Last updated: October 2026.
Why do we have a privacy policy?
We need some of your personal information to run our swim school. Because it matters to us that you trust how we protect it, we have adopted this Privacy Policy (the “Policy”). It explains what we collect, why, who sees it, how long we keep it, and the choices and rights you have.
Institut de Natation de Montréal Inc. (Montreal Institute of Swimming, “MIS”) follows the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (the “Private Sector Act”), including the changes made by Law 25.
What is personal information?
Personal information is information about a person that makes it possible to identify them, for example a name, an email address, a phone number or a registration record.
Who and what does this Policy cover?
It covers the personal information of our customers (parents, guardians and adult swimmers), of people who visit our website, of job applicants, and of anyone else who deals with us, whatever the format (paper, recordings, databases). It does not cover information the law considers public, or the information of MIS team members, which other policies govern.
Who is responsible?
Person in charge of the protection of personal information:
Kamal Panesar, Co-owner
info@swim-montreal.com | 514-294-8259
Institut de Natation de Montréal Inc.
Every member of the MIS team must apply this Policy. We also require the suppliers who handle personal information for us to protect it.
How do we collect your personal information?
In most cases, directly from you:
- when you contact customer service;
- when you register, pay or use our website;
- when you take part in our programs;
- when you answer a survey or sign up for our emails;
- when you visit our facilities.
A supplier may collect information for us (for example for a survey). In that case we ask it to tell you.
What do we collect and why?
We collect and use personal information to:
- communicate with you;
- register you and your children and supply our lessons and programs;
- process job applications we have posted;
- keep our services and processes effective and of good quality, and improve your experience;
- send useful information and promote our services and programs;
- meet our legal and regulatory obligations;
- protect the safety of people and the security of our systems, accounts and facilities.
We collect only what is needed for a specific purpose. When we ask for information, we tell you whether it is mandatory and what happens if you decline (unless it is obvious). For example, we need your contact details to create a registration. Answering a survey is always optional.
Children
Most MIS participants are children. We collect a child’s information from the parent or guardian. For a child under 14, only the parent or tutor can give consent. We do not use a child’s information for advertising measurement or targeting. If you agree, advertising measurement uses only the contact details of an adult (18 or older) who registers, and nothing about the child.
How do we use your personal information?
We use it for the purposes we have told you about. If we want to use it for another purpose, we ask for your consent first, except where the law allows otherwise.
We use the most recent information you gave us. You can ask us to correct anything that is inaccurate, incomplete or equivocal by contacting customer service.
Do we communicate your personal information to others?
We share it with third parties when you ask us to or consent. The law also lets us share it without consent in some cases, for example with:
- service providers who process it for us (for example hosting, registration, email and payment tools);
- payment service providers;
- collection agencies and legal advisers;
- authorities, police or a court when the law requires it.
Where we use a service provider, we require it by contract to protect the information and use it only to provide the service.
Do we communicate your personal information outside Quebec?
Sometimes. Some of our service providers (for example cloud hosting, email and advertising tools) store or process information outside Quebec, in Canada, the United States or elsewhere. Before we communicate personal information outside Quebec, we carry out a privacy impact assessment that looks at how sensitive the information is, why it is used, the protections that apply (including contract terms) and the privacy rules of the place where it goes. We communicate it only if it would receive adequate protection, and we put a written agreement in place. Authorities in those places may be able to access the information under their laws.
How do we measure and improve our advertising?
We advertise MIS programs on Google and on Meta (Facebook and Instagram). To find out which ads lead to registrations, we may share limited registration information with Google LLC and Meta Platforms, Inc., companies based in the United States.
What we may share. When a person registers for a program, we may send:
- the registrant’s email address and phone number, each converted by us into a code (a “SHA-256 hash”) before it leaves our systems. We do not send the readable email address or phone number. Google and Meta can match the code to their own user records; that is the purpose of the code;
- the date and time of the registration and the amount paid;
- a reference code made from the registration number (never the number itself), so the same registration is not counted twice;
- the ad click identifier saved in your browser, if you arrived from one of our ads and agreed to advertising cookies (see “Cookies and similar technologies” below). There may be none.
What we never send. Names, your child’s information (name, date of birth, health or swimming level), the course or location, your address, payment card details, and the content of your messages to us.
Why. Google and Meta compare the codes with the codes of their own users to find out whether a registration followed a click on one of our ads, and report the results to us in aggregate. We use the results to decide where to spend our advertising budget. Their terms set limits on how Google and Meta may use this information.
Your choice. We do this only if you agree. At registration we ask separately, with an unticked box, whether you agree. You can say no and still register. Your choice applies to this registration and your future ones until you withdraw it. You can withdraw at any time by writing to info@swim-montreal.com or calling 514-294-8259. We will stop including your information within 5 business days and will ask Google and Meta to delete what we sent, where their tools allow it.
Is this information still personal information? Yes. The code is not your name, but Google and Meta can use it to recognize you if you have an account with them. We therefore treat it as personal information and ask for your agreement first.
Outside Quebec. Google and Meta process this information outside Quebec, including in the United States. Before sending any information, we complete a privacy impact assessment, and we send only the minimum described above. Authorities in those countries may be able to access information held there under their own laws.
Cookies and similar technologies
When you visit our website, we and the companies we use may place small files (cookies) or use similar tools in your browser to recognize your browser, measure traffic and measure advertising. Some of these tools can identify, track or profile you across visits. We do not turn on those tools unless you agree through our cookie settings. Tools that are strictly needed for the website to work are always on.
| Type | Examples | Purpose | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | session and security cookies | Make the site and registration work | On |
| Analytics | Google Analytics | Count visits and see which pages help | Off until you agree |
| Advertising | Google Ads tag, Meta Pixel | Measure our ads | Off until you agree |
| Ad click identifiers (first-party cookies set by swim-montreal.com) | gclid, fbclid, and campaign tags utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign | Remember that you arrived from an ad so a later registration can be linked to it | Off until you agree |
When you agree to advertising cookies, the ad click identifier and campaign tags are saved in a first-party cookie on swim-montreal.com for up to 90 days, then expire. If you register in that period, the identifier may be linked to your registration and sent with the information described above.
You can change your choice at any time using “Cookie settings” at the bottom of every page, or by clearing cookies in your browser. Your browser may also let you block cookies. Blocking strictly necessary cookies may stop registration from working.
How to withdraw your consent
You can withdraw any consent you gave us (for example for advertising measurement, newsletters or cookies) at any time. Write to info@swim-montreal.com, call 514-294-8259, or use “Cookie settings” for cookies. We will act within 5 business days and confirm to you. Withdrawing does not affect registrations already made or services you already receive.
How long do we keep your personal information?
We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes for which we collected it, and then we destroy it or make it anonymous. Our current periods are:
| Information | How long |
|---|---|
| Payments, invoices, refunds and payroll | 7 years |
| Client accounts and registration history | 3 years after the last registration |
| Incident or accident reports involving a child | Until the child turns 21 (adults: 3 years) |
| Medical notes and allergies | Current session plus 1 year |
| Signed waivers and consents | 7 years |
| Customer care messages (Kayako, email, chat) | 3 years |
| Leads, waitlists, abandoned carts, and people who never registered | 1 year |
| Website and ad tracking data | 13 months |
| Job applicants not hired | 1 year |
Data already held by Google and Meta is governed by their terms; where their tools allow it, we ask for deletion when you withdraw your consent.
If a law requires a longer period, or a dispute is open, we keep the information as long as necessary.
How do we protect your personal information?
We use security measures suited to how sensitive the information is, including limiting access to the team members and suppliers who need it. If a confidentiality incident (such as unauthorized access) presents a risk of serious injury, we notify the people concerned and the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec, and we keep a register of all incidents.
Your rights
You have the right to know what personal information we hold about you, to see it and get a copy, to have it corrected if it is inaccurate, incomplete or equivocal, and to withdraw your consent to its use or communication. You can also ask for your computerized personal information in a structured, commonly used format, and ask us to stop disseminating it or to de-index a link in the cases the law allows. We may ask you to prove your identity. We will answer within 30 days.
To use these rights, write to the person in charge above, or call customer service at 514-294-8259. For job applications, use the contact form on our website.
Complaints
To make a complaint about how we handle personal information, write to the person in charge above. We will acknowledge it within 5 business days and answer within 30 days. If you are not satisfied, you may file a complaint with the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec (www.cai.gouv.qc.ca).
Do we update this Policy?
Yes. We review it every year and when the law or our activities change. We show changes on our website. Previous versions are available on request.
Questions?
info@swim-montreal.com | 514-294-8259