Privacy Policy

How we look after your info and why transparency matters to us

Last updated: January 2024

The Straight Talk

Look, we're architects, not data miners. When you reach out to us about a project or just to chat about sustainable design, we collect some basic info. That's it. We're not selling your details to anyone, and we're definitely not spamming you with nonsense. This page breaks down what we collect, why we need it, and what we do with it.

What Info We Actually Collect

When you fill out our contact form or send us an email, we'll grab your name, email address, phone number, and whatever details you share about your project. If you're scheduling a consultation, we might also note down your preferred times and any specific requirements you've mentioned.

Our website also picks up some technical stuff automatically - things like your IP address, browser type, and which pages you visited. This helps us figure out if our site's actually working properly and where folks are getting stuck.

Why We Need Your Info

Project Work

To respond to your inquiries, prepare proposals, and actually work on your architectural projects. Can't design your dream space without knowing who you are and what you need.

Communication

To send you updates about your project, answer questions, and occasionally share relevant info about sustainable design trends that might interest you.

Legal Stuff

Sometimes we're required to keep records for regulatory purposes - building permits, contract documentation, that sort of thing. Architecture's a regulated profession in Canada.

Website Improvements

That technical data helps us make the site better. If everyone's bouncing from the same page, we probably need to fix something there.

How We Protect Your Data

We take security seriously. Your info lives on secure servers, and we use industry-standard encryption for anything sensitive. Our team's small - just the folks who actually need access to do their jobs can see your details.

We backup everything regularly, but those backups are just as secure as the original data. And yeah, we've got protocols in place in case something goes wrong, though thankfully we haven't needed them yet.

Sharing Your Information

We don't sell or rent your info to anyone. Period. That said, there are a few situations where we might need to share it:

  • With consultants and contractors working on your project - structural engineers, landscape architects, builders. They need certain details to do their part.
  • With our legal or accounting advisors when required for professional services.
  • If the law requires it - court orders, regulatory inquiries, that kind of thing.
  • With our hosting provider and email service, but only what's necessary to run the business. They're bound by their own privacy commitments.

Cookies & Tracking

Our website uses cookies - small text files that help the site remember you. Nothing creepy, just practical stuff like keeping you logged in or remembering your language preference.

We use Google Analytics to understand how people use our site. It's anonymized data that shows us patterns, not individual behavior. You can block these with browser extensions if you'd rather not participate.

Your Rights

Under Canadian privacy law (PIPEDA, specifically), you've got rights regarding your personal info:

Access: You can ask to see what info we've got on you.
Correction: If something's wrong, let us know and we'll fix it.
Deletion: Want us to delete your data? Just ask. Though we might need to keep some stuff for legal reasons.
Withdrawal: Changed your mind about us using your info? You can withdraw consent anytime.

How Long We Keep Your Data

For active projects, we keep everything until the project's complete and any warranty periods are over. After that, we're legally required to keep architectural drawings and key documents for at least 10 years - it's part of our professional obligations in Ontario.

If you reached out but didn't proceed with a project, we'll typically keep your inquiry for about 2 years, then delete it unless you've asked us to stay in touch.

Third-Party Links

Sometimes we link to other websites - product manufacturers, industry organizations, that kind of thing. Once you click through to their site, this privacy policy doesn't apply anymore. They've got their own policies, so check those out if you're concerned.

Updates to This Policy

We might update this policy occasionally - usually when laws change or we add new services. When we do, we'll update the date at the top and post the new version here. For major changes, we'll send an email to our active clients.

Questions or Concerns?

Privacy shouldn't be complicated. If something here doesn't make sense or you've got questions about how we handle your info, just reach out. We're happy to explain things in plain language.

Email: studio@onyxthalquindar.info
Phone: (416) 555-0342
Onyx Thalquindar Architecture
1247 Queen Street West, Suite 405
Toronto, ON M6K 1L6

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

If you're not satisfied with how we've handled a privacy concern, you've got the right to file a complaint with the federal Privacy Commissioner. Their office investigates privacy issues and can help resolve disputes.