Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

CalgaryArea.com ("we," "us," or "the Platform") is a local business directory serving the Calgary metropolitan area. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our users, business owners, and visitors in accordance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and how you can exercise your rights.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Business Registration: Business name, address, phone number, email, website, services, pricing, and category information.
• Claim Requests: Your name, email address, phone number, and business registration number for ownership verification.
• Owner Accounts: Email address and password (stored as a one-way cryptographic hash — we cannot see your password).
• Contact Forms: Name, email, and message content when you contact us.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Analytics Data: We track profile views, phone call clicks, website clicks, and share actions to provide business owners with engagement analytics. IP addresses are hashed using SHA-256 with a salt — we do not store raw IP addresses.
• View Deduplication: We limit profile view counts to one per IP hash per business per hour to ensure accurate analytics.
• Browser Information: User agent strings and referrer URLs may be collected for analytics purposes.
• Cookies: We use session cookies (ca_owner_session, ca_admin_session) for authentication. These are strictly functional and expire after 30 days.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Google Places API: We import publicly available business information from Google, including business names, addresses, phone numbers, ratings, reviews, and photos. This data is publicly available on Google Maps.
• Consumer Choice Award (CCA): We display CCA winner status based on publicly available award data.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To display business listings and enable users to find local businesses.
• To verify business ownership through our claim process.
• To provide business owners with analytics about their listing performance.
• To send transactional emails (claim confirmations, approval notifications, login credentials).
• To improve and maintain the Platform.
• To prevent fraud and ensure the security of the Platform.

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share information only in the following circumstances:

• Public Listings: Business information you submit (name, address, phone, website, services, photos) is displayed publicly on the Platform. This is the core purpose of the directory.
• Service Providers: We use Google Cloud services (Places API) and SMTP email services to operate the Platform. These providers process data on our behalf under their own privacy policies.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government regulation.

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Passwords are hashed using bcrypt with salt rounds — we never store plaintext passwords.
• Sensitive configuration data (API keys, SMTP credentials) is encrypted using AES-256-GCM.
• IP addresses are hashed before storage — raw IPs are never retained.
• All connections to the Platform are encrypted using TLS/HTTPS.
• Database access is restricted and credentials are stored securely.

6. Data Retention

Business listing data is retained for as long as the listing is active on the Platform. Owner account data is retained for as long as the account exists. Analytics data (hashed IPs, view counts) is retained for up to 24 months. You may request deletion of your account and personal data at any time by contacting us.

7. Your Rights

Under PIPEDA and Alberta PIPA, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Delete your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements).
• Withdraw consent for data processing at any time.
• Complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe your rights have been violated.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at contact@calgaryarea.com.

8. Children's Privacy

CalgaryArea.com is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at:

CalgaryArea.com
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Email: contact@calgaryarea.com