we or our agents may require access to your user accounts to respond to technical issues if requested. The personal information you provide to create your account will be collected, used, disclosed and stored in accordance with the Alberta Protection of Privacy Act.

What do we require from our users?

You must understand and agree that, without limitation:

• all information, data, images and other materials are the sole responsibility of the person from whom the content originated;
• you are prohibited from advertising or offering to sell or buy any goods and services;
• you cannot transmit Content that contains software viruses or programs designed to change or destroy the functionality of any computer software or hardware;
• you cannot use, collect or store personal data that is not your own on the site;
• you cannot impersonate any person or entity, including without limitation to a Town of Cochrane representative;
• you cannot interrupt or interfere with the site or servers or networks connected to the site;
• you cannot attempt to gain unauthorised access to the site or other user accounts.

Can your account be suspended or terminated?

We may terminate or suspend your access to the site and/or account immediately, without prior notice, including without limitation if you breach these Terms and Conditions. We may immediately deactivate or delete your account and all the related files and information in your account. After your account has been terminated, the content you have posted may also remain indefinitely on the site.

If you want to terminate your own account and are encountering issues, please send an email to communications@cochrane.ca.

Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Alberta and the applicable federal laws of Canada. Notwithstanding the foregoing, third-party services integrated into the platform may be subject to separate terms and conditions between the Town of Cochrane and the service provider.

What content do we own?

All content created by the Town of Cochrane on this site — including text, images, videos, and design — belongs to the Town or is used with permission. You may view and share this content for personal, non-commercial use. You may not copy, modify, or reuse it for other purposes without permission.

You keep ownership of any content you post on this site (such as comments, images, or ideas). By posting content, you give the Town of Cochrane permission to use, share, and display your content for engagement, reporting, and communication purposes. This may include summarizing or publishing feedback in reports or other materials.

This permission does not transfer ownership of your content.

Your responsibilities
By posting content, you confirm that:

• you have the right to share it
• it does not violate any copyright or intellectual property rights

Disclaimer

The Site is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. While the Town of Cochrane makes reasonable efforts to ensure that information on the Site is current and accurate, it does not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free from inaccuracies or omissions.

The Site may include content submitted by users. The Town of Cochrane does not control, endorse, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or appropriateness of user-submitted content, and such content does not reflect the views of the Town of Cochrane.

Information provided through the Site is for general information and public engagement purposes only and should not be relied upon as advice or as a guarantee of any outcome or decision. Participation in engagement activities does not create any obligation on the Town of Cochrane to take a particular action or adopt any specific position.

The Town of Cochrane is not responsible for your communications or dealings with a third party found via our website, including payment and delivery of goods or services. Any loss or damage incurred from those communications or dealings are solely between the user and the third party.

Your use of the Site is at your own risk. The Municipality is not responsible for any loss or damage arising from your use of, or reliance on, the Site or its content.

What happens if these Terms change?

Your use of the Site is at your own risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Town of Cochrane is not liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of, or reliance on, the Site or its content.