Privacy Policy — SPEATBC (speatbc.org)
Effective date: February 01, 2026
Organization: Society of Punjabi Engineers & Technologists of British Columbia (SPEATBC) (“SPEATBC”, “we”, “us”, “our”)
SPEATBC is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization based in Surrey, British Columbia. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you visit speatbc.org, contact us, register for events, donate, purchase items, apply for opportunities, or otherwise interact with SPEATBC online or offline.
1) Scope
This policy applies to:
Visitors to speatbc.org
People who contact SPEATBC by email or forms
Members, volunteers, mentors/mentees, scholarship applicants, sponsors, and event attendees
Donors and purchasers using third-party platforms we link to (e.g., Zeffy)
It does not apply to third-party websites you may access through links on our site (for example, ticketing, donation, and shop pages hosted by third parties). Those services have their own privacy practices.
2) Privacy laws that may apply
SPEATBC operates in British Columbia and aims to comply with applicable privacy laws, including BC’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), which applies to private organizations including not-for-profits.
In some situations involving “commercial activity,” PIPEDA may also apply.
3) What personal information we collect
We may collect the following categories of personal information (depending on how you interact with us):
A. Information you provide directly
Contact details (name, email address, phone number, mailing address)
Messages and inquiries you send us
Information related to membership, volunteering, mentoring, sponsorship, or participation in programs/events
Scholarship-related information you submit (e.g., education details, achievements, references), where applicable
B. Donations, ticketing, and purchases (third-party processors)
When you donate, buy tickets, or shop through platforms we use (such as Zeffy), the platform may collect information needed to process your transaction (e.g., billing details, payment method). SPEATBC typically receives only the information required to administer the donation/purchase and provide receipts or confirmations (e.g., donor name, email, amount, order details).
C. Automatically collected website information
When you browse our website, we may collect limited technical information such as:
IP address (or a shortened/anonymized version where feasible)
Device and browser type
Pages viewed and approximate time spent
Referring/exit pages
This information is used for basic security, diagnostics, and site improvement.
4) How we use personal information
We use personal information for purposes such as:
Responding to your inquiries and providing support
Managing membership/community participation and communications
Administering mentorship, scholarships, and community programs
Processing registrations, attendance, and event communications (including AGM/gala communications where applicable)
Managing sponsorship relationships and recognition
Issuing donation confirmations/receipts and maintaining financial records (where applicable)
Protecting SPEATBC, our members, and the public (fraud prevention, site security, compliance, and recordkeeping)
5) Consent
We generally collect, use, and disclose personal information with your consent, except where permitted or required by law.
You can withdraw consent for certain uses (for example, marketing or newsletter communications) at any time by using the unsubscribe option (where available) or contacting us (see Section 12).
6) How we share personal information
We do not sell personal information.
We may share personal information in limited circumstances, including:
A. Service providers
We may share information with trusted service providers who help us operate (e.g., website hosting, email delivery, forms, event management, donation/ticketing processors). These providers are only permitted to use the information to provide services to SPEATBC.
B. Donation/ticketing/shop platforms
If you donate or purchase through platforms like Zeffy, your transaction and payment handling is governed by that provider’s policies, and information is shared as needed to complete the transaction.
C. Legal and safety
We may disclose personal information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of SPEATBC, our community, or others.
7) Cookies and similar technologies
Our website may use cookies or similar technologies that:
Enable core site functionality
Remember basic preferences (where enabled)
Help us understand general traffic and improve the site
Some embedded content or third-party links (for example, social media platforms or ticket/donation pages) may set their own cookies. You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling cookies may affect some site features.
8) International processing
Some service providers may store or process information outside Canada. When this happens, personal information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction where it is processed.
9) Retention
We keep personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, and as required for legal, tax, and operational reasons (for example, financial recordkeeping related to donations and events).
10) Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure; therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
11) Your rights (access and correction)
You may request:
Access to the personal information we hold about you
Corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information
We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling requests.
12) Contact us (privacy inquiries)
For privacy questions, access/correction requests, or concerns, contact:
SPEATBC
Email: speatbc@gmail.com
Address: #101, 13049 76th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 2V7, Canada
13) Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Effective date” at the top indicates when the latest version takes effect. Material changes will be posted on this page.
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