Logo for the Next Stop Canada pre-arrival program. The logo contains the program name and an image of the YMCA GTA logo next to it.

Welcome and thank you for choosing the YMCA Next Stop Canada Pre-Arrival Settlement Services. Please review the following information carefully.

1) General Terms and Conditions

  • The YMCA Next Stop Canada Pre-arrival Settlement Programs are fully funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and therefore is subject to government approval and conditions which may vary from time to time. Participation in these programs is non-transferable. Should funding cease, the YMCA of Greater Toronto shall whenever possible refer participants to a government representative for more information or to other service providers in the community.
  • Since funding for the programs has been provided by IRCC, the YMCA of Greater Toronto is required to collect information on behalf of IRCC that assists IRCC to measure results, to evaluate the success of the program, and to meet government obligation of accountability. The information collected on behalf of the government is protected under Canada’s Privacy Act. Participants may request access to information under the applicable privacy law, or obtain more information about their privacy rights by visiting the IRCC website:  www.cic.gc.ca .
  • Our commitment to each other: The YMCA is a shared experience for everyone to enjoy. Each of us can make it better for all by being considerate to others. YMCA participants, staff, guests and volunteers pledge to treat one another with respect and dignity. YMCA reserves the right to suspend program access for inappropriate behaviour.
  • Limitation of liability: By participating in a YMCA program, you agree that you are participating voluntarily and do so at your own risk and you agree to fully release the YMCA of Greater Toronto and its officers, directors, agents, staff, and volunteers from all claims or lawsuits for any injuries, death, property damage or theft, losses, or any other liability of any kind, arising directly or indirectly out of your participation in YMCA programs.

2) Privacy, Consent and Confidentiality Statement

The YMCA is committed to protecting personal information by following responsible information handling practices. We collect and use information you volunteer to provide when you access or register for the YMCA Next Stop Canada program, in order to better meet your service needs, to ensure a safe environment, for statistical purposes, to inform you about the programs and services, and to satisfy government funding and regulatory requirements. For more information on our YMCA commitment to privacy, please visit www.ymcagta.org and click on ‘Privacy Statement’.

Consent Statement

IRCC may want to contact you in the future. They will ask only about IRCC services, including services you have received from our organization, and if these services have been useful to you and helped you settle in Canada. IRCC will use your answers, and answers from other immigrants, to improve services for all immigrants. This is voluntary: you are not obligated to answer IRCC’s questions. IRCC will not use your information to make any decisions about you personally. For the same reason, the YMCA Next Stop Canada program may also want to contact you in the future to ask you if the services we provided to you have been useful and helped you settle in Canada.

Confidentiality Statement

The YMCA is committed to respect of the individual, which includes the maintenance of participant confidentiality. However, the confidentiality of the staff participant relationship is not absolute. There are circumstances in which limits are placed upon the confidentiality of such information. In these circumstances, it is the YMCA staff’s duty to disclose participant information throughout the course of the staff-participant relationship. There are four different ways in which such a duty may arise:

  1. The requirements by law to disclose information through a subpoena or search warrant.
  2. The participant states that he/she will harm him/herself or someone else.
  3. The participant gives written and verbal consent to the release of specific information, which has been clearly documented on a “Consent to Release Confidential Information” form.
  4. The participant discloses information previously unreported, regarding the abuse of a child under the age of 16.

All YMCA program participants are to be informed of their rights to confidentiality as described above.