This policy explains how CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, published by Cmarketing Inc. (“CanadianSME”, “we”, “us”), collects, uses, discloses and protects personal information when you visit canadiansme.ca, subscribe to our magazine or newsletters, attend our events, or otherwise interact with us. We follow the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and, where applicable, provincial privacy laws including Quebec’s Law 25, Alberta’s PIPA and British Columbia’s PIPA.
1.Information we collect
We collect only what we need to provide our services.
- Information you give us: name, email address, company, job title, province, phone number and the content of messages or forms you submit — for example when you subscribe, download a guide, claim a partner offer, register for an event, nominate someone for an award or contact our team.
- Event and award information: registration details, dietary or accessibility needs you choose to share, and nomination materials.
- Automatically collected information: IP address, browser and device type, pages viewed, referring site and approximate location, collected through cookies and similar technologies.
- Payment information: when you buy tickets or advertising, payments are processed by third-party payment providers. We do not store full card numbers.
2.How we use your information
- Deliver the magazine, newsletters and resources you request.
- Register you for and run events, awards and webinars.
- Respond to enquiries, story submissions and advertising requests.
- Share partner offers you ask to receive.
- Measure and improve our website and content.
- Meet legal, tax and accounting obligations.
3.Consent and Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
We send commercial electronic messages only with your express or implied consent, as defined by CASL. Every email includes our identification and a working unsubscribe link, and we process unsubscribe requests within 10 business days. You can withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
4.When we share information
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only in these situations:
- Service providers who host our website, send email, process payments or manage event registration, under contracts that require them to protect it.
- Partners and sponsors, only when you explicitly opt in — for example when you claim a partner offer or tick a box to hear from an event sponsor.
- Legal requirements, when required by law, court order or to protect the rights and safety of CanadianSME or others.
- Business transfers, if Cmarketing Inc. is involved in a merger, acquisition or sale of assets, subject to equivalent protection.
5.Cookies and analytics
We use essential cookies to make the site work, and analytics and advertising cookies to understand how readers use it and to measure campaigns. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings; some features may not work without them.
6.Where your information is stored
Some of our service providers store or process information outside Canada, including in the United States. When that happens, your information may be subject to the laws of that country. We choose providers that offer protection comparable to Canadian standards.
7.How long we keep information
We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law — for example, financial records are kept for the period required by the Canada Revenue Agency. Newsletter subscriber records are removed or anonymised after you unsubscribe, except for the minimum needed to honour that request.
8.How we protect information
We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including access controls, encrypted connections and staff confidentiality obligations. If a breach creates a real risk of significant harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada as required by law.
9.Your rights
You may ask to access the personal information we hold about you, correct inaccurate information, or withdraw your consent. Quebec residents also have rights to data portability and de-indexation under Law 25. We will respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca or your provincial privacy commissioner.
10.Children
Our website and services are intended for business owners and professionals. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16.
11.Contact our Privacy Officer
Questions, requests or complaints about privacy can be sent to our Privacy Officer at Cmarketing Inc., 6345 Dixie Rd, Unit 202, Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2E6, or by phone at +1 416 655 0205. You can also reach us through our Contact page.
12.Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it last changed. Material changes will be highlighted on this page.
This page is provided for general information and should be reviewed by qualified legal counsel before publication.
