Privacy Policy

Last modified: August 25, 2026

Your privacy is very important to NGen. This privacy policy (“Privacy Policy”) explains how we collect, use, process, disclose, transfer, and protect your Personal Information when you apply for or access NGen’s Services. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our privacy practices and let us know if you have any questions.

By clicking the “I Agree” button to the use of cookies, by visiting the NGen websites where this policy is posted, initiating communication through the NGen websites with us, or applying to be a member of NGen, you are agreeing to NGen’s Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy applies to your Personal Information collected by Next Generation Manufacturing Canada and its affiliates, collectively referred to in this Privacy Policy as “NGen”, “we”, or “us”, in connection with your use of NGen’s web applications and Services, and it does not apply to any other information collected by us and our affiliates through any other means. Our policies and practices have been designed to comply with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

Your access to and use of NGen’s websites and services are subject to our Terms of Use. Any capitalized terms used but not defined in this Privacy Policy have the meanings provided in our Terms of Use.

Personal Information means recorded information about an identifiable individual. It may include an individual’s name, address, sex, age, education, and medical or employment history. It can also include identifying numbers such as an individual’s Social Insurance Number. Information that may seem personal, such as a name and contact information, may not be Personal Information if that information relates to an individual’s business activities; that is, you are acting in a professional capacity in the context of the information.

NGen collects various types of personal information from users within Canada as required for the provision of our Services, and in other cases, to improve users’ experience using our Services.

The following are some of the ways in which Personal Information may be collected:

• Cookies: Cookies are small text files that websites store in your browser. They help us remember your preferences and understand how visitors use NGen’s Public Sites. Cookies do not contain any Personal Information or directly identify you. We use cookies to help us identify and track visitors to NGen’s Public Sites, their usage of the website, and their website access preferences. If you do not want cookies stored on your device, you should set your browser to refuse cookies before using our websites;
  
  
• Web Beacons: Web Beacons are small pieces of code placed on a web page to monitor the behaviour and collect data about the visitors viewing a web page. For example, web beacons can be used to count the users who visit a web page or to deliver a cookie to the browser of a visitor viewing that page. We may use web beacons on NGen’s Public Sites from time to time for this purpose;
  
  
• Email Requests or Form Requests: When you e-mail a request to us, or submit a Form Request, the e-mail or form request may include Personal Information such as your contact information (full name, address, email address, phone number), your company name, information about your business or career that you choose to provide to us;
  
  
• Registration form Requests: When you register for secure access to any of NGen’s websites or portals, by completing the registration form you may include Personal Information such as your contact information (full name, address, email address, phone number), your company name, information about your business or career that you choose to provide to us.

Your Consent: By using NGen’s websites and services, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your Personal Information as described in this Privacy Policy. Where the information is sensitive, we will seek your express consent. In some cases, the law allows us to collect, use, or disclose Personal Information without consent.

Withdrawing Your Consent: You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. To withdraw consent, contact our Privacy Officer using the details in the “How to Contact Us” section below. Please note that withdrawing your consent may mean we are unable to provide you with certain Services, or continue your NGen Membership, where that information is necessary to deliver them. Because we also collect Personal Information through the Membership form, a withdrawal of consent may affect your NGen Membership as described in the Terms and Conditions of NGen Membership. We will explain the likely consequences before your request takes effect.

We use cookies to collect data on your website experience. This data is used to enhance your experience using NGen’s Public Sites. The information provided to us when you contact us through NGen’s Public Sites is used to communicate with you and address your enquires.

NGen uses the information collected through our website and via other means for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or as otherwise disclosed to you. NGen may use your Personal Information:

1. To determine and maintain eligibility for NGen membership;
2. To provide, maintain and improve our website;
3. To respond to inquiries submitted to us by you;
4. To communicate with our business partners;
5. To monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities in connection with NGen’s website;
6. As otherwise permitted or required by applicable law;
7. To provide secure access to any of NGen’s services.

NGen may also share aggregated or anonymized information, which cannot reasonably be used to identify you.

6. How We Disclose Your Information
Personal Information will be handled by NGen in accordance with this privacy policy and PIPEDA and/or other provincial legislation and any applicable laws, regulations, codes etc.

We may disclose Personal Information to fulfill the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy, and for related purposes, and to provide services on NGen’s Public Sites, including as follows:

• Within NGen;
• At your request or with your consent;
• With our service providers, business partners, or other third-party service providers who carry out tasks on our behalf. If you follow a link to a third-party website, you may share information directly with that third party. We do not own or control third-party websites. Their privacy policies and practices may be different from ours, and we are not responsible for those websites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before sharing your information;
• When requested to do so by a court or law enforcement agency or where we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of our Terms of Use or other contractual Agreements, to verify or enforce compliance with the policies governing our products and applicable laws, or as otherwise required or permitted by law;
• To investigate any suspected fraudulent or dishonest activity, or if NGen believes your actions are inconsistent with this Privacy Policy, or any applicable agreement, or to protect the rights, property or safety of NGen or others;
• In connection with a merger, acquisition or other corporate transaction, including if one of our business units is acquired by, sold to, or merged with another company; and
• To exercise NGen’s other rights as described in the Terms of Use, and/or as required or permitted by applicable law.

NGen remains responsible for Personal Information that we transfer to third-party service providers who perform tasks on our behalf. Before sharing Personal Information, we require these providers to protect it using safeguards comparable to those described in this Privacy Policy, through contractual or other means. We limit the information shared to what is reasonably necessary for the provider to perform its services, and we permit its use only for those purposes.

Where a service provider processes Personal Information outside of Canada, that information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is held, including lawful access by foreign courts, law enforcement, and regulatory authorities. You may contact our Privacy Officer to ask about our practices for using service providers outside Canada.

NGen processes and stores your Personal Information in Canada. Some third-party service providers may process your Personal Information outside Canada. If this happens, your Personal Information may be available to foreign law enforcement authorities if they make a lawful request.

We will take appropriate steps to protect Personal Information from loss, theft, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. We have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and help prevent unauthorized access and to maintain data security.

NGen will take appropriate steps to contain, investigate, and remediate data security incidents. NGen will notify applicable regulatory authorities and affected parties about data security incidents as appropriate and/or required by law and will aid any applicable authorities in the management and handling of such data security incidents.

We retain Personal Information that we collect for as long as is necessary to fulfill identified legal or business purposes.

• Email correspondence from NGen’s Public Sites will be retained for a period of three (3) years in the event of a dispute or audit;
• Eligible member application data becomes member data will require NGen members to attest the data for retention annually.

From time to time, we may collect or use Personal Information for new, unanticipated uses not previously disclosed in our Privacy Policy. We will immediately post any adjustments to our Privacy Policy on NGen’s website. This will serve as your notification of these changes. If you are concerned about how your Personal Information is used, bookmark this page, and check back periodically. Your continued use of this site after any change in this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of any change.

11. Your Rights to Your Information

You may request (i) access to your Personal Information collected by us; (ii) to know the categories of Personal Information that we have collected; (iii) to know the categories of sources from which your Personal Information is collected; (iv) to know how we use your Personal Information; (v) to know to whom your Personal Information has been disclosed; and, (vi) that we delete your information, subject to limited exceptions prescribed by applicable law.

Requests should be made in writing to the Privacy Officer at the address identified below. We must be able to verify your identity before we are able to release your Personal Information to you. We will respond to requests within 45 days or provide notice if we require longer but will respond within 90 days of receiving the request. We will provide you with your information in a portable, readily useable format free of charge, but we may charge a reasonable fee for excessive requests.

We may not discriminate against you for exercising any of your rights permitted by law, including your right to request your Personal Information as described above.

We make reasonable efforts to ensure Personal Information is accurate and complete. You may make a request to update, correct or delete your Personal Information at any time through your Membership Profile or by contacting us in the “How to Contact Us” section of the Privacy Policy. You are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the Personal Information that you submit to us.

If you have a question or concern about how NGen handles your Personal Information, please contact our Privacy Officer using the details in the “How to Contact Us” section. We take privacy concerns seriously and will review and respond to your complaint.

We will acknowledge your complaint promptly, review the issue, and tell you the outcome. If your complaint is valid, we will take reasonable steps to fix the problem. This may include updating our policies or practices.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 1H3
Toll-free: 1-800-282-1376

Website: www.priv.gc.ca

13. How to Contact Us
Please address all questions and concerns to:

Next Generation Manufacturing Canada
C/O Privacy Officer
#105-175 Longwood Road S.,
Hamilton, ON
L8P 0A1