Global Country of World Peace ("TM Canada") | ca.tm.org
Effective: 11 August 2026 | Last Updated: 11 August 2026

Privacy Officer: Eric Simon
[email protected]
Global Country of World Peace,
114 Dewhurst Blvd, Toronto, ON M4J 3J6, Canada

1. Language

This policy is available in English and French. For residents of Quebec, the French version of this policy prevails in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the two versions. For all other individuals, the English version prevails.

2. Who We Are

TM Canada operates the Transcendental Meditation ("TM") program in Canada. This policy explains how we handle personal information collected through ca.tm.org and our in-person activities. It is designed to align with PIPEDA, Quebec's Law 25, and CASL, and with the GDPR where applicable to individuals in the EEA or UK.

3. What We Collect and Why

We may also receive limited information if you interact with our social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), subject to those platforms' privacy policies.

We collect personal information directly from you, or with your consent. Under the GDPR, our legal bases include consent, contract performance, and legitimate interests.

4. Who We Share It With

We do not sell your personal information. We share it with:

• Certified TM Teachers, to facilitate your instruction
• Maharishi Foundation International ("MFI"), a United States registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which provides backend technical services that support the operation of this website and the services TM Canada delivers to you, including hosting, course management systems, student record infrastructure, and related technical administration. MFI holds your personal information on servers located in the European Union (see Section 5).
• Service providers (payment processing, email, analytics), bound by contract to use your information only for the purposes we specify
• Legal authorities, where required by law

5. Transfer and Storage of Your Information

MFI is a United States registered entity; however, the personal information it processes on our behalf is stored on servers located in the European Union. Your personal information is therefore transferred to, and held within, the EU. MFI acts as a technical service provider to TM Canada, providing backend infrastructure and systems that support the website and services TM Canada offers to you. MFI does not use your personal information for its own independent purposes.

The European Union maintains a high standard of data protection under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Canada has received a partial adequacy determination from the European Commission under the GDPR. We also require MFI to protect your information through contractual safeguards consistent with PIPEDA, Law 25, and this policy.

To the extent that MFI personnel located in the United States may access your personal information in the course of providing technical services (including providing customer support services), such access is subject to the same contractual safeguards. U.S. privacy laws differ from Canadian and EU privacy laws, and U.S. authorities may be able to access personal information under certain U.S. laws.

By providing your personal information to us, you consent to this transfer and storage arrangement. You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us, though this may affect our ability to provide you with certain services.

6. How Long We Keep It

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, or as required by applicable law. Specific retention periods include:

Student records: We retain your course and instruction records for the duration of your relationship with us and for as long as necessary thereafter to maintain continuity of instruction and historical student records across the global network of TM-related organizations. Given the lifelong nature of TM practice and follow-up instruction, this may mean we retain your records indefinitely.

Payment records: We retain records of transactions (such as receipts, invoices, and payment confirmations) for as long as necessary thereafter to maintain continuity of instruction and for future provision of additional services across the global network of TM-related organizations, for a maximum of 50 years after the date of transaction, and for at least as long as required under Canadian tax law. We do not store credit card numbers.

Website and device data: We retain website usage data and cookie-related information for fourteen months from collection, unless a longer period is needed for security or fraud prevention purposes.

When personal information is no longer required for any identified purpose or legal obligation, we will securely destroy it. Where we anonymize personal information instead of destroying it, we do so in accordance with applicable legal requirements, including Quebec's anonymization standards where applicable. Anonymized information is no longer personal information and may be used for research or statistical purposes.

7. Security

We protect your information using encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, and secure storage. No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Cookies

Our Site uses cookies (small files stored on your device). When you first visit, a consent banner lets you accept or reject non-essential cookies. You can update your preferences at any time via the cookie settings on your browser. Necessary cookies (for example, Cloudflare bot management) operate without consent. Analytics and advertising cookies (for example, Google Analytics, Meta, LinkedIn, Twitter/X) require your consent. Third-party cookie use is governed by those parties' own privacy policies. Our Site does respond to "Do Not Track" signals. A complete list of cookies is here: https://qa.tmmeditation.ca/en/privacy.

9. Your Rights

You may:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Withdraw consent to collection, use, or disclosure
• Request deletion, subject to legal retention requirements
• Request portability (Quebec residents): receive your information in a structured, commonly used format
• Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time via the unsubscribe link or by contacting us (processed within 10 business days)

EEA/UK individuals may also request restriction of processing, object to processing, or lodge a complaint with a local data protection authority.

To exercise any right, contact us at [email protected].

10. Children

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (under 14 in Quebec) without parental consent. For TM for Students and TM for Families programs involving participants under 14 in Quebec or under 18 elsewhere, we collect information with the knowledge and consent of a parent or guardian. If we learn we have collected a child's information without proper consent, we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes

We may update this policy. Material changes will be posted here with an updated date and, where required by law, communicated to you directly.

12. Questions or Complaints

Contact us at:

TM Canada
Global Country of World Peace,
114 Dewhurst Blvd, Toronto, ON M4J 3J6, Canada
[email protected]
Privacy Officer: Eric Simon

If unresolved, contact:

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada: www.priv.gc.ca

Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec: www.cai.gouv.qc.ca