Legal

Privacy Policy

Effective April 21, 2026 · Version 1.0

The short version: NOVA collects only the symptom information you voluntarily enter during an assessment. We don't collect your name, health card number, date of birth, or any other personally identifying information. Your data stays in Canada. We don't sell it. Ever.

Who We Are

NOVA (Navigation of Optimal Visit Allocation) is a health navigation service operated from Nova Scotia, Canada. NOVA is not a healthcare provider, insurer, or government body. We are a technology platform that helps Nova Scotians determine the most appropriate level of care for their symptoms.

For privacy enquiries: privacy@nova-ns.ca

What We Collect

When you use the NOVA assessment tool, we may collect:

Symptom identifiers — the symptom IDs corresponding to what you selected or described (e.g. "cough", "headache"). Not your words verbatim.
Severity rating — the number from 1–10 you provided.
Duration selection — the duration category you selected.
Age group — the general age bracket you selected (e.g. "18–64"). Not your actual age or date of birth.
Anonymous session ID — a randomly generated identifier to link your assessment steps. This is not tied to your identity.
Approximate location — only if you grant permission, and only to sort nearby facilities by distance. We do not store your precise coordinates.

        We do NOT collect: your name, email, phone number, health card number, date of birth, address, IP address in identifiable form, or any other personally identifying information unless you voluntarily provide it when creating an account.
      

How We Use Your Information

To generate a care navigation recommendation based on your symptoms.
To display nearby healthcare facilities sorted by distance and wait time.
To improve the accuracy of NOVA's assessment engine using aggregated, de-identified data.
To comply with applicable law.

We do not use your information for advertising, profiling, or any commercial purpose beyond operating NOVA.

Nova Scotia PHIA Compliance

Nova Scotia's Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) governs the collection, use, and disclosure of personal health information. PHIA explicitly does not apply to de-identified or aggregate health information.

Because NOVA collects only anonymous symptom IDs without any personal identifiers, your assessment data does not constitute "personal health information" under PHIA. NOVA is not a health information custodian under PHIA.

If you create a NOVA account, any additional information you provide is handled in accordance with PHIA and the Personal Information International Disclosure Protection Act (PIIDPA).

Data Residency

All data collected by NOVA is stored on servers located in Canada, in compliance with Nova Scotia's PIIDPA. Your information does not leave Canada.

AI-Powered Features

When you use the "Describe It" free-text feature, your description is processed by an AI model to identify relevant symptoms. Your text is used solely to generate a response and is not stored by NOVA in identifiable form. AI processing is conducted in accordance with applicable Canadian privacy law.

Wait Time Data

Emergency department wait times displayed in NOVA are sourced from publicly available Nova Scotia Health Authority data. NOVA does not modify this data. Attribution is displayed on all wait time information.

Cookies and Tracking

NOVA uses a single session storage mechanism in your browser to maintain your assessment progress. This is not a tracking cookie and does not persist after your session ends. NOVA does not use advertising trackers, analytics cookies, or any third-party tracking technology.

Your Rights

If you create a NOVA account, you have the right to:

Access any personal information we hold about you.
Request correction of inaccurate information.
Request deletion of your account and associated data.
Withdraw consent at any time.

To exercise these rights: privacy@nova-ns.ca

Data Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a data breach that could cause harm or embarrassment to users, affected individuals will be notified promptly in accordance with applicable Nova Scotia privacy law.

Children

NOVA may be used on behalf of children by a parent or guardian. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18 without parental consent. The NOVA assessment tool itself does not require or collect any personal information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The effective date at the top of this page will reflect the most recent version. Continued use of NOVA after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

For all privacy-related enquiries:
privacy@nova-ns.ca
NOVA Health Navigator
Nova Scotia, Canada