Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

TopPicks Staffing Inc. ("TopPicks," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our clients, care professionals, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information in accordance with:

• The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), S.C. 2000, c. 5
• Ontario's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), where applicable
• Ontario's Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), where applicable
• Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), S.C. 2010, c. 23
• The Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA), 2014 (Ontario), as it pertains to child safety and compliance
• Applicable regulations from the Ontario Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care

By using our website or services, you consent to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our website and services.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

2.1 From Care Professionals (RECE, ECA, PSW, DSW Workers)

• Full legal name, date of birth, and government-issued photo identification
• Contact information including home address, telephone number, and email address
• Professional credentials, registration numbers, and certifications (e.g., RECE registration with the College of Early Childhood Educators)
• Vulnerable Sector Checks and criminal background check documentation
• Proof of immunization records and health documentation required by the CCEYA or Ministry of Health
• Professional references and employment history
• First Aid / CPR certification documents
• Social Insurance Number (SIN), for payroll and tax purposes only, collected in accordance with the Income Tax Act
• Banking information for direct deposit purposes

2.2 From Client Organizations (Child Care Centres, Facilities, Families)

• Organization name, address, and contact information
• Name and contact details of authorized representatives
• Licensing numbers and Ministry of Education compliance documentation
• Service agreements and billing information

2.3 From Website Visitors

• Name and email address submitted through contact forms
• Technical data including IP address, browser type, device type, and pages visited (via cookies)

3. Why We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information only for the following identified purposes, consistent with the principle of limiting collection to what is necessary under PIPEDA:

• To match and place qualified care professionals with client organizations
• To verify credentials, certifications, and compliance with Ontario Ministry regulations and the CCEYA
• To conduct background screening, including Vulnerable Sector Checks, as required for work in child care environments
• To process payroll, tax remittances, and employment records
• To communicate with care professionals and clients regarding placements, scheduling, and service updates
• To send promotional or informational communications, with your consent, in accordance with CASL
• To improve our website, services, and operations
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including those from the Ontario Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health
• To protect the safety and security of children in care, as required under the CCEYA

4. How We Use Your Personal Information

We use your personal information in ways consistent with the purposes for which it was collected. Specifically:

• Your professional credentials and compliance documents may be shared with licensed child care centres or facilities requesting a placement, to satisfy Ontario Ministry guidelines and licensing requirements
• Your contact information may be used to communicate placement schedules, service updates, and other necessary communications
• With your consent, we may contact you by email, text message, telephone, or postal mail with promotional information about our services. You may withdraw consent at any time
• Aggregate, anonymized data may be used for internal reporting and service improvement

We will not use your personal information for any purpose other than those listed above without first obtaining your consent, except as required by law.

5. Disclosure and Sharing of Personal Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may disclose your information only in the following circumstances:

5.1 With Client Organizations

Where a care professional's placement file is requested by a licensed child care centre or facility for Ministry compliance purposes, we may share relevant professional documents (e.g., credentials, background checks, immunization records). This is done only to the extent necessary for regulatory compliance.

5.2 With Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers (e.g., payroll processors, IT/cloud storage providers, background check agencies) who process data on our behalf. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may not use it for any other purpose.

5.3 As Required by Law

We may disclose information when required to do so by law, court order, subpoena, government authority, or regulatory body, including the Ontario Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, or the College of Early Childhood Educators.

5.4 Confidentiality Obligations

All care professionals representing TopPicks Staffing Inc. are required to maintain strict confidentiality regarding information about TopPicks Staffing Inc., client organizations, children in care, and families. Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information is prohibited and may result in immediate termination of your engagement with TopPicks.

6. Consent and Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

TopPicks Staffing Inc. fully complies with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). We will only send commercial electronic messages (CEMs) — including email newsletters, promotional messages, and service announcements — with your express or implied consent, as defined under CASL.

• You may withdraw your consent to receive CEMs at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in any email, or by contacting us directly
• Withdrawal of consent to receive marketing messages will not affect our ability to send transactional or service-related communications necessary to fulfill our obligations to you
• We maintain records of consent as required by CASL

7. Retention of Personal Information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law, including:

• Employment and payroll records: retained for a minimum of 7 years, as required under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 and the Income Tax Act
• Vulnerable Sector Checks and credential documents: retained for the duration of the engagement and a reasonable period thereafter, in compliance with Ministry and licensing requirements
• Website and marketing data: retained as long as reasonably necessary for operational and legal purposes

When personal information is no longer required, we securely destroy or anonymize it using appropriate means (e.g., shredding paper records, secure deletion of digital files).

8. Your Rights: Access, Correction, and Withdrawal

Under PIPEDA, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Withdraw consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your information (subject to legal or contractual restrictions)
• Be informed of the existence, use, and disclosure of your personal information upon written request

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us in writing (see Section 13). We will respond to access or correction requests within 30 days, as required by PIPEDA. Processing updates to personal information may take up to 7 business days depending on the method of submission.

Please note that withdrawal of consent may affect our ability to provide services to you or place you in care settings.

9. Children's Privacy

TopPicks Staffing Inc. is deeply committed to the privacy and safety of children. Our website is intended for a general adult audience and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children online without prior verifiable parental or guardian consent.

In the context of our staffing services, any information about children in care settings is handled solely by our care professional clients (the licensed centres and facilities). TopPicks does not collect, store, or process personal information about children served at placement locations.

10. How We Protect Your Information

We implement reasonable and appropriate physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction. These measures include:

• Secure Sockets Layer (SSL/TLS) encryption for information transmitted through our website (look for "https://" in your browser's address bar)
• Password-protected and access-controlled systems for digital records
• Locked filing systems for physical records
• Confidentiality agreements with all staff and third-party service providers who handle personal information
• Periodic review of our privacy and security practices

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Phishing Warning

"Phishing" refers to fraudulent attempts to obtain your personal information by impersonating a trusted organization. TopPicks Staffing Inc. will never request your password, banking details, SIN, or other sensitive information via email. If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from us, do not respond — contact our office directly to verify.

11. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website uses cookies — small data files stored on your device — to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies may be used to:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Recognize you when you return to our website
• Analyze website traffic and usage patterns to improve our site

You may configure your browser to refuse cookies or to notify you when cookies are being sent. Please note that disabling cookies may limit certain website features and functionality.

We do not use cookies to collect sensitive personal information or to track you across unaffiliated websites for advertising purposes.

12. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites for your convenience. These external sites operate independently and are governed by their own privacy policies. TopPicks Staffing Inc. is not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of any linked third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any website you visit through a link on our site.

13. Accountability and Contact Information

TopPicks Staffing Inc. has designated a Privacy Officer responsible for overseeing compliance with this policy and applicable privacy legislation. If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact us:

TopPicks Staffing Inc.
Privacy Officer
Website: www.toppickstaffing.ca
Ontario, Canada

We will acknowledge your request within 5 business days and endeavour to resolve your concern within 30 days, in accordance with PIPEDA.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca, or with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at www.ipc.on.ca.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or business operations. When we make material changes, we will post the updated policy on our website and, where appropriate, notify you by email or other means. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page will indicate when the policy was most recently revised.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

15. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, including PIPEDA, CASL, the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000, the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, and other applicable legislation.