Privacy Policy

Last Updated: May 2026

Empower Simcoe is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information. We are responsible for all personal information in our possession and operate in compliance with fair information practices and applicable Canadian privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and relevant provincial laws.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal information through this website.

Privacy & Confidentiality Principles

Empower Simcoe follows the ten privacy principles identified in the CSA Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information, which form the foundation of federal, provincial, and municipal privacy laws:

Accountability for personal information
Identifying Purposes for personal information
Consent for personal information
Limiting Collection of personal information
Limiting Use, Disclosure, and Retention
Accuracy of personal information
Safeguards for personal information
Openness regarding our privacy practices
Individual Access to personal information
Challenging Compliance

We collect personal information only as necessary to provide supports, respond to inquiries, deliver services, and meet legal and regulatory obligations.

Information We Collect Through This Website

When you visit or interact with this website, we may collect:

Contact information you voluntarily provide through forms or email (such as name, email address, phone number)
Program inquiries or service-related information you submit
Technical information such as IP address, browser type, and pages visited (through cookies or analytics tools)

We do not collect sensitive personal information through this website unless you choose to provide it.

How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

Respond to inquiries and requests
Provide information about our programs and services
Improve our website and communications
Meet legal, regulatory, and reporting requirements

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information for marketing purposes.

Retention of Information

Information submitted through website forms is retained only as long as necessary for operational, legal, administrative, or service-related purposes and is securely disposed of when no longer required.

Sensitive Information & Supporting Documentation

Some forms on this website may request sensitive personal information or supporting documentation in order to provide, coordinate, or administer services and supports. Such information is only collected where reasonably necessary and is accessible only to authorized staff or service providers involved in the delivery or administration of those services.

Cloud-Based Services & Data Storage

Some information submitted through this website may be processed or stored using secure cloud-based services or infrastructure that may be located outside of Canada. Reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards are used to help protect personal information.

Safeguards & Data Retention

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect personal information against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse.

Personal information is retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law.

Third-Party Services

Empower Simcoe may use trusted third-party service providers to support website hosting, form processing, analytics, email delivery, payment processing, and related website functionality. Information shared with such providers is limited to what is reasonably necessary for those services to function.

Cookies & Website Analytics

This website may use cookies and analytics tools to improve functionality and understand how visitors use our site. Cookies are small data files stored on your device.

You may disable cookies through your browser settings, though some features of the website may not function properly.

Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

Empower Simcoe operates in compliance with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation. You may withdraw consent from receiving electronic communications at any time by following unsubscribe instructions or contacting us.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you
Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information
Withdraw consent, subject to legal and contractual restrictions

Questions, Concerns, or Complaints

If you have questions about privacy or confidentiality, please speak with your support team or contact:

Privacy Officer
Empower Simcoe
39 Fraser Court
Barrie, ON L4M 5E5
Email: [email protected]

You may also contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario:

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A8
Phone: (416) 326-3333
Website: www.ipc.on.ca

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date.

Staff Name	Position	Years of Service
Fernando Bertucci	Community Support Services Coordinator	40 years
Loretta Maloney	Accommodations Support Worker	35 years
Paul Windross	Community Support Worker	35 years
Jody Crompton	Accommodations Support Worker	35 years
Kathy Lemon	Accommodations Support Worker	35 years
Cindy Hayes	Supported Independent Living Worker	30 years
Meaghan Kelly	Community Support Worker	30 years
Heather Hauck	Community Support Worker	25 years
Jamie Ellis	Family Support Worker	25 years
Rhonda Vanata	Accommodations Support Worker	25 years
Lisa Wright	Supports and Services Supervisor	25 years
Sheri-Lynn Leppard	Accommodations Support Worker	20 years
Nancy Smith	Accommodations Support Worker	20 years
Shannon Windsor	Supported Independent Living Worker	20 years
Michele Kapteyn	Supports and Services Manager	20 years
Kari Nesbitt	Accommodations Support Worker	20 years
Kerrie-Sue Christie	Senior Support Worker	20 years
Miranda Mitchell	Accommodations Support Worker	20 years
Kim Tiffin	Senior Support Worker	20 years
Elizabeth Oliver	Supports and Services Supervisor	15 years
Karen Hilton	Accommodations Support Worker	15 years
Mallory Gutterson	Supports and Services Supervisor	15 years
Jessica Lynne Miller	Accommodations Support Worker	15 years
Cortney Moreau	Community Support Worker	15 years
Krista Telford	Community Support Worker	15 years
Laura Welsh	Accommodations Support Worker	15 years
Kamila Romanowicz	Finance Manager	15 years
Jamie Hall	Corporate Communications Manager	10 years
Michelle Thomas	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Hayley Van der Voort	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Miriam Mittler-Barbieri	People and Culture Scheduler	10 years
Debbie Degagner	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Lea Ward	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Melissa Pinkerton	Community Participation Support Worker	10 years
Danielle Skelton	Supported Independent Living Worker	10 years
Tracey Tiriboyi	Accommodations Support Worker	10 years
Lindsay Moore	Senior Support Worker	10 years
Lindsay Balfe	Supported Independent Living Worker	10 years
Jessie Chronowski	Family Support Worker	5 years
Jeanette Hamilton	Infant and Child Development Worker	5 years
Vinil Varghese	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Katy Cosgrove	Community Support Worker	5 years
Aditya Maratha	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Ricki Jacobs	People and Culture Business Partner	5 years
Princess Obayando	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Mae Marchand	Scheduling and Systems Administrator	5 years
Adrienne Volgmann	Infant and Child Development Worker	5 years
Kim Mantello	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Ebbisha Benjamin	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Kim Campeau	Payroll Specialist	5 years
Jamie McDougall	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Brittany Boyd	Community Support Worker	5 years
Fallon Wagner	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Angelia Brooks	EarlyON Indigenous Coordinator	5 years
Dana Booth	Quality and Innovation Systems Coordinator	5 years
April Lillie	Accommodations Support Worker	5 years
Julie Lorriman	Community Participation Support Worker	5 years

AGF Investments	Alicia McLeod	Allandale Pharmasave Pharmacy	Ally Truen
Amber Sperling	Amy Cann	Andrea Dickins	Angela Brown
Anna Rinaldi	Anonymous Wine-Cookbook	Arnold Veen	Ashley Anderson
Ask4Care Support Services Inc.	Barbara Warne Estate	Barrie Bingo Sponsors Association	Barrie Colts
Bayfield Carpet Inc	Bertram Construction (Ontario) Ltd.	Boathouse Eatery	Bradanick Construction Services Inc
Bruce Askey	Bryan & Ollie Moffatt	Caitlin Beresford	Cari Whyne
Caroline Hood	Carolyn Harris	Catulpa Community Support Services	Colleen McGinnis
Compu-SOLVE Technologies Inc.	ComVida Corporation	Daniel and Ann Johnston	Desjardins Insurance
Donald Matheson	Dorota Rynkowski	Dorvict Home and Health Care Services	Drury Well Drilling
Dynamech Trade Services Inc.	Elaine Knowlson	Empower Simcoe Employee Giving	Equitable Life of Canada
Erica Sample	Essa Painting	Frank Matys	Fully Promoted; 1872846 Ontario Inc.
Gilda Ann Whyne	Helen Thompson	Hicks Morley LLP	Humberview Mobility
Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc.	IBEW Local 636	Innisfil Community Foundation	Innovative Automation Inc.
Investigative Risk Management	IODE West Gwillimbury Chapter	J Plumbing	Janice Griffith
Jeffrey Ptasiuk	Jessica MacDonald Architect Inc.	Jessica Skinner	Joseph McIsaac
Just Junk	Karl Cadera	Kim Stephens	Kiwanis Club of Barrie
Lake Country Office Solutions Inc.	Lauren Benmergui	Lilley Financial Group	Linda Forrest
Loreen J Dugale	Lothar and Brigitte Thiemann	Lucy Bray	Lynn Kelman
Mabel's Label's	Mackenzie Gamache	Mary Curl	May Court Club of Barrie
Mayor Don McIsaac	Melchoir Family Foundation	Michael E. Reed Professional Corporation	Michelle Inch
Michelle Soltysiak	Million Dollar Round Table Foundation	Mitchell Whyne	Motion
Nancy Chambers	Natalie Scott	Natasha Dresler	Nexim Healthcare Consultants
Northern Performance Windows and Doors	Optimist Club of Barrie	Orillia Electric	Pam MacLeod
Pat and Keith Mills	Peggy Harris	PETER RUDDELL	PhaseONEelectrical
Pooran Law	Powell Jones LLP, Chartered Accountants	Quayle's Brewery	Rachel Bennett
RBC Royal Bank of Canada	Rebia Tariq	Rick Speare	Robert & Jackie Nunn
Ron Ptasiuk	Rose Mary and Thomas King	Rotary Club of Barrie	Rotary Club of Barrie Huronia
Sassy Divas Chapter: Red Hat Society	Shirley Hutchinson	Speare Construction & Contracting Inc.	Spectrum Financial Strategies
Steve Eyers	Steve McEown	Sunshine Carpet & Flooring	Surbhi Warach
Surelock Homes Ltd.	Susan Green	Tamara Hopkins	Tasse Design Inc
The Community Foundation of Orillia & Area	Tom Richardson Electric (Stroud) Ltd.	Unique Minds Academy	United Way Centraide (East Ontario)
Vavala Group Inc.	Victoria Ptasiuk	Vipond Fire Protection	Wall-Armstrong & Green
Wallwin Electric Services Ltd	Wallwin Integrated Systems	Water Depot Essa	Wendy Stephens
WHS Automotive	Wild Wing Brechin	William Dorey	Winmar Barrie/Orillia

Risk Identification	Mitigating Actions/Controls ( currently in place)
Journey to Belonging – potential change in funding and service delivery model	Collaboration with Ministry. Planning, education, organization structural changes, ongoing communication with unions and workforce
Lack of cost of living funding increases resulting in the erosion of quality and capacity of service delivery over time.	Consistent dialogue and advocacy with funders. Reliance on fundraising to supplement government funding shortfalls. Invest in efforts to improve efficiency and productivity.
Labour disruption.	Union negotiations with the support of labour relations lawyer. Work stoppage/contingency plan.
Cyber Security Breach.	Employee cyber security training. Invest in up-to-date cyber security technology and best practises. Off-site backups. IT audits.
Temporary or permanent loss of funding from main funders.	Consistent dialogue and advocacy with funders. Maintain contingency fund. Maintain fundraising efforts.
Major disruption to operating environment due to natural disasters, pandemics, war, terrorism and other catastrophic events.	Pandemic planning, business continuity planning, insurance, contingency fund.

Privacy & Confidentiality Principles

Information We Collect Through This Website

How We Use Your Information

Retention of Information

Sensitive Information & Supporting Documentation

Cloud-Based Services & Data Storage

Safeguards & Data Retention

Third-Party Services

Cookies & Website Analytics

Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

Your Rights

Questions, Concerns, or Complaints

Changes to This Policy

Belonging

Resources:

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Engagement

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Expression

Resources:

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Well-Being

Resources:

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Resources:

Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP)

Eligibility by Income level (estimate):

Housing Retention Fund (HRF)

How to apply:

Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)

Get Started

Documents required for interview include:

Service Awards

— Congratulations to our 2024-2025 Award winners —

Congratulations on reaching these milestones, and thank you for your continued efforts to empower people to lead a meaningful and inclusive life.

Donors & Event Sponsors

— Our thanks to all our supporters! Your donations and event sponsorship mean the Empower Simcoe Foundation is always able the help the people and families who need it most. —

Legacy Gifts

Consider Your Legacy

% of visitors by geographic area

Visits to the Thornton EarlyON Child and Family Centre

According to Osazee Okungbowa, Empower Simcoe Supports and Services Supervisor, the program’s individualized approach has been key to Shawn’s success.

That growing confidence is evident beyond the kitchen.

What is Respitality?

Respite + Hospitality = Respitality