What this covers
This notice describes what information BalanceLab collects through this website (balancelab.ca), how we use it, and the rights you have under Ontario and Canadian privacy law. It does not describe how we handle clinical records or personal health information at the clinic — those practices are explained in writing when you arrive for your first appointment, and you are welcome to request a copy at any time.
What we collect through this website
If you fill out the contact form, we collect the name, email address, phone number, reason for contact, and message you provide. The form is delivered to us by email through a service called Formspree.
If you simply browse the website, your visit is counted by Google Analytics. This includes which pages you viewed, how long you stayed, the country your visit came from, and limited technical details such as your browser and operating system. It does not include your name or contact information, and we do not use it to identify you personally.
The website does not collect personal health information. If you are sending us details about your symptoms, diagnosis, or appointments, please use the phone, fax, or in-person visit instead — those channels are appropriate for clinical information; the website is not.
How we use it
Contact form submissions are used only to respond to your inquiry. We do not add the email addresses you provide to a mailing list, and we do not use them for marketing.
Analytics data is used to understand how visitors find and use the website, so that we can improve it. It is reviewed in aggregate; we do not look at individual visitors.
Third parties
To run this website we rely on a small number of services, each of which sees a portion of the data described above:
- Formspree — receives contact form submissions and forwards them to our office email. Formspree is operated from the United States.
- Google Analytics — receives anonymous browsing data. Google is a multinational company with data centres in several countries, including the United States.
- Medeo Health — handles online booking through a link on this site. If you book through that link, your data is handled under Medeo's privacy policy, not this one. Medeo is a Canadian company.
- Lithium Hosting — provides server space for the website itself.
We do not sell, rent, or otherwise share your information with anyone outside of these service providers.
Data leaving Canada
Some of the services above store or process data outside of Canada, primarily in the United States. While these companies are bound by their own privacy commitments, data held outside of Canada may be subject to the laws of the country it is stored in. If this is a concern for you, please use phone or in-person communication instead of the contact form.
Cookies
Google Analytics sets a small text file (a "cookie") in your browser that lets it count return visits without identifying you personally. You can block this cookie at any time by enabling your browser's "Do Not Track" setting, by using a privacy-focused browser, or by installing an analytics blocker. The website works normally with analytics blocked.
The website does not use cookies for advertising, retargeting, or behavioural profiling.
Your rights
Under Ontario's Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), you have the right to:
- ask what information we hold about you
- request a copy of that information
- ask that errors in your information be corrected
- withdraw consent for any future use of your information, with reasonable notice
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below. We will respond within thirty days.
Clinical records
If you are or have been a patient at BalanceLab, your clinical records are governed by PHIPA and CASLPO's record-keeping standards rather than by this website notice. To request access to your clinical records, ask for a copy of your record, or raise a concern about how clinical information is handled, contact the office directly.
AI documentation tools
We use an AI-assisted clinical documentation tool — Heidi — to help draft notes during appointments. Heidi is integrated within our electronic medical record system (Accuro) and is PHIPA-compliant; details of its privacy and security practices are published at trust.heidihealth.com. Whether the tool is used in your appointment, and your option to decline, is reviewed with you in person.
Contacting us about privacy
Anton Charko is the privacy contact for BalanceLab. You can reach him by:
Filing a complaint
If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your information and would like to escalate, you can contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, the independent body that oversees privacy in the province:
For complaints involving non-health personal information, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (priv.gc.ca) handles federal jurisdiction.
Changes to this notice
We may update this notice from time to time. The date at the top of the page reflects when it was last revised. Material changes will be summarized at the top of the page for at least thirty days.