01. Introduction

BusinessPortraits.ca ("Company") is committed to safeguarding the privacy of its users ("user" or "you") who access the website located at www.businessportraits.ca, as well as other media forms, media channels, mobile websites, or mobile applications related or connected to BusinessPortraits.ca services (collectively, the "Website"). This Privacy Policy outlines the types of information that BusinessPortraits.ca may collect or gather from you in connection with your use of the Website, explains the circumstances under which BusinessPortraits.ca utilizes and discloses that information, and describes your rights concerning that information.

The Website is hosted in Canada and adheres to Canadian federal law. If you are accessing the Website from other jurisdictions, please note that you are transferring your personal information to BusinessPortraits.ca in Canada. By using the Website, you consent to the transfer and utilization of your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. You also agree to comply with applicable Canadian federal laws concerning your use of the Website and your agreements with BusinessPortraits.ca. Anyone accessing the Website from a jurisdiction with laws or regulations governing Internet use, including personal data collection, use, and disclosure, different from those of Canada, may only use the Website lawfully within their jurisdiction. If using the Website would be unlawful in your jurisdiction, please refrain from using it.

By using or accessing the Website, you acknowledge and accept the practices described in this Privacy Policy, including the collection, usage, and disclosure of non-personally identifying information.

Each time you use the Website, the current version of this Privacy Policy will apply. BusinessPortraits.ca encourages you to review the date of this Privacy Policy each time you visit and be aware of any changes since your last visit.

02. Information collection

2.1 Non-personally identifying information

"Non-personally identifying information" refers to data that, without the assistance of additional information, cannot be directly linked to a specific individual. Similar to most website operators, BusinessPortraits.ca collects non-personally identifying information that web browsers, based on their settings, may provide from users of the Website. This information includes the user's Internet Protocol (IP) address, operating system, browser type, and the locations of the websites the user visits immediately before accessing, while navigating, and immediately after departing the Website. While this information is not personally identifying, it may be feasible for BusinessPortraits.ca to ascertain a user's internet service provider, the geographic location of the user's point of connectivity, and other statistical usage data from an IP address.

BusinessPortraits.ca analyzes the non-personally identifying information obtained from Website users to better understand how the Website is utilized. By recognizing patterns and trends in usage, BusinessPortraits.ca can enhance the Website's design to improve users' experiences in terms of content and ease of use. Occasionally, BusinessPortraits.ca may also disclose the non-personally identifying information collected from Website users in an aggregated form, such as by publishing a report on trends in the usage of the Website.

2.2 Personally identifying information

"Personally-identifying information" is data, such as a name or email address, that can be directly associated with a specific individual without the need for additional details. BusinessPortraits.ca may collect various types of personal information from and about Website users. This information is often provided by users themselves when they (1) register for BusinessPortraits.ca services, (2) log in using social network credentials, (3) participate in polls, contests, surveys, or engage with other features of the service, (4) communicate with BusinessPortraits.ca, (5) create a public profile, or (6) sign up to receive newsletters. The information BusinessPortraits.ca collects may include each user's name, address, email address, telephone number, and other demographic or relevant details, such as interests, activities, gender, age, date of birth, username, and hometown. BusinessPortraits.ca may also request additional information from time to time as deemed necessary.

Users of the Website are not obligated to provide BusinessPortraits.ca with personal information; however, refusing to do so may hinder the user's access to certain Website features. By registering with or using the Website, you consent to the use and disclosure of your personal information as outlined in this Privacy Policy.

2.3 Purchase information

When you purchase from BusinessPortraits.ca, personal information such as your name, address, and email address is collected as part of the buying and selling process. As you browse the Website, BusinessPortraits.ca automatically receives your computer's internet protocol (IP) address, which provides information about your browser and operating system. If you grant permission, BusinessPortraits.ca may also send you email marketing communications about services, new products, and other updates.

03. Payment information security

BusinessPortraits.ca does not have access to your payment details and does not store your credit card information. Your credit card data is encrypted in accordance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS). Your purchase transaction data is retained only for the duration necessary to finalize your purchase transaction. Upon completion, your purchase transaction information is erased. All direct payment gateways adhere to the standards established by PCI-DSS, which the PCI Security Standards Council manages, a collaborative effort among major brands such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. The PCI-DSS requirements contribute to the secure management of credit card information by BusinessPortraits.ca and its service providers.

Plain English

Card numbers move directly from your browser to a PCI-DSS gateway; they never sit on a BusinessPortraits.ca server. We see what you bought; we never see how you paid.

04. Cookies

A cookie is a small string of information that a website stores on your device and identifies your browser on return visits. BusinessPortraits.ca uses cookies to operate the site, keep your shopping cart contents, save your preferences, facilitate purchases, and understand how visitors use the site.

Some cookies are essential to running the site. Others are optional and only run if you accept them in the cookie notice that appears on your first visit.

Essential cookies (always on)

Essential cookies are required for the site to function and cannot be turned off. They store information about your current browsing session, maintain your shopping cart contents between page loads, verify access permissions, and remember registration information you've entered. BusinessPortraits.ca uses essential cookies regardless of your consent choice; without them the site cannot operate.

Optional cookies (only with consent)

Optional cookies help BusinessPortraits.ca understand site usage and identify visiting businesses. They run only if you accept all cookies in the notice on your first visit. The optional cookies in use are:

Analytics. BusinessPortraits.ca uses Google Analytics to measure aggregate site usage: page views, traffic sources, session duration, and conversion events. Google Analytics tells BusinessPortraits.ca which pages perform well and where to improve. When you decline optional cookies, Google Analytics still loads but runs in a privacy-preserving mode (Google Consent Mode v2): top-level metrics are measured anonymously, but no individual visitor data is collected or stored.

Behavioural analytics. BusinessPortraits.ca uses a third-party service to record anonymized session activity and build heatmaps showing where visitors click, scroll, and pause on pages. This helps BusinessPortraits.ca see how the site is used in practice and identify usability friction. These cookies do not run at all if you decline optional cookies.

Visitor identification. BusinessPortraits.ca uses a third-party service to identify which organizations have visited the site. This helps BusinessPortraits.ca follow up with companies that have shown interest in its services. These cookies do not run at all if you decline optional cookies.

Your cookie choices

When you first visit BusinessPortraits.ca, a notice in the bottom-right corner of your screen asks you to choose:

• Accept all turns on essential cookies and all optional cookies (analytics, behavioural analytics, and visitor identification).
• Essential only turns on essential cookies and leaves all optional cookies off.

Closing the notice without choosing has the same effect as choosing "Essential only." Your choice is saved on your device for 12 months. After 12 months, or if you clear your browser's site data for businessportraits.ca, the notice will appear again on your next visit and you can change your choice.

Browser-level controls

You can also configure your browser to refuse cookies before accessing the Website. This is a broader control than the cookie notice and applies across all websites you visit. Note that certain Website features may not function properly without essential cookies, and users who refuse essential cookies assume all responsibility for any resulting loss of functionality.

05. Web beacons

A "web beacon" is an object embedded in a web page or email that is typically invisible to the user, allowing website operators to verify whether a user has viewed a specific web page or email. BusinessPortraits.ca may employ web beacons on the Website and in emails to count users who have visited certain pages, viewed emails, and provided co-branded services. Web beacons do not access users' personally identifying information; they are a technique that BusinessPortraits.ca may utilize to compile aggregated statistics about Website usage. Web beacons collect only limited information, including a cookie number, the time and date of a page or email view, and a description of the page or email where the web beacon is located.

While you cannot decline web beacons directly, you can render them ineffective by declining all cookies or adjusting your browser settings to notify you each time a cookie is offered, allowing you to accept or decline cookies individually.

06. Analytics

BusinessPortraits.ca may engage third-party vendors to help understand Website visitors and the pages they visit. This includes Google, which utilizes first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) in tandem to inform, optimize, and serve ads based on your prior activity on the Website, including Google Analytics for Display Advertising. The collected information may be used for various purposes, such as analyzing and tracking data, determining content popularity, and gaining a deeper understanding of online activity.

If you prefer not to have any information collected and used by Google Analytics, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on in your web browser and/or opt out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising or the Google Display Network by adjusting your Google Ads settings.

07. Use of information

BusinessPortraits.ca utilizes the personally-identifying information on record for you and any other information obtained from your current and past activities on the Website for various purposes. These include:

1. providing the requested products and services;
2. managing your account and offering customer support;
3. communicating with you via email, postal mail, phone, and/or mobile devices regarding products or services that may interest you from BusinessPortraits.ca or affiliate companies;
4. creating and displaying customized content and advertising based on your interests on the Website and other sites;
5. resolving disputes and addressing problems;
6. gauging consumer interest in BusinessPortraits.ca services;
7. informing you of updates;
8. tailoring your user experience;
9. detecting and safeguarding against errors, fraud, and other criminal activities;
10. enforcing the BusinessPortraits.ca Terms of Service; and
11. executing any other actions described during the information collection process.

Occasionally, BusinessPortraits.ca may analyze multiple users' data to identify issues. Specifically, BusinessPortraits.ca may examine your personally-identifying information to detect users with multiple user IDs or aliases. BusinessPortraits.ca may also verify and review your personally-identifying information for accuracy and to detect errors and inconsistencies.

08. Photo usage for marketing

BusinessPortraits.ca may display your photograph on the Website and in marketing materials to showcase portfolio work and maintain competitive pricing for portrait packages. BusinessPortraits.ca may also share information from your public LinkedIn page or company page, which could include your current position and employer. Clients who wish to opt out of portfolio usage may purchase image exclusivity as described in the BusinessPortraits.ca Terms of Service.

Opt-out path

Clients who wish to opt out of portfolio usage may purchase image exclusivity as described in the BusinessPortraits.ca Terms of Service. Exclusivity removes a session from all portfolio, marketing, and competitive-pricing rotations.

09. Aggregated and non-personally identifiable information

BusinessPortraits.ca may share aggregated and non-personally identifiable information collected under the above circumstances. This information may be shared with third parties and affiliate companies to develop and deliver targeted advertising on the Website and third-party websites. Additionally, BusinessPortraits.ca may combine non-personally identifiable information collected with further non-personally identifiable information obtained from other sources.

BusinessPortraits.ca may also share aggregated information with third parties, including advisors, advertisers, and investors, for conducting general business analysis. For instance, BusinessPortraits.ca might inform advertisers about the number of visitors to the Website and the most popular features or services accessed. This information does not contain any personally identifiable information and may be used to develop Website content and services that BusinessPortraits.ca hopes will interest you and other users and to tailor content and advertising.

10. Social media integration

The Website may include hyperlinks that, when clicked, will redirect you to a social network. However, activating a social plugin, such as Facebook's "Like" button or Twitter's "Tweet" button, requires you to click the respective link. Once you click on a social plugin, your browser directly connects with that social network's servers. If you do not interact with these buttons, your data will not be transmitted to the respective social network's plugin provider. For instance, when you click on Facebook's "Like" button on the Website, Facebook receives information such as your IP address, browser version, screen resolution, and the device's operating system used to access the Website. Privacy protection settings can be found on the websites of these social networks and are beyond the control of BusinessPortraits.ca.

11. Online postings

Users should be aware that certain personal information may be disclosed as a result of their use of the Website. BusinessPortraits.ca may provide sections on the Website where you can post reviews and share other information related to your activities on the site. The BusinessPortraits.ca Terms of Service govern these postings. Additionally, your postings may appear on other websites or in search results related to the subject of your post. It is important to note that when you voluntarily disclose personal information on publicly-viewable web pages, that information becomes publicly accessible and can be collected and used by others. BusinessPortraits.ca has no control over who reads your posts or what actions other users may take with the information you choose to share.

As such, BusinessPortraits.ca strongly advises you to exercise discretion and caution when sharing your personal information. Users assume full responsibility for any loss of privacy or other harm resulting from voluntarily disclosing personal information.

12. Company communications

From time to time, BusinessPortraits.ca may use your name and email address to send you notifications regarding new services offered by the Website that BusinessPortraits.ca believes could interest you. Additionally, BusinessPortraits.ca may send you service-related announcements as part of the general operation of services. You have the option to opt-out of receiving such emails at any time. However, please note that BusinessPortraits.ca reserves the right to send you notices regarding your account, such as service announcements and administrative messages, even if you opt out of all voluntary email notifications.

13. Disclosure of information

BusinessPortraits.ca may disclose personally-identifying information when required by law or to protect the rights of BusinessPortraits.ca. BusinessPortraits.ca may disclose such information in connection with efforts to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, or other wrongdoings; to protect and defend the rights, property, or safety of BusinessPortraits.ca, its users, employees, or others; to comply with applicable laws or cooperate with law enforcement agencies; to enforce the BusinessPortraits.ca Terms of Service or other agreements or policies; in response to a subpoena, investigative demand, court order, or a request for cooperation from law enforcement or other governmental agencies; to establish or exercise legal rights; to defend against legal claims; or as otherwise mandated by law. In these instances, BusinessPortraits.ca may choose to raise or waive any legal objection or right available.

14. Marketing communications and opt-out

Unless users choose to opt-out of receiving marketing materials from BusinessPortraits.ca during the registration process, BusinessPortraits.ca may send emails regarding products and services that may be of interest. If you wish to opt-out of receiving such marketing communications from BusinessPortraits.ca, you can do so by following the unsubscribe link provided in the email communications, adjusting your account settings (if applicable), or reaching out to BusinessPortraits.ca using the contact information provided below.

Three opt-out paths

(i) Unsubscribe link in any marketing email. (ii) Account-level email preferences. (iii) Email info@businessportraits.ca directly. All three remove you from marketing rotations within one business day.

15. Third-party service providers

Third-party service providers engaged by BusinessPortraits.ca will only collect, use, and disclose your information to the extent necessary for them to perform services on behalf of BusinessPortraits.ca. However, certain third-party providers, such as payment gateways and transaction processors, may have their own privacy policies governing the information that must be provided for your purchase-related transactions. These third parties are not obligated to comply with this Privacy Policy concerning personally-identifying information that users directly provide or that the third parties collect independently. These providers may include advertisers, utility services, widgets, and other third-party applications accessible through the Website. BusinessPortraits.ca does not own or control these third-party websites and applications, and this Privacy Policy does not apply to information provided to or collected by them. Before interacting with a third party or utilizing a third-party application, whether through a link on the Website or directly, users should familiarize themselves with the privacy policies and practices (if any) of the responsible third party and take necessary steps to protect their privacy.

BusinessPortraits.ca may share your personally-identifying information, including your name and contact details (such as your email address), with authorized service providers that carry out certain services on behalf of BusinessPortraits.ca. These services may include order fulfillment, customer support, marketing assistance, business and sales analysis, Website functionality support, as well as contests, sweepstakes, surveys, and other features available through the Website.

Some providers might be located or have facilities in jurisdictions different from you or BusinessPortraits.ca. If you decide to engage in a transaction involving the services of a third-party provider, your information could be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction(s) in which the provider or its facilities are situated. For instance, if you are in Canada and your transaction is processed by a payment gateway in the United States, your personal information used for completing the transaction may be disclosed under US legislation, including the Patriot Act.

Please note that once you leave the Website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you will no longer be governed by this Privacy Policy.

16. Modifying information and account termination

You can review or modify your personally-identifying information at any time by visiting your account settings (if applicable) or by contacting BusinessPortraits.ca using the provided contact information below. BusinessPortraits.ca will deactivate or delete your account and contact information from active databases upon request. This deactivation or deletion will be carried out as promptly as possible, taking into account your account activity, deactivation policy, and any relevant legal requirements. To make this request, visit your account settings (if applicable) or contact BusinessPortraits.ca using the details provided below.

Please note that BusinessPortraits.ca may retain some personally-identifying information in files to prevent fraud, troubleshoot issues, aid in investigations, enforce the Terms of Service, and comply with legal requirements as permitted by law. Furthermore, BusinessPortraits.ca maintains a record of altered information to examine any suspected fraudulent activity associated with your account.

17. Security measures

At BusinessPortraits.ca, the security of your personally-identifying information is taken very seriously. BusinessPortraits.ca employs reasonable electronic, personnel, and physical measures and adheres to industry best practices to safeguard your information from unauthorized loss, misuse, access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. When you provide credit card information, it is encrypted using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology and stored with AES-256 encryption.

While no method of data transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, BusinessPortraits.ca complies with all Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) requirements and implements other widely-accepted industry standards. However, please note that BusinessPortraits.ca cannot be held responsible for any third-party circumvention of privacy settings or security measures.

18. Privacy policy updates

BusinessPortraits.ca reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at its sole discretion from time to time. Any changes to this Privacy Policy will be reflected on this page, with the date of the latest version indicated at the top of the policy. Unless otherwise specified, the current Privacy Policy applies to all information BusinessPortraits.ca has about you and your account. BusinessPortraits.ca encourages users to regularly review this page for any updates to the Privacy Policy.

While BusinessPortraits.ca will always post updated versions of the Privacy Policy on the Website, BusinessPortraits.ca may also, at its discretion, choose to notify users of any significant changes to the policy through email or other means. It is, therefore, crucial for users to maintain and update their contact information as needed.

19. Contact information

Should you have any inquiries or concerns pertaining to this Privacy Policy, please reach out to the designated Privacy Officer using the contact details provided in the next section.