Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 15, 2026
Last Updated: September 15, 2026

Blue Line Health & Wellness Group (“Blue Line,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal information and personal health information entrusted to us.

We understand that privacy is especially important when individuals are seeking mental health, psychological, wellness, veteran, or other health-related services. Our goal is to be transparent about what information we collect, why we collect it, how it is used, when it may be shared, and the choices and rights available to you.

Our privacy practices are intended to comply with applicable Canadian and Ontario privacy laws, including the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (“PHIPA”), where applicable, as well as other provincial and federal privacy requirements that may apply to our operations.

1. Scope of This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information and, where applicable, personal health information collected through:

the Blue Line Health & Wellness Group website;
our online contact forms;
telephone, email, and other communications with our team;
appointment and scheduling systems;
in-person interactions at our facility;
virtual appointments and approved electronic communications;
clinical, administrative, and wellness services;
billing, benefits, insurance, and payment-related processes where applicable; and
other services or programs offered by Blue Line.

This Privacy Policy is intended to provide general information about our privacy practices. Additional consent forms, clinical privacy notices, professional-college requirements, or service-specific privacy terms may also apply depending on the service you receive and the regulated professional providing that service.

2. What Is Personal Information?

Personal information is information about an identifiable individual. Depending on how you interact with Blue Line, this may include:

your name;
telephone number;
email address;
mailing address;
date of birth;
appointment information;
communications you send to us;
billing or insurance information;
information submitted through website forms;
technical information relating to your use of our website; and
other information you choose to provide to us.

3. What Is Personal Health Information?

Personal health information is identifying information about an individual that relates to their physical or mental health, the provision of health care, eligibility for health-related services or benefits, payment for health care, or other information considered personal health information under applicable law.

Depending on the services you receive, personal health information may include information such as:

mental health history;
physical health information;
symptoms, concerns, diagnoses, assessments, or treatment information;
medications or relevant medical history;
clinical notes and treatment plans;
information about trauma exposure, occupational stress, or life experiences;
psychological or other assessments;
information regarding referrals or other health care providers;
family or relationship information relevant to care;
insurance, benefit, or Veterans Affairs-related information where applicable;
appointment history; and
other information created or collected in connection with the provision of care.

We recognize the sensitive nature of this information and take its privacy seriously.

4. Information You Submit Through Our Website

When you use a contact form on our website, we may collect information such as your name, telephone number, email address, and the message you choose to provide.

Please provide only the information reasonably necessary for us to respond to your enquiry. A website contact form should not be used to submit detailed clinical histories, highly sensitive health information, or information requiring immediate attention unless specifically requested through a secure process.

If you become a client, additional information may be collected through our approved clinical, intake, booking, or record-management systems.

5. How We Collect Information

We may collect personal information and personal health information in several ways, including:

directly from you;
when you contact us by telephone, email, or website form;
when you book or attend an appointment;
when you complete an intake form, assessment, questionnaire, or consent document;
during the provision of health or wellness services;
through our appointment scheduling and practice-management systems;
from another health care provider with appropriate authority or consent;
from an insurer, benefit provider, Veterans Affairs Canada, referral source, or other organization where authorized;
through website technologies such as cookies and server logs; and
where otherwise permitted or required by law.

Where personal health information is involved, we seek to collect only the information reasonably necessary for the lawful purpose for which it is required.

6. Why We Collect and Use Information

We may collect and use information for purposes including:

responding to questions and enquiries;
scheduling and managing appointments;
providing health, mental health, psychological, wellness, or related services;
assessing client needs and developing appropriate care plans;
communicating with clients regarding their care;
maintaining clinical and administrative records;
coordinating care where authorized;
processing payments, receipts, benefits, or insurance documentation;
supporting authorized Veterans Affairs Canada-related services where applicable;
responding to requests for records;
meeting legal, professional, regulatory, and record-keeping requirements;
protecting the safety and security of clients, staff, clinicians, and our systems;
operating, maintaining, and improving our website and services;
quality improvement, risk management, and administrative purposes where legally permitted; and
other purposes that are identified to you and permitted by law.

7. Consent

We obtain consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information and personal health information where consent is required by law.

Depending on the circumstances, consent may be express or implied. Express consent may be obtained verbally, electronically, or in writing. Implied consent may apply in circumstances where the purpose for collecting, using, or sharing information is reasonably understood and permitted by law.

Consent must relate to the information involved and the purpose for which it will be collected, used, or disclosed.

You may withdraw or limit consent in certain circumstances by contacting us. However, withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide certain services. There may also be circumstances in which we are permitted or required by law to retain, use, or disclose information despite a withdrawal of consent.

Rules regarding consent by minors, substitute decision-makers, or individuals who may be incapable of providing consent will be handled in accordance with applicable Ontario law.

8. When We May Share Information

Blue Line does not sell personal health information.

Personal information or personal health information may be shared only where appropriate, authorized, or permitted or required by law. Depending on the circumstances, this may include sharing information with:

members of your care team;
regulated health professionals involved in your care;
authorized administrative staff or agents supporting the delivery of services;
another health information custodian where necessary and legally permitted for the provision of health care;
service providers that support scheduling, record management, communications, information technology, billing, or other operations;
insurance or benefit providers where you have authorized the disclosure;
Veterans Affairs Canada or other authorized organizations where applicable and appropriately authorized;
professional regulatory colleges or government authorities where legally required;
law enforcement, courts, or other authorities where disclosure is legally required or permitted;
persons involved in responding to a serious and imminent risk where disclosure is permitted or required by law; and
other parties with your consent.

Where applicable, we take reasonable steps to limit disclosure to the information necessary for the relevant purpose.

9. Our Health Care Professionals

Blue Line Health & Wellness Group works with regulated health care professionals from different disciplines.

Depending on the nature of the service, privacy and record-keeping obligations may also be governed by the legislation, professional standards, and regulatory college requirements that apply to the individual clinician providing your care.

If you have a question regarding a particular clinical record, assessment, treatment note, or clinician’s privacy practices, please contact Blue Line or speak directly with your treating professional so that your request can be directed appropriately.

10. Appointment Scheduling and Jane App

Blue Line currently provides online appointment booking through Jane App, a third-party practice-management and scheduling platform.

When you choose to use Jane App, information you submit through that platform is processed through systems operated or supported by the third-party provider and may also be subject to that provider’s privacy and security practices.

We encourage clients to review the privacy information presented by third-party platforms when using those services.

11. Website Contact Forms and Technology Providers

Blue Line uses third-party technology to support certain website and administrative functions, including website contact forms and communications infrastructure.

Information submitted through these systems may be processed by authorized technology service providers acting on our behalf. We seek to use service providers that maintain appropriate privacy and security protections for the nature of the information they process.

We do not recommend including unnecessary clinical detail in a general website contact form.

12. Third-Party Service Providers

We may engage third-party service providers to perform functions such as:

appointment scheduling;
practice or record management;
website hosting;
website forms;
information technology and security;
communications;
data storage or backup;
payment or billing administration where applicable; and
other operational support.

These providers are expected to use information only for authorized purposes and in accordance with applicable privacy and security requirements.

Depending on the provider and the services being used, information may be processed or stored in Canada or in another jurisdiction. Information processed outside Ontario or Canada may be subject to the lawful access requirements of the jurisdiction in which it is processed.

13. Cookies and Website Technologies

Our website may use cookies, server logs, analytics technologies, or similar tools to support website functionality, security, performance, and user experience.

These technologies may collect information such as:

IP address;
browser type;
device type;
operating system;
pages visited;
time and date of access;
referring website or page;
general website interaction data; and
other technical information.

Where required by applicable law, consent will be obtained for non-essential cookies or technologies.

Most browsers allow users to limit or disable cookies. Disabling some cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of the website.

14. Analytics and Website Improvement

We may use aggregated or non-identifying website information to understand how visitors use our website, diagnose technical issues, improve navigation, assess website performance, and improve the information and services we provide.

Where third-party analytics services are used, those providers may process limited technical information in accordance with their own privacy practices and our applicable contractual arrangements.

15. Email, Telephone and Electronic Communications

You may communicate with Blue Line by telephone, email, website form, or through other approved communication methods.

While we take reasonable precautions, ordinary email, text messaging, and internet-based communications may carry privacy and security risks. Please avoid sending highly sensitive personal health information through ordinary email or general website forms unless requested by an authorized Blue Line team member using an appropriate process.

Where secure communication methods are provided, clients are encouraged to use them for sensitive information.

16. Marketing and Informational Communications

We may send service-related communications that are necessary for appointments, care, administration, or our relationship with you.

Promotional or marketing communications will be sent only where permitted by law and, where required, with appropriate consent. Individuals may unsubscribe from promotional electronic communications using the unsubscribe option provided or by contacting us.

Personal health information will not be used for marketing purposes unless such use is permitted by law and any required consent has been obtained.

17. How We Protect Information

Blue Line takes reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures intended to protect personal information and personal health information against:

loss;
theft;
unauthorized access;
unauthorized collection;
unauthorized use or disclosure;
unauthorized copying;
modification; and
improper disposal.

Safeguards may include, as appropriate:

access controls;
password-protected systems;
secure record-management platforms;
staff confidentiality requirements;
privacy and security procedures;
limiting access to individuals who require information for authorized purposes;
secure storage and disposal practices; and
technical security measures appropriate to the systems in use.

No electronic system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. However, we take reasonable measures appropriate to the sensitivity of the information under our control.

18. Privacy and Confidentiality Within the Clinic

Blue Line is committed to maintaining a professional environment that respects the privacy of clients seeking care.

Team members, clinicians, and authorized service providers are expected to access personal information or personal health information only when required for an authorized purpose and to maintain confidentiality in accordance with applicable law and professional obligations.

19. Retention of Information

Personal information and personal health information are retained for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which they were collected and to meet applicable legal, regulatory, professional, insurance, accounting, and record-retention requirements.

Clinical record retention requirements may vary depending on the type of service provided, the regulated health professional involved, the age of the client, and applicable professional or statutory requirements.

When information is no longer required to be retained, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy, delete, anonymize, or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with applicable requirements.

20. Accuracy of Information

We take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information and personal health information used in providing care or making decisions about an individual is as accurate, complete, and up to date as reasonably necessary for its purpose.

We encourage clients to inform us if their contact information or other relevant information changes.

21. Access to Your Personal Health Information

Subject to limited exceptions under applicable law, individuals may request access to records of their personal health information that are within the custody or control of the applicable health information custodian.

Requests for access should be made in writing or through the process identified by Blue Line or your treating clinician.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. Fees may apply where permitted by law, and certain information may be withheld where an exception under applicable law applies.

22. Requests to Correct Personal Health Information

If you believe that personal health information in a record is inaccurate or incomplete for the purpose for which it is used, you may request a correction.

Correction requests will be reviewed and handled in accordance with applicable privacy legislation and professional record-keeping requirements.

Not all information can necessarily be changed. For example, professional opinions or observations made in good faith may be subject to different rules than factual inaccuracies.

23. Withdrawing or Restricting Consent

Where permitted by law, you may withdraw consent to certain future collections, uses, or disclosures of your personal health information. You may also ask about restricting certain disclosures.

A withdrawal or restriction generally cannot operate retroactively and may be subject to legal or professional requirements.

In some situations, limiting consent may affect our ability to provide, coordinate, or administer services. We will explain any reasonably foreseeable consequences where appropriate.

24. Privacy Breaches

Blue Line takes privacy incidents seriously.

If personal health information is lost, stolen, accessed without authority, or otherwise used or disclosed in an unauthorized manner, we will take reasonable steps to contain and investigate the incident, reduce the risk of further harm, and comply with applicable notification and reporting obligations.

Where required by law, affected individuals and the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario may be notified.

25. Legal and Safety-Related Disclosures

There are circumstances in which privacy laws permit or require information to be disclosed without an individual’s consent.

These circumstances are limited and may include situations involving:

legal reporting obligations;
court orders or other lawful processes;
professional regulatory requirements;
investigations authorized by law;
serious risks to health or safety where disclosure is legally permitted;
child protection or other mandatory reporting obligations; or
other circumstances specifically permitted or required by law.

Where disclosure without consent is legally permitted or required, we seek to limit the information disclosed to what is reasonably necessary for the lawful purpose.

26. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, booking systems, resources, maps, social media platforms, or other online services.

Once you leave the Blue Line website or use a third-party service, that organization’s privacy practices may apply. Blue Line is not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of independent third-party websites.

We encourage users to review the privacy policies of third-party services before providing personal information.

27. Social Media

Blue Line may maintain profiles on social media platforms. Information shared publicly through social media should not be considered private or confidential.

Please do not use public comments, direct messages, or social media posts to communicate urgent clinical matters or detailed personal health information.

Interactions with social media services are also subject to the privacy practices of the applicable platform.

28. Minors and Substitute Decision-Makers

Where services involve minors or individuals who require a substitute decision-maker, consent, access, disclosure, and privacy decisions will be handled in accordance with applicable Ontario law and the professional obligations of the treating clinician.

29. No Emergency or Crisis Communication Through the Website

The Blue Line website, general email addresses, contact forms, and online booking tools are not emergency or crisis-response services and should not be relied upon for urgent assistance.

If you or another person is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department.

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or are concerned about someone who may be suicidal, call or text 9-8-8 for Canada’s Suicide Crisis Helpline.

30. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on the information involved and applicable law, you may have rights relating to:

being informed about our privacy practices;
knowing why personal health information is collected, used, or disclosed;
providing, withholding, or withdrawing consent where legally permitted;
requesting access to records of your personal health information;
requesting correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
asking questions about our privacy practices;
raising a concern or making a privacy complaint; and
contacting the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario where applicable.

31. Privacy Questions, Access Requests and Complaints

If you have a question about this Privacy Policy, our information practices, access to your records, correction of information, or a privacy concern, please contact us.

Privacy Contact
Blue Line Health & Wellness Group
300 F Fourth Avenue
St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 0E6
Telephone: 905-688-8888

You may also submit a general enquiry through our Contact Us page.

Please indicate that your enquiry relates to privacy so that it can be directed appropriately.

If you are not satisfied with the response to a privacy concern involving personal health information, you may have the right to submit a complaint to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

32. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, technologies, privacy practices, legal requirements, or regulatory guidance.

When changes are made, the updated version will be posted on this page and the “Last Updated” date will be revised.

We encourage visitors and clients to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

33. Our Commitment to Confidentiality

People come to Blue Line Health & Wellness Group to discuss experiences that may be deeply personal. We understand the trust that comes with that relationship.

Protecting privacy is not simply an administrative requirement. It is an important part of creating a respectful, professional, and trauma-informed environment where First Responders, frontline professionals, veterans, families, and members of our community can feel comfortable seeking support.

If you ever have questions about how your information is handled, we encourage you to ask.