Terms of use
By using this website, you agree to these terms and conditions.
Who we are
"We”, “us" or “our" refer to Centralized Supply Chain Ontario o/a Supply Ontario, which represents His Majesty the King in Right of Ontario. This also includes or refers to:
staff working on content or the website
Supply Ontario and their employees, agents and independent contractors
Using this website
Agreeing to the terms
You agree to accept the terms of this website when using it. You also agree when you continue using this website after we make updates to these terms.
We reserve the right to add, remove or change these terms at any time without giving you notice.
We may share additional terms for using certain websites, programs or services. Additional terms may be added to the terms on this page. Where there is a difference between the two terms, the terms most recently added will apply.
Where necessary, we will let you know:
how we will use your personal or contact information
who to contact with any questions or concerns
Read more details in our privacy statement below.
What we can do
We may:
moderate sections of this website
choose whether or not to take action in response to content shared through our website
We reserve the right to:
post or not post content submitted through the website
edit, move or remove content that does not follow these terms
act according to another reason we decide is appropriate
We do not endorse or approve any ideas or opinions that people share through:
contact forms in our contact us sections
webforms we ask you to fill out for services
document uploads for specific services
other ways that may allow someone to interact with our websites
Your responsibilities
When you use this website, you agree to use it:
for lawful purposes only
in a way that does not:
infringe on the rights of anyone else
restrict the use and enjoyment of this site by anyone else
Acceptable and unacceptable use
Anyone can access the website for lawful purposes. You are allowed to submit content through this website.
Unlawful and inappropriate purposes and actions are not acceptable.
For example, you must not:
use this website in violation of any law, rule, regulation or third-party right
interfere with or disrupt this website or any of our computer systems
mislead us or others about your identity or the origin of any content you submit
post or send a message or link to content that:
promotes illegal activity or conduct that would break any law, rule, regulation or third-party right
is abusive, discriminatory, violent, harassing, indecent or known to be false
is a form of solicitation
Linked sites and platforms
Linking to our websites
You and other websites are welcome to link to this website. The information we provide is free to access.
Contact us for permission to:
associate your website with our website
associate your organization with a government program or ministry
Websites and social media that link to us or our other websites or subdomains may not be associated with us or endorsed by us. We will tell you if they are.
Linking from our websites
We may link to other websites or social media for your convenience. Adding these links does not mean that we promote or support these platforms or their services.
We cannot make sure:
that the link is reliable or still safe to click
that the link we provide will still work when you click on it
other platforms that third parties manage give you the same level of privacy or security commitments
You may want to learn more about the cookies, terms and privacy policies of websites we link to before you share information on those websites and platforms. We also reserve the right to remove or change links without notice.
Third parties
We use third parties, for example social media, to provide content or link to this website. We do not collect or control any information that you share through social media third-party platforms.
These third parties:
are not bound by our privacy statement commitments to you
have their own terms of use and privacy policies for you to read
may not follow the same privacy laws or practices that we do
We assume no responsibility or liability when we link to third-party platforms or share their content.
Limited or no responsibility
We are not liable for any form of damage to any person or business entity resulting from the use or inability to use this website, its information or any website linked to it. This is even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
This includes, but is not limited to, any:
costs
loss of profit, information, programs or data
business interruption
Archive label
We use an archive label on content that is no longer the most recent or accurate. We keep this content online for:
easy access to outdated content
archival and research purposes
We will link to the most recent or updated content when it is available.
Maintenance or service disruptions
We perform routine maintenance which can impact page load times or cause pages to be down for a period of time.
Severability or if a section of these terms is unenforceable
If any term or condition (something on this page) is found to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal for any reason, the remaining terms and conditions will continue in full force (they will still be valid).
Procurement or Supply Chain Related Provisions
If the website provides procurement opportunities, vendor portals, or supplier-related information:
Any materials, tender documents or opportunities posted on the website are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an offer, contract or guarantee of future business
Supply Ontario reserves the right to modify, withdraw or cancel any procurement opportunity without notice and without liability
Suppliers and vendors accessing the website for such purposes must comply with any separate terms, conditions and legal instruments governing those procurement processes
Governing laws
These terms of use are governed by, and interpreted according to, the laws of Ontario. You agree to and accept these terms with Supply Ontario and according to Ontario laws and the applicable laws of Canada.
We cooperate with representatives of the law and courts on any claim or investigation. We share content and personal information with officials in these circumstances.
Copyright
The King’s Printer for Ontario owns the copyright to content on this website unless we tell you otherwise. If you want to use our content, follow the rules on our copyright information page.
If you contribute comments to the website, we do not hold the copyright unless we tell you otherwise. However, you agree to waive your moral rights as an author under copyright law to any content you may submit.
Trademark
You are not allowed to use the official symbols of Supply Ontario and/or the Ontario government for any purpose without our written permission. You must write to us and get our permission in writing before you use them.
Warranty disclaimer (we are not responsible)
We can update, change or remove content at any time without notice. This website and its content are provided “as is.”
“As is” refers to using this website and its content as they are at the time you use it. We make no warranties, express or implied, regarding the completeness, reliability or currency of content on this website.
Accessibility
We follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2 of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
We are working to create more accessible and inclusive content for people and their diverse needs.
PDF documents
Some documents on this website are still available as PDFs (electronic images of text formatted for printing). Contact us if you need PDF content in another format.
PDF documents:
are not always accessible
may need software like Adobe Acrobat to open them
Your privacy
We follow the laws and guidance included in our privacy statement to manage the information you submit through the website.
We work hard to protect the privacy and security of your information.
Contact us
If you have questions or comments about anything on this page, contact Supply Ontario.
By email
By mail
Supply Ontario
200 Front St West, Suite 2800
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 3J1
Privacy statement
How we protect and secure information you share when you use our website and online services.
Overview
This privacy statement, which summarizes our policies, includes:
options you have when you browse or use online services
ways you can take action to protect your personal information online
ways we protect online services, including contractor-delivered services and services processing payments
We also follow internal privacy policies that are summarized in this statement.
We review our practices and policies and share changes or updates to this statement on this page. We date any changes at the end of this statement.
Types of information we collect
Statistical data
We collect anonymous statistical data, also called analytics, when you browse our websites. We use a service called Google Analytics which helps us:
collect, store and analyze analytics data
improve online services and content
Read more in our cookies section.
Our servers also collect data that helps us analyze our website traffic, trends and performance. The data includes:
names and sizes of files requested
page visits and dates and times accessed
keywords users enter into our search engine
Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the devices used to access our websites
operating systems and internet service providers (ISPs) used by visitors
We do not link this information with the identity of individuals visiting our site. If we detect an attempt to damage or disrupt this website, we can take further actions.
Personal information
When you use an online service, you may need to share personal information. For example, you may provide your:
name
email address
mailing address
phone number
How we collect, use and disclose personal information
We only collect personal information that is necessary to deliver the program or service which follows section 38(2) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Notice of collection
We may collect personal information when you choose to use services on this website. For example, we may ask for your contact information. This helps us deliver the service to you. We tell you when we collect this type of information. When we let you know, it’s called a notice of collection.
A notice of collection describes how we use or disclose (share or make available) your personal information. For example, we include this notice when you:
sign up, register or create an account for a product or service online
fill out a form or apply online (for example, submitting reports)
provide contact information so we can respond to you or remind you about something related to a product or service you signed up for
We will tell you the:
legal authority
we have to collect information. For example, the law that authorizes Supply Ontario to collect and protect personal information
main ways and reasons we use your information. For example, if we need your email address to send you an email reminder or update
contact information for a person from the service team
who can answer any questions you have about the way we use information
A notice of collection may include more information, for example, a Terms of use.
Collection of personal information
We only collect personal information when it is:
necessary to provide you with products or services
specifically authorized by a law, for example, a statute that gives ministries the authority to collect a type of information needed to deliver a specific service to you
Additionally, we work to:
maintain security and ensure the integrity and confidentiality of your information and our systems
make sure vendors (contractors) and service delivery partners follow the same security, integrity and confidentiality protocols as well
We do not:
collect and connect details of your browsing activity to your identity
collect personally identifiable information on our websites without giving you notice or asking for your consent
offer online services only. Some services and forms are also available in person or by mail, fax or phone.
When we use your information
We only use your personal information for:
the service or purpose you choose. (For example, to get an email receipt if you register or submit a form)
a consistent purpose, unless another use is specifically authorized by a law (read more in the Laws and guidelines section on this page)
When we share your information
We only disclose (share) your personal information:
when we have legal authority
when we are legally obligated to do so. For example, by court order
with the authorized staff, government office or contractor responsible for the service or reason you provided it for, such as when it is necessary to deliver the services or products you signed up for.
How to access or change your information
Some of our online services may ask you to create an account or renew an item. These services allow you to change, update or correct your personal information.
You also have the right to access your personal information that a ministry or government area may hold. You can make an access request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). Access is subject to the limits and exceptions that the FIPPA outlines.
For specific FIPPA requests, you can check what types of information we keep on file through our Directory of Records.
Cookies
Cookies are small text files or similar technologies that your web browser stores and uses to interact with our website, including our web-based applications (apps). We do not use cookies to identify individuals.
Our cookies:
collect small amounts of data on user settings and behaviours
are based on supplyontario.ca browsing only
are added together (aggregated) in analytics
Cookies on supplyontario.ca cannot:
allow us to identify you personally
give anyone access to your hard drive
allow us to make changes to your device
collect personal information from you without your knowledge
Data that cookies access can include:
pages visited
dates and times of visits
internet service providers (ISPs)
Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the device used
operating systems, browsers and type used
keywords used in our search engine
names and sizes of files requested
We do not sell your information or this data to third parties. If we need to collect any personal information to deliver a service to you, we always let you know first.
Types of cookies
Our cookies:
may be essential for an online service. For example, so you can fill out a form to initiate a procurement process or submit reporting
help us remember your settings and preferences to save you time
help us measure website use (analytics) and improve experiences
help us share relevant online ads for public and awareness campaigns using Google advertising services
Google Analytics
We use cookies from Google Analytics to learn how people use our websites, for example what people click, so we can improve our content and services.
We do not:
use cookies that allow us or Google to identify you personally
share metrics from Google Analytics with Google
access or manage cookies that Google advertising services use
This policy applies to cookies used on supplyontario.ca pages only.
If you have concerns about Google services
You can opt out of Google Analytics cookies. If you opt-out, there is no serious change to your browsing experience on our website.
Social media and content that is not on supplyontario.ca
We may include social media content in some of our web pages, for example. a YouTube video link. We may also use ads on social media (for example, Facebook). When we do, and when you interact with that content, social media platforms may:
process analytics data through their own servers
track your browsing activities across other websites
place their own cookies when you visit their web pages
We do not manage or have access to social media or other websites and their cookies.
Options for more privacy
If you access online information and services, you can choose to:
opt out of Google Analytics cookies any time
clear, block or stop cookies in your browser settings
Clear, block or stop cookies in your browser settings
You can block, stop or limit cookies, including third party cookies, by following the instructions in your browser settings. Browser examples include:
Other browsers may have instructions in their “Help” section.
If you block all cookies:
you can still use government websites to access information
you may not be able to access some Ontario services and features
you may experience impacts on this and other websites
Security
Our commitment
We protect the integrity of our systems. We do not link information to website visitors unless there is:
a threat
damage to the site
an attempted attack on the site
Steps you can take
We encourage users of this website to protect their devices and personal information.
For example:
make sure you are on a trusted website
take steps to protect your home network and password(s)
find our websites and services through a trusted search engine
beware of phishing scams and suspicious links or websites
delete your search history or use private browsing modes or browsers
use privacy browsing modes or browsers on shared devices
Steps we take
We use software, encryption and other protocols to protect the website from:
misuse
alteration
copying
disclosure
destruction
monitoring
unauthorized sharing of information and damage
Laws and guidelines
We manage the information we collect according to:
the Personal Health Information Protection Act for health-related data
other applicable ministry laws and guidelines
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and other guidelines also protect personal information from unsolicited use and sharing with third parties, for example, spam emails.
Roles and responsibilities
The Government of Ontario and its agencies are responsible and accountable for:
protecting the personal information they collect or store
managing security incidents and privacy breaches
managing events that need us to take action but do not meet the definition for a personally identifiable information (PII) breach
conducting privacy and security assessments:
before services launch or get updated
when we use a vendor or contractor to deliver a service
consultations with the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) to:
develop legislation or regulations
change services, products or policies that involve the management of personal information
Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) also plays a role to:
ensure compliance with Ontario’s laws
investigate privacy complaints and freedom of information appeals
oversee and give advice on information management practices
research access and privacy issues and give advice on legislative updates
raise awareness and educate on Ontario’s access and privacy laws
You can file a privacy complaint or appeal a decision on your Freedom of Information request through the IPC.
Contact us
If you have questions or comments about anything on this page, contact Supply Ontario.
By email
info@supplyontario.ca
By mail
Supply Ontario 200 Front St West, Suite 2800
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 3J1