Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Canadian Outdoor Journal ("we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, and discloses your personal information when you visit our website CanadianOutdoorJournal.com, subscribe to our newsletter, submit trail reviews, or purchase gear through our online store. We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with Canadian laws, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

1. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal information is:

2. Information We Collect

We collect information to provide better services to our community of outdoor enthusiasts. In the last 12 months, we've processed data for over 1,247 newsletter subscribers and 98.3% of our gear review contributors.

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account & Profile: Name, email address, postal code (for regional content), and password when you create an account.
• Newsletter: Email address and preferences for seasonal activity guides.
• Trail Reviews: Your written reviews, photos, difficulty ratings, and location data for trails across Canada.
• Purchases: Billing and shipping address, phone number, payment information (processed securely by our payment partners), and order history.
• Communications: Contents of messages you send via contact forms or email.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our site, we collect:

• Device & Log Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages viewed, and dates/times of visits.
• Cookies & Tracking: See Section 6 for details on cookie usage.
• Analytics: Aggregated data on site usage, popular trails, and gear review engagement.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

1. To operate and improve CanadianOutdoorJournal.com, including personalizing your experience with local trail recommendations.
2. To process transactions and send order confirmations, shipping notifications, and receipts.
3. To send our seasonal newsletter with activity guides, if you've subscribed. You can opt out anytime.
4. To publish your trail reviews (with your consent) and feature them in our community sections.
5. To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support, typically within 24-48 hours.
6. To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, or security breaches.
7. To comply with Canadian legal obligations, including tax and consumer protection laws.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (PIPEDA Compliance)

Under PIPEDA, we process your personal information based on:

• Consent: When you subscribe to our newsletter, submit a review, or create an account.
• Contractual Necessity: To fulfill orders you place through our store.
• Legitimate Interests: To improve our website, prevent fraud, and ensure security, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Legal Obligation: To maintain records for tax purposes under the Canada Revenue Agency.

5. Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only in these limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: Trusted third parties who assist with payment processing (like Stripe), shipping (Canada Post), email delivery (Mailchimp), and website analytics. They are contractually bound to protect your data.
• Legal Requirements: If required by law, such as in response to a court order or valid legal request from Canadian authorities.
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, where your information may be transferred as a business asset, with notice provided.
• Aggregated Data: We may share anonymized, aggregated data (e.g., "42% of our readers hike in British Columbia") for research or marketing purposes.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. A cookie is a small data file stored on your device.

6.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic site functionality, like maintaining your session as you navigate (e.g., session cookie).
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings, like consent preferences (e.g., 'ck' cookie).
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site (e.g., pages viewed, time spent). These are anonymized.
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant ads about gear or destinations, based on your browsing.

6.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Note that blocking essential cookies may affect site functionality. You can also manage your preferences via our cookie banner when you first visit.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law.

• Account Data: Retained while your account is active, or for 3 years after last activity.
• Purchase Records: Retained for 7 years to comply with Canadian tax laws.
• Newsletter Data: Retained until you unsubscribe, after which we suppress your email from future sends.
• Trail Reviews: Published reviews are retained indefinitely as part of our community content, unless you request removal.
• Analytics Data: Aggregated data may be retained indefinitely in anonymized form.

8. Your Rights (Canadian Privacy Rights)

Under PIPEDA, you have the right to:

1. Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
2. Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
3. Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent for processing, where applicable.
4. Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal exceptions.
5. Portability: Request transfer of your data to another organization in a structured format.
6. Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@canadianoutdoorjournal.com. We will respond within 30 days, as required by law. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

9. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data. These include encryption (SSL/TLS) for data in transit, secure servers, access controls, and regular security assessments. No method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, but we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than Canada, including the United States, where our service providers operate. We ensure such transfers comply with applicable laws and that appropriate safeguards (like contractual clauses) are in place to protect your data.

11. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with information, please contact us so we can delete it.

12. Third-Party Links

Our site may contain links to other websites, like Parks Canada or gear manufacturers. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last Updated" date at the bottom will reflect changes. We will notify you of material changes via email or a notice on our website. Your continued use of CanadianOutdoorJournal.com after changes constitutes acceptance.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer:

We take privacy seriously and will address your concerns promptly.

Last Updated: March 15, 2025