Privacy Policy
Effective date: October 19, 2026
Last updated: October 19, 2026
Homeless Cars is a registered Canadian charitable foundation (Charity No. 77012 3131 RR0001). This policy explains what personal information we collect through homelesscars.ca, why we collect it, who we share it with, and how you can reach us about it.
We handle personal information in accordance with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), and applicable provincial privacy laws.
What we collect
Information you give us
When you use our donation form, call us, email us, or use the chat window on our site, we collect the information you provide. For a vehicle donation that typically includes:
- your name, phone number and email address;
- the address where the vehicle is parked, including postal code;
- details about the vehicle — year, make, model, mileage, condition and any notes or photographs you send us;
- the ownership and name details we need to issue a tax receipt;
- the content of your messages to us, including chat transcripts.
If you subscribe to our mailing list, we collect your name and email address.
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, we collect limited technical information when you visit — your IP address, browser and device type, the pages you view, and the site or search that brought you here. We collect this through cookies and similar technologies.
Why we use it
- To arrange and complete your vehicle pickup, including scheduling a tow.
- To contact you about your donation and answer your questions.
- To issue your official donation receipt and meet our record-keeping obligations as a registered charity.
- To send you email updates about our work, if you have asked to receive them.
- To understand how our website is used and to improve it.
- To advertise our services online, including to people who have visited our site.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not rent or trade donor lists.
Who we share it with
We share personal information only as needed to do the things described above:
- Towing and recycling partners — the operator collecting your vehicle receives your name, contact number, pickup address and vehicle details.
- Service providers — the companies that host our website, run our forms, chat and email systems, and help us manage donor records. They may process information on our behalf only, under contract.
- Government — the Canada Revenue Agency, as required of a registered charity, and others where the law requires it.
Some of our service providers may store or process information outside Canada. Where that is the case, the information may be accessible to the courts and authorities of that country.
Cookies, analytics and advertising
We use cookies to keep the site working, remember your preferences, and measure how it is used. We also use the following third-party tools:
- Google Analytics — to see how visitors find and use our site.
- Google Ads — to measure the results of our advertising and to show our ads to people who have visited our site.
- Meta (Facebook and Instagram) advertising tools — for the same purposes on those platforms.
- Our live chat tool — to run the chat window and keep a record of the conversation.
You can turn off cookies in your browser settings, though some parts of the site may not work as well. You can also opt out of Google Analytics using Google’s browser add-on, manage Google advertising at My Ad Center, and manage Meta’s ad settings in your Facebook or Instagram account.
We send marketing email only to people who have asked for it or who have an existing relationship with us that permits it under CASL. Every message includes an unsubscribe link, and we act on unsubscribe requests promptly. Email about a donation already in progress — confirming your pickup or sending your receipt — is not marketing, and you will receive it regardless.
How long we keep it
We keep donation records for as long as the Canada Revenue Agency requires registered charities to retain books, records and duplicate official receipts, and for as long as we need them to answer questions about a past donation. Information that is no longer needed is securely destroyed or anonymised.
How we protect it
We use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including encryption in transit on our website and limiting access to staff and partners who need it to do their jobs. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Your choices and your rights
You may:
- ask what personal information we hold about you and request a copy;
- ask us to correct information that is wrong or out of date;
- withdraw your consent to our use of your information, subject to legal and contractual limits — for example, we cannot delete a tax receipt record we are required to keep;
- unsubscribe from our email at any time.
We will respond to access and correction requests within the timelines set by law. We may need to verify your identity first.
Children
Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Links to other sites
Our site links to the charities we fund and to other organisations. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, and we encourage you to read their policies.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The effective date at the top shows when it was last revised. Material changes will be posted on this page.
Contact us
Questions, requests or concerns about your privacy can go to our Executive Director:
Homeless Cars
Amanda Katz — Executive Director
404 Fruitland Road
Stoney Creek, Ontario L8E 5L9
info@homelesscars.ca
1-833-465-7227
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca or 1-800-282-1376.