Privacy Policy
1. Overview & Scope
AlbertaRank (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with:
- PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) – Federal Canadian privacy law
- Alberta PIPA (Personal Information Protection Act) – Provincial privacy law
- CASL (Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation) – Electronic communications law
- CRTC regulations – Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected through:
- Our website: albertarank.ca
- Our services (SEO, web design, CRM automation, AI systems, etc.)
- Our marketing communications
- Customer support interactions
Privacy Officer: Our designated Privacy Officer is responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy. Contact details are provided in Section 16.
2. Our Privacy Principles (PIPEDA Compliance)
We adhere to the 10 Fair Information Principles established under PIPEDA:
- Accountability: We are responsible for personal information under our control
- Identifying Purposes: We identify why we collect information before or at the time of collection
- Consent: We obtain your knowledge and consent for collection, use, or disclosure
- Limiting Collection: We collect only what is necessary for identified purposes
- Limiting Use, Disclosure, and Retention: We use information only for stated purposes and retain it only as long as necessary
- Accuracy: We keep information accurate, complete, and up-to-date
- Safeguards: We protect information with appropriate security measures
- Openness: We make our privacy practices publicly available
- Individual Access: You can access and challenge the accuracy of your information
- Challenging Compliance: You can challenge our compliance with these principles
3. Information We Collect
3.1 Personal Information You Provide
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, business name, website URL
- Service Information: Industry type, business size, service requirements
- Account Information: Login credentials (if applicable)
- Payment Information: Billing details processed through secure third-party processors (Stripe, PayPal) – we do not store full payment card numbers
- Communication Records: Emails, chat transcripts, phone call recordings (with consent)
3.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Technical Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device information
- Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on site, click patterns, referring URLs
- Location Data: General geographic location (city/province level) based on IP address
- Cookies & Tracking: See Section 6 for details
3.3 Information from Third Parties
- Social Media: Public profile information if you connect social accounts
- Business Directories: Publicly available business information
- Service Providers: Analytics and marketing platforms (Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, etc.)
4. How We Use Your Information
We use your information for the following purposes:
4.1 Service Delivery
- Provide SEO, web design, CRM automation, and other contracted services
- Process payments and manage billing
- Deliver audits, reports, and consultations
- Provide customer support and respond to inquiries
4.2 Business Operations
- Improve our website and services
- Analyze usage patterns and performance metrics
- Conduct internal research and development
- Maintain security and prevent fraud
4.3 Marketing (With Consent)
- Send newsletters and updates about our services
- Share industry insights and educational content
- Notify you of promotions or new offerings
- Note: All marketing complies with CASL – see Section 13
4.4 Legal Compliance
- Comply with legal obligations
- Respond to lawful requests from government authorities
- Protect our rights and the safety of users
7. Data Security & Breach Notification
7.1 Security Measures
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:
- Encryption: TLS/SSL encryption for data in transit
- Secure Storage: Encrypted databases and secure servers
- Access Controls: Limited employee access on a need-to-know basis
- Regular Audits: Security assessments and vulnerability testing
- Employee Training: Privacy and security awareness training
7.2 Breach Notification (PIPEDA Requirement)
In the event of a data breach that creates a real risk of significant harm, we will:
- Notify the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada as soon as feasible
- Notify affected individuals directly
- Notify other organizations that may be able to reduce the risk of harm
- Keep records of all breaches for 24 months
“Significant harm” includes bodily harm, humiliation, damage to reputation or relationships, loss of employment, financial loss, identity theft, negative effects on credit record, and damage to or loss of property.
8. Data Retention
We retain your information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected:
- Active Customers: Throughout the service relationship plus 7 years for tax/legal compliance
- Prospects (Non-Customers): 2 years from last contact, unless you request deletion
- Website Visitors: Analytics data retained for 26 months, then anonymized
- Marketing Lists: Until you unsubscribe or request removal
- Support Records: 3 years after case closure
After the retention period, we securely delete or anonymize your information.
9. Your Privacy Rights
Under PIPEDA and Alberta PIPA, you have the following rights:
9.1 Right to Access
You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. We will respond within 30 days and provide:
- The types of information we have
- How we’ve used it
- Who we’ve shared it with
A reasonable fee may apply for complex requests.
9.2 Right to Correction
You can request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information.
9.3 Right to Withdraw Consent
You can withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time (see Section 13).
9.4 Right to Deletion
You can request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
9.5 Right to Challenge
You can challenge our compliance with this policy or privacy laws.
9.6 How to Exercise Your Rights
Contact our Privacy Officer (Section 16) with:
- Your name and contact information
- The specific right you wish to exercise
- Any relevant details about your request
We will respond within 30 days. Complex requests may take up to 60 days with notice.
10. Children’s Privacy
Our services are intended for businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child without parental consent, we will delete it promptly.
11. International Data Transfers
Some of our service providers are located outside Canada (primarily in the United States). When we transfer your information internationally, we ensure:
- Appropriate safeguards are in place (standard contractual clauses, binding corporate rules)
- The recipient country has adequate privacy protections, or
- We have your explicit consent for the transfer
You can request information about these safeguards by contacting our Privacy Officer.
12. Automated Decision-Making
We may use automated systems for:
- Website analytics and personalization
- Service recommendations
- Fraud detection
These systems do not make significant decisions about you (such as credit approval or employment). You have the right to request human review of any automated decision that significantly affects you.
13. Marketing Communications (CASL Compliance)
13.1 Consent Requirements
Under CASL, we can only send commercial electronic messages (CEMs) if we have:
- Express Consent: You explicitly agreed to receive marketing (checkbox, form submission)
- Implied Consent: You are an existing customer (valid for 2 years after last transaction)
- Implied Consent: You inquired about our services (valid for 6 months from inquiry)
13.2 Required Information
Every marketing email includes:
- Our identity and contact information
- A clear unsubscribe mechanism
- A valid postal address
13.3 Unsubscribing
You can unsubscribe at any time by:
- Clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in any email
- Replying to the email with “UNSUBSCRIBE”
- Contacting us at info@albertarank.ca
We will process unsubscribe requests within 10 business days as required by CASL.
13.4 What We Won’t Do
- Send messages without proper consent
- Use misleading subject lines or sender information
- Install software without consent
- Collect personal information without consent
14. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make material changes:
- We will update the “Last Updated” date at the top
- We will post a notice on our website homepage
- For significant changes, we may send email notifications
- Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance
We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
15. Complaints & Regulatory Contact
15.1 Internal Complaint Process
If you have concerns about our privacy practices, please contact our Privacy Officer first (Section 16). We will investigate and respond within 30 days.
15.2 Federal Privacy Commissioner
If you are not satisfied with our response, you can file a complaint with:
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Toll-free: 1-800-282-1376
Website: www.priv.gc.ca
Email: info@priv.gc.ca
15.3 Alberta Information & Privacy Commissioner
For Alberta-specific complaints:
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta
Phone: (780) 422-6860
Toll-free: 1-888-878-4044
Website: www.oipc.ab.ca
Email: generalinfo@oipc.ab.ca
15.4 CRTC (CASL Complaints)
For spam or CASL violations:
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Website: www.fightspam.gc.ca
16. Contact Our Privacy Officer
For privacy-related questions, requests, or complaints:
Privacy Officer
AlbertaRank
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Email: privacy@albertarank.ca
Phone: (403) 671-3278
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM MST
We are committed to resolving your concerns promptly and in accordance with Canadian privacy law.