Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

We limit collection to information reasonably required to run the Site, respond to messages, and support related operations.

• Technical and usage data: IP address, browser and device details, pages viewed, timestamps, referring pages, and similar diagnostic data generated when you visit the Site.
• Performance and analytics data: Aggregated or event-level telemetry such as page traffic, geographic region estimates, Core Web Vitals, user interaction events (such as donation link clicks and form submissions), and JavaScript exception reports generated when Site errors occur.
• Session replay and on-page behaviour (PostHog): Depending on our PostHog project configuration, PostHog may collect session recordings (sometimes called session replay), which can reconstruct how pages looked and how you moved, clicked, or scrolled on the Site. Recordings are built from DOM snapshots and related signals sent to PostHog, not from a literal screen recording of your whole device. They may still show text or fields visible on the page unless masked in configuration. PostHog may also use autocapture or similar features to record certain interactions beyond the custom events we trigger in code.
• Communication data: Information you submit through Site forms or email, such as your name, email address, and message content.
• Volunteer recruitment (Member in Training) application: When recruitment is open, the Site may offer a confidential online application on /volunteer/apply. The form collects the information you enter and, where the form includes it, a drawn electronic signature together with your printed name and date. We use this information only to assess recruitment eligibility and communicate with you about your application.
• Donation redirect context: If you use a donation link, we may receive limited referral context (for example, that a user clicked through from this Site), but we do not receive payment card data from donation processors.

Purposes for Collection and Use

• Operate, maintain, and secure the Site
• Measure Site performance and improve reliability
• Understand how visitors use the Site, diagnose errors, and improve usability, including through event analytics and, when enabled, session replay processed by PostHog
• Respond to inquiries, recruitment applications, and follow-up communications
• Maintain operational records and prevent misuse
• Comply with legal obligations and lawful requests

We do not sell personal information and we do not use Site data for third-party advertising profiling.

Accountability, consent, and lawful handling (BC and Canada)

Under PIPA (BC) and, where applicable, PIPEDA, organizations are accountable for personal information in their custody or control. We identify the purposes for collection at or before collection, limit collection to what is reasonable for those purposes, and use or disclose information only in ways that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

Depending on the activity, we rely on express consent (for example, when you submit a contact form), implied consent where the law allows and the circumstances are appropriate (for example, basic technical data needed to deliver pages you request), or other lawful bases such as compliance with law.

For Site measurement and reliability analytics (Google Analytics 4, PostHog, and Vercel Analytics and Speed Insights), we obtain express consent through an on-Site banner before those tools load in your browser, and we provide this policy as layered notice describing each tool, what it collects, and your options. If you choose Decline, we do not load those measurement technologies for that browser until you change your choice (for example, via Cookie preferences in the footer). Those analytics are used only to operate and improve the Site and are not used for behavioural advertising, retargeting, or sale of personal information. We do not bundle acceptance of analytics into unrelated actions, and we do not require analytics consent as a condition of using core Site features. For practical controls and how to reach us about analytics or cookies, see Your choices: analytics, cookies, and similar technologies below.

You may withdraw consent for future collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information where withdrawal is legally permitted, subject to reasonable notice and any legal or contractual restrictions. Withdrawing consent may affect our ability to respond to you or provide certain optional features. Contact us using the details below to withdraw consent or discuss options.

Service Providers and Disclosures

We use service providers that support web hosting, analytics, performance monitoring, and communication workflows. These providers process information on our behalf for limited purposes consistent with this policy. We take reasonable steps to ensure that service providers with access to personal information offer comparable protection and use the information only as directed.

• Google LLC (Google Analytics 4) — traffic and engagement analytics. Data is processed in the United States. GA4 is not configured for advertising or remarketing purposes.
• PostHog, Inc. — product analytics, including custom events (for example, donate or contact interactions), error and exception capture, and (when enabled in our PostHog project) session replay and related interaction data. PostHog uses cookies and browser storage to tie events and recordings to a browser session and may persist an anonymous distinct ID across visits. PostHog is not used for advertising.
• Vercel, Inc. — web hosting, deployment, and performance monitoring (Analytics and Speed Insights). Vercel Analytics does not set cookies and does not track individuals. Performance data is aggregated.
• Resend, Inc. — transactional email delivery for the Site, including recruitment-related messages. When you submit the Member in Training application, application data is used server-side to generate a PDF attachment. Resend transmits one email containing that PDF to LBSAR recruitment staff (typically join@lbsar.com) and may transmit a separate confirmation email to the address you provide. Message content and routing metadata are processed by Resend under its terms and infrastructure.
• Web3Forms — contact form processing. When you submit the contact form, your name, email address, and message are transmitted to and processed by Web3Forms before being forwarded to us.

We may also disclose information where required or permitted by law, including to respond to lawful demands, enforce Site terms, or protect the rights, safety, and security of LBSAR, our personnel, and the public.

International Storage and Processing

Site data may be stored or processed in Canada and the United States through our service providers' infrastructure. When information is processed outside your province or Canada, it may be subject to foreign laws and lawful access requirements in those jurisdictions.

Retention and Safeguards

We retain personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, then securely delete or de-identify it where practical. Retention periods may vary based on operational needs, legal requirements, and dispute resolution.

Recruitment applications:The full contents of a submitted Member in Training application are assembled into a PDF and delivered by email to LBSAR; they are not kept as a long-lived application record in the Site database. We may retain non-identifying aggregate metrics (for example, submission counts and timestamps) for internal reporting. If an email provider temporarily retains message copies under its operational policies, those copies are outside the Site's direct control and are used only to deliver the messages described above.

We apply reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. While no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, we work to reduce the risk of unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

Cookies and Analytics Technologies

The Site uses cookies and similar technologies for analytics and performance measurement, not for advertising. Specifically:

• Google Analytics 4 sets persistent first-party cookies (_ga, _ga_*) with a typical lifetime of two years to measure traffic and engagement. These cookies are analytics-only and are not used for advertising or cross-site tracking.
• PostHog uses cookies and similar browser storage (for example, local storage) to associate events, errors, and—if session replay is enabled—recordings within a visit and often across return visits, including an anonymous distinct identifier assigned by PostHog. In addition to custom events, PostHog captures JavaScript exceptions on the Site, which may include page URLs or technical context at the time of the error. If session replayis on, PostHog receives serialized page content and interaction data sufficient to replay a portion of your session. Use the controls in the “Your choices” section if you do not want PostHog to run in your browser.
• Vercel Analytics and Speed Insights do not set cookies and do not track individual users. Performance data is collected and aggregated at the network edge.

None of these tools are used for retargeting, behavioural advertising, or cross-site profiling.

Your choices: analytics, cookies, and similar technologies

The Site shows a cookie and analytics consent banner where you can Accept analytics or Decline. We also provide this detailed policy, practical self-service controls, and a direct contact for privacy and analytics-related inquiries. No privacy notice can guarantee how every regulator or court will view a given practice; this section describes how you can limit collection and how to reach us.

• How we remember your choice:When you select Accept or Decline, we store that choice in your browser's localStorage under the key lbsar.analytics_consent so we do not show the banner on every page view. You can use Cookie preferences in the site footer to clear that value and choose again.
• Browser and device controls: If you accepted analytics, you can still block or delete cookies, use private browsing, or use a reputable content blocker to limit Google Analytics 4 and PostHog (including session replay and event capture). If you declined, we do not inject those tools from our side; browser controls remain an extra safeguard. Adjusting analytics cookies or blocking related requests does not affect core Site functionality.
• Google Analytics: Google offers a browser add-on to opt out of Google Analytics across sites that implement it. See https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout for Google's current tool and instructions.
• Email us: For questions about analytics or cookies on this Site, to exercise rights under applicable privacy law (such as access or correction where they apply), or to raise a concern about our measurement practices, contact privacy@lbsar.com. We aim to respond within a reasonable time. Where a request relates only to anonymous browsing data and our vendors do not associate it with contact details you have provided, we may not be able to locate a specific “record” of your visit; in those cases we will explain what we can and cannot do and point you to effective technical options above.

Your rights and requests (BC and Canada)

Subject to applicable law and exceptions, you may have the right to request access to personal information we hold about you, to learn how it has been used and to whom it has been disclosed, to request correction of inaccurate information, and to ask questions about our practices. These rights are recognized under PIPA (BC) for many individuals dealing with organizations in BC; similar access and correction rights may apply under PIPEDA where it governs.

To submit a privacy request, use the contact details in the Contact section below. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request and may decline or limit requests where the law permits (for example, information subject to solicitor-client privilege, disclosure that would reveal third-party information, or information collected for journalistic, artistic, or literary purposes—none of which are typical for this Site, but may apply in law).

If you believe we have not handled your personal information in compliance with PIPA (BC), you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (OIPC BC). OIPC BC generally expects you to try to resolve concerns with us first; see https://www.oipc.bc.ca/for-the-public/how-do-i-make-a-complaint for current complaint steps. If PIPEDA applies to your complaint, you may also refer to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/report-a-concern/.

External Links and Third-Party Services

The Site may include links to third-party websites and services. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, not this one. We encourage you to review those policies before providing personal information.

Donations are processed by third-party platforms, including CanadaHelps. When you leave this Site to donate, payment and donor information is collected directly by that provider. LBSAR does not receive or store full payment card details.

Children's Privacy

The Site is not directed to children and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children through Site forms. If you believe information from a child has been submitted, contact us so we can review and remove it where appropriate.

Emergency Communications

This Site and its contact methods are not monitored for active emergencies. Do not use this Site to request urgent rescue or emergency assistance. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect operational, legal, or technical changes. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date.

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