Privacy Policy

Grant Higginson for Ward 4 Councillor — St. Catharines 2026

Effective Date: May 1, 2026
Last Updated: May 4, 2026

1. About This Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how the campaign to elect Grant Higginson as City Councillor for Ward 4 (St. Patrick’s Ward), St. Catharines, Ontario (the “Campaign,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal information.

The Campaign is committed to handling personal information with care, transparency, and respect. Our approach is guided by the principles of the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 (Ontario) (the “MEA”), and Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). We apply these standards as a matter of practice, even in areas where political campaigns are not strictly required to do so.

This policy applies to information collected through our website, in-person interactions, phone and text outreach, email, social media, and any Campaign event or activity.

2. Who We Are

The Campaign is a registered municipal election campaign under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

  • Candidate: Grant Higginson, Ward 4 (St. Patrick’s Ward), St. Catharines
  • Mailing address: 80 King Street, Main Floor, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L2R 7G1
  • Email: grant@granthigginson.ca
  • Phone: 365-659-0743
  • Privacy contact: Grant Higginson, IAPP

For privacy questions or to exercise the rights described in Section 13, please use the contact details in Section 14.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information you give us when you:

  • Sign up for updates — name, email address, postal code or street address, phone number (optional)
  • Volunteer with the Campaign — name, contact information, availability, skills and interests, emergency contact (for events), and any accessibility accommodations you wish us to know about
  • Make a financial contribution — name, address, contact information, and any other information required by the Municipal Elections Act and the City of St. Catharines for contribution records
  • Request a lawn sign — name, address, contact information
  • Attend a campaign event — RSVP information, dietary needs, accessibility needs
  • Contact us with a question, concern, or policy suggestion — your name, contact details, and the content of your communication

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically:

  • IP address (anonymized where our analytics tools support it)
  • Browser type and version
  • Device type and operating system
  • Pages viewed and time spent on each page
  • Referring website
  • Approximate location (city or region level) inferred from IP address

This information is collected through cookies and similar technologies. See Section 8.

3.3 Information From Public and Third-Party Sources

  • Voters’ List — As a registered candidate, the Campaign is entitled under the Municipal Elections Act to receive the voters’ list from the City Clerk. This list contains names, addresses, and qualifying information for eligible electors in St. Catharines. Use of this list is strictly limited to purposes related to the election. See Section 6.
  • Public records — including campaign finance filings, council records, and other lawfully accessible public information.
  • Social media — when you publicly engage with our content or send us a message via platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or X.
  • Referrals — if a supporter shares your name with us as someone who might want to hear from the Campaign, we treat your information with the same care as if you had provided it directly. When we first contact you, we will tell you who referred you and give you a clear option to opt out.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

  • Sending Campaign updates, newsletters, and event invitations
  • Coordinating volunteer activities, including scheduling, training, and recognition
  • Conducting voter outreach (door-knocking, phone calls, text messages, direct mail)
  • Identifying supporters, undecided voters, and issue priorities to inform Campaign strategy
  • Processing and recording financial contributions in compliance with the Municipal Elections Act
  • Issuing contribution receipts and supporting any contribution rebate program offered by the City
  • Responding to questions, comments, and policy suggestions
  • Improving our website, communications, and outreach
  • Complying with legal obligations, including reporting to the City Clerk
  • Protecting the safety and security of volunteers, supporters, and Campaign property

We do not use personal information for commercial purposes unrelated to the Campaign, and we do not sell personal information to anyone.

5. Legal Basis and Consent

Where required by law, we rely on your consent to collect, use, and disclose your personal information. By providing your information through our website, sign-up forms, donation forms, or other channels, you consent to the uses described in this policy.

You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us using the details in Section 14, except where retention is required by law (for example, contribution records that must be kept under the Municipal Elections Act).

For electronic messages, we comply with CASL by sending email and text communications only to people who have consented (expressly or by implication) and by including a clear unsubscribe option in every message. Some political communications are exempt from CASL’s commercial messaging rules; even where exemptions apply, we honour unsubscribe requests as a matter of practice.

6. The Voters’ List — Special Restrictions

The voters’ list received from the City Clerk under the Municipal Elections Act is subject to specific legal restrictions, which we take seriously:

  • It may only be used for purposes related to the 2026 St. Catharines municipal election.
  • It may not be used for commercial purposes, sold, or transferred outside the Campaign for non-electoral use.
  • It must be returned to the City Clerk or destroyed after the election in accordance with the Act and the written acknowledgement signed by the Campaign when the list was issued.
  • Volunteers and staff with access to the voters’ list are required to sign a confidentiality acknowledgement and to follow Campaign rules on its handling and storage.

7. Contributions and Financial Disclosure

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 requires candidates to keep records of contributions and to file public financial statements after the election.

  • Contributions above the threshold set out in the Act (currently $100, subject to confirmation in any updates to the Act) require us to record the contributor’s name and address.
  • Information about contributors who give above the disclosure threshold becomes part of the public financial statement filed with the City Clerk and available for public inspection.
  • Contribution records are retained for the period required by the Act.
  • Municipal political contributions in Ontario are generally not eligible for federal or provincial tax credits. The City of St. Catharines may operate a contribution rebate program; the Campaign will provide information about any such program if it is in effect for the 2026 election.

If you have questions about how your contribution will be recorded or disclosed before contributing, please contact us.

8. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Make the site function properly (essential cookies)
  • Remember your preferences (functional cookies)
  • Understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it (analytics cookies)

We use Google Analytics to collect aggregated information about site usage. Where the tool supports it, we have enabled IP anonymization.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some features of our website. We honour browser “Do Not Track” signals where technically feasible.

The Campaign does not currently use advertising cookies, retargeting pixels, or third-party tracking for political ad targeting on this website. [If digital advertising with tracking pixels is added at any point during the campaign, this section must be updated before that activity begins.]

9. Third-Party Service Providers

We use a small number of trusted service providers to run the Campaign. These providers process personal information on our behalf under terms that require them to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we direct. Current providers include:

  • Google Workspace — email, document storage, and team collaboration
  • CallHub — phone and text outreach to supporters and electors
  • VoterTrack — voter and supporter relationship management
  • Canva — design and visual content
  • WP Engine — website hosting and forms
  • Mailchimp — newsletter and bulk email delivery
  • Donately — processing online contributions

Some of these providers store data on servers located outside Canada, including in the United States. Information stored outside Canada may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions, including lawful access by foreign government authorities. We choose providers we believe offer appropriate safeguards.

10. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only in the following circumstances:

  • With service providers listed in Section 9, under confidentiality and data-protection terms.
  • With Campaign volunteers and team members on a need-to-know basis, subject to confidentiality expectations.
  • With the City Clerk as required for contribution disclosure, financial filings, and other legal obligations under the Municipal Elections Act.
  • In response to a valid legal process (such as a court order, subpoena, or other lawful demand), or where disclosure is permitted or required by law.
  • To protect the rights, property, or safety of the Campaign, our supporters, or the public.

When the Campaign concludes, records will be disposed of in accordance with this policy and the Campaign’s legal obligations. Contribution and financial records will be retained for the period required by law; voters’ list data will be returned to the Clerk or destroyed as required.

11. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, or alteration. These steps include:

  • Limiting access to personal information to people who need it for Campaign purposes
  • Requiring volunteers and staff to sign confidentiality acknowledgements where appropriate
  • Using reputable service providers with established security practices
  • Using strong passwords and, where available, multi-factor authentication on Campaign accounts
  • Securely disposing of paper and digital records when they are no longer needed

No method of transmitting or storing information is completely secure. While we work hard to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

If we become aware of a privacy breach that creates a real risk of significant harm to affected individuals, we will notify them and any required authorities in line with applicable law.

12. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law:

  • Contribution and financial records — retained for the period required by the Municipal Elections Act
  • Voters’ list — returned to the City Clerk or destroyed after the election as required by law
  • Volunteer records — retained for the duration of the Campaign and a reasonable period afterwards for follow-up and recognition; deleted on request
  • Email and text subscribers — retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
  • Website analytics data — retained for the default period set by our analytics provider (typically 14 to 26 months)
  • General correspondence — retained for as long as needed to respond and follow up, then deleted

After the Campaign ends, records that are no longer needed will be disposed of securely.

13. Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you
  • Correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete
  • Withdraw consent for future use of your information (subject to legal retention requirements)
  • Unsubscribe from email or text communications at any time
  • Request deletion of your information, where we are not legally required to retain it
  • Make a complaint to us about our handling of your information, and to the federal Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you are not satisfied with our response

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in Section 14. We will respond within a reasonable time, generally within 30 days.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or about how we handle your personal information, please contact:

Grant Higginson Campaign — Privacy Inquiries 
80 King Street, Main Floor, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L2R 7G1 
Email: grant@granthigginson.ca
Phone: 365-659-0743

You can also contact the federal Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada:

15. Children’s Privacy

Our website, communications, and outreach are intended for adults eligible to participate in or follow Ontario municipal elections. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 14 without parental or guardian consent. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us so we can delete it.

16. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The date at the top of the policy reflects the most recent update. Material changes will be communicated through our website and, where appropriate, by email to subscribers. Your continued use of our website or services after a change indicates acceptance of the updated policy.