A Little Community Project ("we," "our," or "us") operates the Burloak Hot Chocolate Fest. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and safeguard your personal information when you use the Burloak Hot Chocolate Fest website (the "Site"), vote for a participating café, enter the prize draw or join our newsletter (together, the "Services").
This Policy is intended to comply with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act ("PIPEDA") and applicable provincial privacy law in Ontario. By using the Services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Policy.
1. Information we collect
Votes. When you vote for a café, we collect your name, email address, your cup and creativity ratings, whether you've visited that café before, whether you'd bring a friend, and any optional private message you write to the café.
Prize draw. Each vote is an entry into the prize draw. We use the name and email from your vote to select and contact winners.
Newsletter. If you join our newsletter, we collect your email address.
Communications. Any information you share when you email us.
Collected automatically. Like most websites, our hosting provider (GitHub Pages) receives your IP address and basic browser information when you load the Site. When you open the café map, your browser loads map tiles from OpenStreetMap and map software from cdnjs, and the Site loads fonts from Google Fonts. These providers receive your IP address and request information directly from your browser and handle it under their own policies. We also count anonymous site activity, such as page visits, café and map views, and taps on buttons like Directions or Donate, along with the website or QR code that brought you to the Site and whether you are on a phone or computer. These counts contain no names, email addresses or IP addresses and cannot identify you. The Site also remembers in your own browser, for that visit only, whether you closed the prize pop-up; this stays on your device and is never sent to us.
What we don't collect. We don't take payments on the Site; hot chocolate is purchased directly from each café. We don't collect your location. Café locations on the map use each café's fixed address.
2. How we use your information
- Count votes and determine festival award winners;
- Allow one vote per cup per email and detect duplicate or fraudulent voting;
- Select prize draw winners and contact them by email;
- Share anonymous feedback and overall results with participating cafés;
- Send our newsletter, only if you signed up for it;
- Respond to your questions;
- Maintain the security of the Services.
Voting does not sign you up for our newsletter. We do not use your personal information for automated profiling or targeted advertising, and we do not sell your personal information.
3. Consent
By submitting a vote or joining the newsletter, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this Policy. You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us (see Section 7), or unsubscribe from the newsletter using the link in any email.
4. Sharing your information
We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information. We share information only in these limited cases:
With participating cafés. Cafés receive your ratings and any private message you write to them, without your name or email address. Messages are shared anonymously.
With service providers. Third parties that help us run the Services, such as our database provider (Supabase), our website host (GitHub) and our email provider. They may only use your information to provide services to us.
Prize winners. We will only announce a winner's name publicly, for example on Instagram, with their permission.
For legal reasons. If required by law, court order or a valid government request, or to protect the rights, property or safety of A Little Community Project, our participants or the public.
We do not share your personal information with Safetynet Children & Youth Charities.
5. Data retention
We keep vote and prize draw information until results are final and prizes have been awarded. Within 90 days after the festival ends, we permanently remove names and email addresses from votes. The remaining ratings become anonymous data that is no longer personal information. Newsletter emails are kept until you unsubscribe.
6. Data security
We take reasonable administrative, technical and physical measures to protect your personal information, including access controls and encryption in transit. Vote details cannot be read through the public website. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a data breach creates a real risk of significant harm to you, we will notify you and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada as required by law.
7. Your rights and choices
Under PIPEDA, you have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, correct it, withdraw consent, and ask us to delete it. To make a request, email us at cheers@alittlecommunityproject.ca. We will respond within a reasonable time and in accordance with applicable law. You may also file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
8. Children's privacy
The Services are not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If we learn we have, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a child has given us personal information, please contact us at cheers@alittlecommunityproject.ca.
9. Third-party links
The Site links to other websites, such as café websites, Instagram and Safetynet Children & Youth Charities. We are not responsible for their privacy practices and encourage you to review their policies.
10. International data transfers
Your information may be stored and processed outside your province, including in the United States, where our service providers operate. It may be subject to the laws of those places, including possible access by their government authorities.
11. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time. We will post changes here and update the effective date above. Continuing to use the Services after changes take effect means you accept the updated Policy.
12. Contact us
A Little Community Project
Email: cheers@alittlecommunityproject.ca
Website: www.burloakhotchocolatefest.ca