Avenue Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

a. Information you provide directly

When you create an Avenue account, we may ask you to provide:

• your first and last name;
• a city and time zone;
• a province or territory;
• a username; and/or
• an email address.

You may also submit User Content, such as profile details, messages, discussion posts, feedback, or assignments, which may itself contain personal information about you or about others.

b. Information we collect automatically

When you visit or use the Avenue Services, we and our service providers may automatically collect technical information such as your IP address, browser and device type, pages visited, and similar usage and log data. Some of this information is collected using cookies or similar technologies. See Section 5 for the specific tools we use.

c. Information about Learners

Learner accounts are established and controlled by Educators for the duration of a course. Educators are responsible for the accuracy of any information they provide about a Learner, and for ensuring they have any necessary consent to provide it.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect only to:

• establish and manage User accounts and provide the Avenue Services;
• contact and correspond with Educators regarding changes or updates to the Avenue Services;
• prepare aggregated, non-identifying reports on use of the Services for our sponsors and affiliates, including IRCC, MLITSD, and the Government of Canada, such as participation rates and duration of use, based on data that does not identify an individual;
• display reports or graphs of User activity statistics on the Avenue website; and
• maintain, secure, and improve the content, layout, and operation of the Avenue Services.

We do not use your personal information for any purpose beyond those listed above without your consent, unless required or permitted by law.

3. How We Disclose Your Information

We will never willfully disclose your personal information to a third party without first obtaining your permission, except where disclosure is required to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation, such as a court order or a lawful request from a government authority.

We do not rent, trade, or sell your personal information, and we do not share it with other organizations for commercial purposes or third-party marketing.

We may share aggregated, de-identified information, from which no individual can reasonably be identified, with our funders and sponsors, including IRCC, MLITSD, and the Government of Canada, for reporting and program-evaluation purposes.

We may also share information with service providers who help us operate the Avenue Services, under obligations of confidentiality and only to the extent necessary for them to provide those services.

4. Information Shared Between Users

Avenue is a collaborative learning platform. Information you share through User profiles, private messages, discussion boards, live chat, or the exchange of assignments may be visible to Educators and other Users, as described further in our Terms & Conditions. Avenue Canada Solutions does not control what an Educator or Learner chooses to share with, or solicit from, another User. Each User is responsible for ensuring they have consent before disclosing another individual’s personal information through the Services.

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The Avenue website uses cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and understand how the Services are used so we can maintain and improve them. Most web browsers let you control or disable cookies through their settings; disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the Avenue Services.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics across the Avenue Services to collect aggregated, anonymized statistics about how the site is used, such as pages visited and session duration, so that we can understand usage patterns and improve the Services. This applies to both Educator and Learner accounts. Google’s use of this data is governed by Google’s own privacy policy.

Tools available to Educators

The following tools are loaded only when you are signed in as an Educator. They are not loaded for Learner accounts:

• UserSnap: allows Educators to submit feedback, report issues, or share annotated screenshots directly with our support team.
• Tawk.to: a live chat widget that lets Educators reach our support team directly from within the Services.

Both tools may collect technical information (such as browser type and IP address) and the content of any message or feedback you choose to submit through them. Their use of this information is governed by UserSnap’s privacy policy and Tawk.to’s privacy policy, respectively.

6. Data Storage and Security

Avenue Canada Solutions adheres to industry-standard practices and makes reasonable efforts to protect information received, collected, and stored in connection with the Avenue Services. Communications through the Services may not be encrypted, however, and the Services are not intended to be used to collect, share, or store sensitive personal information, including financial information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

The Avenue Services are built on WordPress and Moodle, with sign-in handled through a single sign-on system (SimpleSAMLphp) rather than storing your password separately on each platform. The Services are controlled and operated from facilities in Canada and are intended for Users located in Canada. Your information is stored and processed in Canada.

7. Retention of Information

We retain personal information for as long as your account remains active, and for a reasonable period afterward for backup, archival, audit, or legal purposes. Consistent with our Terms & Conditions, we reserve the right to terminate accounts that have been inactive for more than one year.

8. Your Rights and Choices

You may:

• access and request correction of the personal information in your account profile;
• update your account information at any time by signing in to your account; and
• request that your Educator or site administrator close your account.

If you have concerns about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us using the details in Section 10. You also have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

9. Third-Party Links

The Avenue Services may contain links to third-party websites or resources. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information to them.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is handled, please contact us at: support@avenue.ca.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time, and the most current version will be posted on the Avenue website. Your continued use of the Avenue Services after any revision takes effect means you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy.