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Website Terms of Use

Disclaimer

The Terms of Use relate to the City of Oshawa's online sites, including but not limited to the City's:

Corporate website, www.oshawa.ca and its related webpages (including any Online Services) and Service Oshawa Online, www.serviceoshawa.ca; and,
Corporate social media accounts, including but not limited to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.

The access and use of these "online sites" is subject to the terms and conditions listed below.

Protecting the privacy and personal information of individuals is an important consideration in the way we structure our online and offline activities. When visiting our websites there is no requirement to identify yourself.

The City's privacy policy applies only to those sites operated by the City of Oshawa. The City does not control the privacy practices of external sites. Before submitting personal information, each individual should carefully review the privacy policies and practices of these sites.

Collection of Non-Identifying Information

The City of Oshawa collects non-identifying information from users of its website. This information includes the Internet Protocol (I.P.) address, type of browser, date and time of visit and the different webpages visited on the website. The information is used for statistical reporting purposes and to design and improve access to information and services available on our website. We do not combine the information with other information or services to determine browsing habits on websites beyond those operated by the City, or to determine identities.

Cookie technology captures total and not individual information on visitor use patterns. The cookie is a computer code that tracks "traffic" so the City can determine how effective its websites are in providing information and services to the public. A cookie contains no information that can identify a user personally and the City of Oshawa acquires no knowledge of browsing paths once a user leaves the City’s websites. Apart from providing a performance measure, the data collected by the cookie is otherwise meaningless.

If you have set your browser to warn you before accepting cookies, you will receive the warning message with each cookie. You can refuse cookies by turning them off in your browser. This may disable some features on our site, but all content will remain available to you. You can check your browser's "Help" files to learn more about cookies.

Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

The City of Oshawa may collect, use, retain and/or disclose personal information when necessary for the proper administration of a lawfully authorized activity in accordance with provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Act.

The City does not automatically gather personal information via oshawa.ca. However, personal information may be required as part of the registration and/or application process for a City program or service.

Whenever a user is required to submit personal information, the user will be provided with written notice that shall contain:

the legal authority for the collection;
the principle purpose(s) for which the information is intended to be used; and,
the title, business address and business telephone number of an officer or employee of the City who can answer any questions you may have about the collection.

Questions regarding the collection of personal information may be directed to the City’s Information Access and Privacy Officer, City of Oshawa, 50 Centre Street South, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 3Z7, 905-436-3311.

Accessibility

The City of Oshawa is committed to creating an accessible online environment and making its web documents available to everyone. There may be instances where not all content is in an accessible format, such as maps or Geographic Information System (G.I.S.) data; engineering drawings; site maps for planning applications; complex technical data; and, legacy documents. To request an accessible alternative for non-accessible content, contact Service Oshawa. Learn more about Accessibility in Oshawa.

All contents of the City's online sites is Copyright © 2020 the City of Oshawa and/or its suppliers, 50 Centre St. S., Oshawa, Ontario L1H 3Z7. All rights reserved. No trademark or service mark licence is granted in connection with the materials contained on the City's online sites.

The City of Oshawa Logo is a registered trademark of The Corporation of the City of Oshawa. Any reproduction of the Logo without the City of Oshawa's expressed permission is prohibited.

Parties seeking permission to use the City of Oshawa Logo must:

review the City of Oshawa Corporate Visual Identity Manual;
complete and submit the Application to Use the City of Oshawa Logo to Corporate Communications online, by mail (50 Centre St. S., Oshawa, ON, L1H 3Z7) or by email to [email protected].

Corporate Communications will review and provide feedback/approval within five business days upon receipt of the completed application.

Personal and Non-Commercial Use Limitation

The City's websites are for your personal and non-commercial use. Unless specifically authorized by The Corporation of the City of Oshawa, you may not modify, copy, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, licence, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell any information, software, products or services obtained from this website.

No Unlawful or Prohibited Use

As a condition of your use of the City's websites, you warrant to the City of Oshawa that you will not use these websites for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these Terms of Use.

Links to External Sites

Clicking on a link to a third-party site will usually open a new browser window. The City provides these links as a convenience for visitors to the website. The inclusion of a link does not imply endorsement by the City of Oshawa, nor can we be held responsible in any way for the content found on any third-party website. The City’s privacy statement applies solely to information collected on the City website.

Wireless Network

The City of Oshawa offers unencrypted wireless internet access to visitors in its facilities. Internet access is provided on a complimentary basis without any benefit financial or otherwise to the City. The wireless network is not a secure form of connection. Use of the wireless connection is done at the user’s own risk. By using this connection, patrons acknowledge that security breaches and malware are an inherent risk associated with any wireless service.

The City is not responsible for data transmitted or loss of information over the wireless network. Users should be aware that third parties may be able to obtain information about user's activities when using the wireless service to connect to the internet. Any information being sent or received over the wireless network could potentially be intercepted by another wireless user. Cautious and informed wireless users should not transmit their credit card information, passwords or any other sensitive personal information while using a wireless “hot spot.”

The City assumes no responsibility for the security and privacy of online transactions, or for any damage caused to a user's hardware or software due to power surges, security issues, hacking, malware, viruses or identity theft. Anti-virus and security protection are the responsibility of the user. Users agree that the City is not liable for any costs or damages, special, incidental or consequential, arising from the use of this service. The City is also not responsible for laptops or other devices left unattended. By using the City’s wireless internet access, you agree and hereby release, indemnify, and hold harmless, the City of Oshawa, its employees and any affiliate, from any damage that may result from your use of this wireless internet access.

The City of Oshawa will not provide technical assistance on individual devices. Access is provided to users on an "as is" basis with no guarantee and no warranty. Wireless users are responsible for configuring and setting up their own equipment. The City is not responsible for any changes the user makes to the settings. The City cannot guarantee that every device will be compatible with its wireless network.

Users are not permitted to tamper with any equipment belonging to the City and are prohibited from damaging or disrupting service on the network or utilizing any means to intercept other user's data. By using this network, you agree to be solely responsible for the content of all information you disseminate. You also agree to use this network in a responsible and lawful manner.

In offering internet access, the City of Oshawa cannot guarantee that information found through the internet is accurate, authoritative or factual. The City cannot be held accountable for its content. Supervision or restriction of a minor’s (under age of 18) access to the internet is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian.

Social Media accounts

Social media platforms are another way for us to share information and engage with our community. We monitor our social media accounts during business hours. If your matter is urgent or confidential, please contact Service Oshawa.

Our digital interactions

In order to create safe, fair and open online spaces, we’ve established guidelines for those who wish to engage on our social media channels. We ask that all users of our social media platforms be:

respectful; please keep an open mind and be polite when interacting with other users;
inclusive; everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate; and,
on topic; we encourage focused, thoughtful comments and discussion, which respond or relate to a particular topic, initiative or event.

Although we work hard to help you, we can’t guarantee that we will understand your question completely or be able to provide an answer or resolution. By contacting us through social media, you acknowledge and agree that any response we provide you through the same site is:

intended to provide helpful information or resources; and,
not considered definitive advice or guaranteed to solve your issue.

While we do our best, depending on the volume of posts received, we cannot guarantee we’ll be able to respond to everyone.

Content

Posting on a City platform or sending a City account a direct message is not considered contact for an official purpose. If you need to contact the City for an official purpose, please contact Service Oshawa.

City of Oshawa Content

Any official content posted by the City of Oshawa can be recognized by the page name and the City of Oshawa or Downtown Oshawa profile photo.

Downtown Oshawa social media accounts will be used exclusively to support “destination businesses” within Oshawa’s downtown boundary. From a tourism perspective, destination businesses would include:

independent shops;
clothing and furniture boutiques;
restaurants and bars/clubs;
music/entertainment venues;
independent grocery/food businesses; and,
arts/culture destinations.

At times, other Oshawa social media accounts may also support "destination businesses" within Oshawa's boundaries.

Adult entertainment or related products/services would be excluded from this definition. Any products or services intended for ages 18+ that are offered for take-out only would also be excluded.

Third Parties

Content shared on City social channels by third parties such as members of the community or partner organizations does not necessarily represent the views of the City of Oshawa.

We reserve the right to take the following actions without notice:

hide or delete any material;
ban future posts from users or block users; and,
use and/or share any post or content along with the name and/or username of the person who made the post.

If you choose to share content on a City social channel, please keep in mind that it must not:

be stolen content, or content that you do not have the right to post;
violate any law, rule or regulation or any third party right, promote illegal activity or conduct that would contravene any law, rule or regulation or third party right;
be abusive, hateful, homophobic, discriminatory, malicious, aggressive, threatening, violent, sexist, harassing, inflammatory, indecent, tortious, defamatory, knowingly false, misleading, deceptive, vulgar, obscene, offensive, scandalous, sexually explicit, and/or profane;
incite hatred, racism, bigotry, discrimination or physical harm of any kind against any individual or class of individuals based on a protected ground in the Ontario Human Rights Code; or,
be unsolicited or unauthorized, such as unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional material, "junk mail," "spam," "chain letter," "pyramid scheme," or any other form of solicitation (commercial or otherwise).

Protecting your privacy

The City of Oshawa is not responsible for any personal information or other information posted by third parties and users on public social media websites.

The City may collect, use, retain and/or disclose personal information when necessary for the proper administration of a lawfully authorized activity in accordance with provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (M.F.I.P.P.A.) and the Municipal Act.

Users should be aware that unless otherwise stated, all comments and personal information directed to the City of Oshawa are subject to M.F.I.P.P.A. and may be deemed releasable under the legislation

Social media websites are third party service providers that collect, store and manage personal information whenever users access and use the site. Please refer to the privacy policy for each social media website for particulars. The City of Oshawa does not control how social media websites handle personal information.

All information used for engagement with our social media channels is subject to collection by organizations outside of Canada or storage and access on servers not belonging to the government.

We encourage community members to contact Service Oshawa if personal information must be shared as part of a request (e.g. address for missed garbage collection at a residence, etc.).

Unless you have consent to do so, do not post any personal information belonging to others, including:

Identifying particulars, such as a picture of a person’s face
Name, email address, phone number, or address
Criminal, health, employment, or financial information
Any identifying numbers (e.g. Social Insurance Number, License Plate Number)

These Terms of Use are subject to change without notice.

Liability Limitations

The material posted on our online sites is not an official statement of City policy, practice, services or procedure, and should not be construed as such. It is intended only to give general information about the City.

While an effort is made to post only accurate information, the City does not guarantee that the information, software, products and services included on its online sites is always current or correct. In the case of a difference between the version presented online and the version in the City's records, the City's records shall be assumed to be correct.

Advice received via this website should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal or financial decisions and users should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The City and/or its respective suppliers may make improvements and/or changes to our online sites at any time. The City and/or its respective suppliers make no representations about the suitability, reliability, timeliness and accuracy of the information, software, products, services and related graphics contained on this website for any purpose. All such information, software, products, services and related graphics are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. The City of Oshawa and/or its respective suppliers hereby disclaim all warranties and conditions with regard to this information, software, products, services and related graphics, including all implied warranties and conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non-infringement.

In no event shall the City and/or its suppliers be liable for any direct, indirect, punitive, incidental, special, consequential damages or any damages whatsoever including, without limitation, damages for loss of use, data or profits, arising out of or in any way connected with the use or performance of our online sites, with the delay or inability to use our online sites, the provision of or failure to provide services, or for any information, software, products, services and related graphics obtained through our online sites, or otherwise arising out of the use of our online sites, whether based on contract, tort, strict liability or otherwise. If you are dissatisfied with any portion of our websites, or with any of these terms of use, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using our websites.

City of Oshawa Online Calendar

The purpose of the City's online calendar is to inform the public about upcoming events in the community and to provide an opportunity to promote community and local meetings and events.

Review the City’s online calendar and community event terms of use on the Calendar Posting Policy webpage.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

All matters relating to your access to, or use of, the City's websites shall be governed by the statutes and laws of the Province of Ontario.

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