Last Updated: November 1, 2024
1. Introduction
Canada Web Design Academy ("Company," "we," "us," "our," or "Organization") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our website. This Privacy Policy explains our data handling practices, your rights, and how we protect your personal information in compliance with applicable privacy laws including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
2. Information We Collect
We collect information in the following ways:
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
- Account Registration: When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, password, phone number, and professional background.
- Course Enrollment: During enrollment, we gather educational history, learning objectives, billing address, payment information, and course preferences.
- Contact Forms: When you contact us via inquiry forms or email, we collect your name, email, phone number, and message content.
- Newsletter Subscription: When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address and communication preferences.
- Survey Responses: We collect feedback through voluntary surveys about course quality, instructor performance, and service satisfaction.
- Payment Information: We collect billing details, credit card information (processed securely by third-party payment providers), and transaction history.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Website Analytics: We collect information about your device (IP address, browser type, operating system), pages visited, time spent on pages, referral sources, and clickstream data using Google Analytics.
- Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to remember preferences, analyze usage patterns, and deliver personalized content.
- Learning Platform Data: When enrolled in courses, we track your course progress, quiz/test scores, assignment submissions, login times, and engagement metrics.
- Device Information: We collect information about your device capabilities to optimize website display and performance.
2.3 Information from Third Parties
- Social media platforms when you link accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter)
- Payment processors regarding transaction status and fraud prevention
- Email service providers for newsletter delivery and engagement tracking
- Background check services (with your consent) for certain professional certifications
- Educational institutions you list as references in your profile
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information for the following purposes:
3.1 Service Delivery
- Providing course content and learning materials
- Processing registrations, enrollments, and course access
- Managing your account and profile information
- Facilitating communication between instructors and students
- Issuing certificates and credentials upon completion
3.2 Communication
- Sending course updates, announcements, and schedule changes
- Responding to your inquiries and support requests
- Delivering newsletter content and promotional materials (with consent)
- Sending administrative notices and policy updates
3.3 Analytics and Improvement
- Analyzing website usage to improve user experience
- Understanding learning patterns to enhance course quality
- Identifying technical issues and optimizing platform performance
- Conducting research on educational effectiveness
3.4 Marketing and Personalization
- Creating targeted marketing campaigns about relevant courses
- Personalizing course recommendations based on your interests
- Conducting market research and surveys
- Improving advertising effectiveness across platforms
3.5 Safety and Compliance
- Preventing fraud and unauthorized access to accounts
- Complying with legal obligations and government requests
- Protecting intellectual property rights
- Enforcing our Terms and Conditions
- Addressing security threats and vulnerabilities
4. Third-Party Sharing
We do not sell your personal information to unrelated third parties. However, we share information in these circumstances:
4.1 Service Providers
We share information with vendors who assist us in operating our website, conducting business, or serving you, including:
- Cloud hosting providers (maintaining website and course platform)
- Payment processors (Stripe, PayPal for transaction processing)
- Email service providers (Mailchimp for newsletters)
- Analytics platforms (Google Analytics, Mixpanel)
- Customer support software (Zendesk, Freshdesk)
- Video hosting platforms (Vimeo, YouTube for course content)
4.2 Legal Requirements and Protection
We may disclose information when required by law, including:
- Responding to lawful government requests, court orders, or subpoenas
- Establishing, exercising, or defending legal claims
- Protecting against fraud or security threats
- Protecting the rights, property, and safety of Canada Web Design Academy, our users, or the public
4.3 Business Transfers
If Canada Web Design Academy is involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, reorganization, or similar transaction or proceeding, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
4.4 Aggregated and De-identified Information
We may share aggregated, anonymized information that cannot identify you personally for research, marketing, analytics, and other purposes.
5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
5.1 Types of Cookies
- Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality (login, security, session management)
- Performance Cookies: Measure website performance and user engagement (Google Analytics)
- Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings for personalized experience
- Targeting/Marketing Cookies: Track interests for personalized advertising and promotional content
5.2 Consent and Control
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent. Please note that disabling some cookies may impact website functionality. By clicking "Accept" on our cookie banner, you consent to our use of all cookie categories except marketing cookies, which require explicit opt-in.
5.3 Do Not Track
If your browser includes a "Do Not Track" feature, we respect this signal. However, some third-party services may not honor this preference. You can manage tracking preferences through your account settings.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for the duration necessary to provide services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:
- Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for 3 years after closure for legal compliance and historical records
- Course Records: Retained for 7 years to support credential verification and educational accreditation
- Payment Records: Retained for 7 years for tax, accounting, and dispute resolution purposes
- Communication Records: Retained for 2 years unless longer retention is required for dispute resolution
- Cookies and Tracking Data: Most non-essential cookies expire within 12 months; analytics data retained for 24 months
- Marketing Information: Retained until you unsubscribe from communications
Upon request, we will securely delete or anonymize information that is no longer necessary for our business purposes, subject to legal retention requirements. You may request deletion by contacting our privacy team.
7. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:
7.1 Canadian Residents (PIPEDA)
- Right of Access: Request access to your personal information held by us
- Right of Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
- Right to Opt-Out: Withdraw consent for non-essential processing and marketing communications
- Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal requirements)
7.2 EU/EEA Residents (GDPR)
- Right of Access: Obtain a copy of your personal data
- Right of Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of personal data (with limited exceptions)
- Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your information
- Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable format for transfer to other organizations
- Right to Object: Object to marketing, profiling, and automated decision-making
- Right to Lodge a Complaint: File complaints with your local data protection authority
7.3 California Residents (CCPA)
- Right of Access: Know what personal information we collect, use, and share
- Right of Deletion: Request deletion of personal information (with limited exceptions)
- Right to Opt-Out: Opt-out of personal information sales (we do not sell information)
- Right to Non-Discrimination: No discrimination for exercising privacy rights
7.4 Exercising Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at:
Canada Web Design Academy
Privacy Team
350 Bay Street, Suite 1200
Toronto, ON M5H 2S6
Phone: +1 (416) 782-9453
Email: [email protected]
We will respond to your request within 30 days (GDPR: 45 days). We may request proof of identity before processing your request. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in your jurisdiction.
8. Data Security
We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:
- Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers uses TLS 1.2+ encryption (indicated by "https" in the URL)
- Secure Storage: Personal data is stored on encrypted databases with role-based access controls
- Access Controls: Only authorized personnel have access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
- Regular Audits: We conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
- Password Security: Account passwords are salted and hashed using modern algorithms
- Payment Security: Credit card processing complies with PCI DSS standards; we do not store credit card details
- Incident Response: We maintain procedures to investigate and respond to security breaches
- Staff Training: All employees receive data protection and security awareness training
While we implement strong security practices, no system is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security. Please report any suspected security breaches immediately.
9. Children's Privacy
Our services are not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information and terminate the child's account.
For users aged 13-18, parental/guardian consent is required for account creation and data collection. We take additional precautions to protect younger users' privacy.
10. International Data Transfers
Canada Web Design Academy operates from Canada. If you access our services from outside Canada, your information will be transferred to, stored in, and processed in Canada. By providing your information, you consent to such transfer and processing. We ensure appropriate safeguards, including Standard Contractual Clauses for transfers to the EU.
11. Third-Party Links and Integrations
Our website contains links to third-party websites (social media, payment processors, partner organizations). This Privacy Policy does not apply to external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third parties before providing your information. We are not responsible for their privacy practices.
12. Social Media Integration
If you link your social media accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) to your Canada Web Design Academy profile, we receive permission to access certain public information from these platforms. You can unlink accounts at any time through your account settings. The social media platforms' privacy policies govern their data practices.
13. Policy Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of material changes by:
- Posting the updated policy on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date
- Sending email notification to registered users
- Requesting explicit consent if changes significantly expand data collection or use
Your continued use of our services after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
14. Complaints and Disputes
If you have a complaint or dispute regarding our privacy practices, please contact us first. We will investigate and respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with:
- Canada: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (www.priv.gc.ca)
- EU: Your national data protection authority
- California: California Attorney General (www.oag.ca.gov)
15. Contact Information
For questions about this Privacy Policy, requests to exercise your rights, or to report privacy concerns, contact: