Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions (Website Use Agreement)

Effective Date: 20 December 2025
Owner: Ontario Forensic Identification Association (“OFIA”, “we”, “us”, “our”)
Website: https://www.ofia.ca (the “Site”)

1) Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Site, its content, member portal, events pages, or any services offered through the Site (collectively, the “Services”), you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions (“Terms”). If you do not agree, do not use the Site or Services.

2) Who We Are

OFIA is a professional forensic association organized under the laws of Ontario, operating on a non‑profit basis to support training, professional standards, and collaboration among forensic professionals. The Site may host articles, event registrations, training materials, member communications, and directories.

3) Privacy & Data Protection (Canada)

We respect your privacy and handle personal information in accordance with applicable Canadian privacy laws. Depending on where you reside and how we operate, your personal information may be governed by:

PIPEDA (federal private‑sector privacy law) when OFIA engages in “commercial activities” (e.g., selling event tickets or merchandise) or when information crosses provincial/national borders. PIPEDA is built on 10 fair information principles (Accountability, Identifying Purposes, Consent, Limiting Collection, Limiting Use/Disclosure/Retention, Accuracy, Safeguards, Openness, Individual Access, Challenging Compliance).

Québec Law 25 where OFIA “carries on an enterprise” involving Québec residents, including enhanced consent, privacy governance, incident reporting, and the right to data portability (effective Sept 22, 2024). Penalties and enforcement by the CAI apply.

Alberta PIPA and BC PIPA (private‑sector privacy statutes) for activities within those provinces, including consent, access/correction, reasonable purposes, and safeguards.

Our Privacy Practices:
We collect personal information (e.g., name, contact details, membership status, credentials, payment information for event registrations, training history) to administer membership, events, learning programs, newsletters, and to improve the Site. We limit collection to what’s necessary, use safeguards proportional to sensitivity, retain only as long as needed, and provide transparency and access/correction rights consistent with applicable law.

Contact for Privacy Requests:
Privacy Officer, OFIA: info@ofia.ca, 40 College Street, Suite 605, Toronto, ON M5G 2J3.

Hosting & Data Security

Our website is hosted by Wix.com Ltd. (“Wix”), a third-party service provider. All data collected through the Site is stored and processed on Wix’s secure servers, which implement industry-standard security measures, including encryption, firewalls, and continuous monitoring. Wix complies with applicable privacy and security standards and maintains data centers in jurisdictions that provide adequate protection under Canadian privacy laws. For more details on Wix’s practices, please review Wix’s Privacy Policy.

4) Email, Texts & CASL Compliance

If we send commercial electronic messages (CEMs)—e.g., event promotions or paid training—we will obtain express or implied consent, identify OFIA as the sender with contact details, and include a functional unsubscribe mechanism to comply with Canada’s Anti‑Spam Legislation (CASL) and the Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations. You can opt‑out at any time using the unsubscribe link or by contacting us.

Examples of consent under CASL:

Express consent: You opt in (e.g., check a box on a form). No time limit until you withdraw.

Implied consent: Existing membership or event registration may allow limited‑time communications; we track timelines and scope.

5) Cookies & Analytics

We use cookies and similar technologies for functionality (e.g., login, preferences) and aggregated analytics to improve Services. We will explain purposes, obtain consent where required, and provide options to manage cookies. When analytics data crosses borders, we assess safeguards in line with PIPEDA and applicable provincial laws.

6) Accounts, Membership & Accuracy

You are responsible for safeguarding your login credentials and for all activities under your account. Provide accurate information and update it promptly. OFIA may suspend or terminate accounts for misuse, security concerns, or policy violations.

7) Professional Conduct & User Content

You agree not to upload or share content that is unlawful, defamatory, infringing, or that could compromise ongoing investigations, chain‑of‑custody principles, or professional ethics. We may remove content that violates these Terms or applicable law.

8) Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, the Site and its content (logos, text, images, training materials) are owned by OFIA or licensed to OFIA and protected by Canada’s Copyright Act and international treaties. You may view, print, or download materials for personal, non‑commercial use, subject to any license terms we specify. Use beyond this requires prior written permission. Fair dealing exceptions may apply for purposes such as research, private study, education, criticism, review, or news reporting, subject to the statutory fairness test and proper attribution.

9) Events, Training & Transactions

If the Site processes registrations or payments:

Prices and terms will be displayed at checkout; we avoid drip pricing and any false or misleading representations.

Refunds, substitutions, and cancellation policies will be shown per event.

You agree to comply with venue rules and professional standards.

Competition Act Notice: We strive for transparent marketing; representations must not be false or misleading in a material respect. Enforcement focuses on general impression (including environmental/performance claims and fees).

10) Third‑Party Links & Tools

We may link to or embed third‑party sites, platforms (e.g., webinar tools, payment processors), or social media. We are not responsible for third‑party content or practices. Review their terms and privacy policies before use.

11) Security; Breach Notification

We use administrative, physical, and technical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of personal information and the risk profile. Where required, we keep an incident log and notify regulators and affected individuals of breaches of security safeguards posing a real risk of significant harm, per applicable law.

12) Your Rights

Depending on your province and the governing law, you may have rights to:

Access and obtain a copy of your personal information;

Correct inaccuracies;

Withdraw consent (subject to legal/contractual limits);

In Québec, request data portability for computerized personal information collected from you, in a structured, commonly used technological format (subject to statutory limits).

Submit requests to: info@ofia.com. We will respond within the applicable statutory timeframe (e.g., ~30–45 days depending on jurisdiction).

13) No Guarantees; Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Services are provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind (including fitness for a particular purpose or non‑infringement). OFIA, its directors, officers, volunteers, and agents are not liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Site or Services. In any event, our total liability is limited to the amount you paid (if any) for the applicable Service in the 12 months preceding the claim.

14) Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless OFIA from any claims, damages, losses, and costs arising from your breach of these Terms or misuse of the Services.

15) Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be noted on the Site with an updated effective date. Continued use after changes indicates acceptance.

16) Governing Law; Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflicts of law. You agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ontario (Ottawa). If you are a Québec resident, mandatory consumer provisions of Québec law may apply to consumer aspects. (This clause does not limit privacy rights under Québec Law 25 where applicable.)

17) Contact

OFIA Legal/Privacy Inquiries
Email: info@ofia.ca | Address: 40 College Street, Suite 605, Toronto, ON M5G 2J3.