Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

FranchiseOntario.com ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of our users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website at www.franchiseontario.com or use any of our services.

By using our website, you consent to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please discontinue use of our website.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

• •Contact information — name, email address, and phone number when you use our contact form, register a listing, or subscribe to our newsletter.
• •Business information — franchise name, location, category, and other details you provide when listing your franchise.
• •Payment information — billing details processed securely by Stripe. We do not store credit card numbers on our servers.
• •Usage data — IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on pages, collected automatically via analytics tools.
• •Session data — authentication state stored in your browser's session storage to keep you logged in during a visit.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• •Publish and manage your franchise listing on our directory
• •Process payments and manage your subscription via Stripe
• •Respond to contact form submissions and support requests
• •Send transactional emails related to your account or listing
• •Send our newsletter if you have subscribed (you may unsubscribe at any time)
• •Analyze usage patterns to improve the website and user experience
• •Comply with applicable Canadian laws and regulations

4. Disclosure of Your Information

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

• •Service providers — trusted third parties who assist in operating our website (e.g., Stripe for payment processing, Resend for email delivery, Vercel for hosting). These parties are contractually bound to protect your information.
• •Legal requirements — if required by law, court order, or governmental authority in Canada.
• •Business transfers — in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of our assets, subject to confidentiality obligations.

5. Cookies and Tracking

We use browser session storage (not persistent cookies) to maintain your login session during a visit. We may also use analytics tools that set first-party cookies to understand site traffic. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though some features of the site may not function correctly as a result.

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Our website is served over HTTPS. Payment card data is handled entirely by Stripe, which maintains PCI DSS compliance. However, no transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account or listing is active, or as needed to provide services and comply with legal obligations. Contact form submissions are retained for up to 2 years. You may request deletion of your information at any time by contacting us.

8. Your Rights (PIPEDA)

Under Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy laws, you have the right to:

• •Access the personal information we hold about you
• •Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• •Withdraw consent to the collection or use of your information (subject to legal or contractual restrictions)
• •Request deletion of your personal information
• •Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the address below.

9. Third-Party Links

Our website contains links to third-party websites, including franchise brand websites and news sources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 18, we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, or to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us: