Statement regarding the protection of personal and confidential information

The Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) are subject to the Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information (CQLR c.A-2.1, hereinafter the “Act”). The Statement regarding the protection of personal and confidential information (hereinafter the “Statement”) describes how the FRQ handle personal and confidential information that they collect through FRQnet and other means. The Statement contains the following sections:

  • Section I : Information provided by applicants and funding holders in the context of a funding application or funding award;
  • Section II : Information provided by directors, supervisors, mentors and respondents;
  • Section III : Information provided when creating an account in FRQnet;
  • Section IV : Information provided in the equity-diversity-inclusion self-identification questionnaire;
  • Section V : General Data Protection Regulation
  • Section VI: Revision of the Statement

In accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Statement describes the purposes for which personal and confidential information is collected by the FRQ, the categories of individuals who will have access to the information, the mandatory or optional nature of the request, the consequences for the person concerned in case of a refusal to provide the information and the rights of access and correction of personal information.

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Notice of changes to the Statement regarding the protection of personal and confidential information

Published June 21th 2024

Please be advised that the Statement regarding the protection of personal and confidential information of the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) about the collection of personal and confidential information during the application for funding or grant process has been updated and the changes will come into effect on July 8, 2024.

Background to the changes

On January 1, 2024, the Regulation respecting the confidentiality policies of public bodies that collect personal information through technological means, adopted pursuant to Section 63.4 of the Act respecting Access to Documents held by Public Bodies and the Protection of Personal Information (CQLR, c. A-2.1), came into force. The purpose of this regulation is to define the minimum content of privacy policies and notices of changes to those policies.

Accordingly, the FRQ have updated the Statement regarding the protection of personal and confidential information to comply with the new legislative requirements.

Changes made

The FRQ Statement is now written in clear and simple language and contains the following information:

  1. The name of the public body that collects the personal information and, where the information is collected by a third party on behalf of the public body, the name of that third party;
  2. A description of the personal information collected;
  3. The purposes for which the personal information is collected;
  4. The categories of persons who, within the FRQ, have access to the personal information;
  5. The technological means by which the personal information is collected;
  6. The categories of third parties to whom it is necessary to release personal information;
  7. A mention regarding the rights of access and correction provided for by the Act regarding access, as well as the name of the person in charge of the protection of personal information at the FRQ and the contact information to communicate with that person;
  8. A mention as to the possibility that the personal information may be released outside Québec;
  9. A brief description of the measures taken to ensure the confidentiality and security of personal information;
  10. A mention of the right of the person concerned by the personal information to pursue the process for dealing with complaints regarding the protection of personal information;
  11. The contact information of the person to whom questions regarding the FRQ Statement may be addressed;
  12. The date of coming into force of this policy and the date of its most recent update.

Questions or comments

If you have questions or comments relating to the Statement or this notice of changes, do not hesitate to contact the appropriate privacy officer in charge of access to information and the protection of personal information: Mylène.Deschênes@frq.gouv.qc.ca