Privacy Policy.

Scope and accountability

This policy applies to DowntownHamilton.ca and personal information under its control. DowntownHamilton.ca is an independent directory highlighting professional services in downtown Hamilton, Ontario. It does not provide dental, medical, legal, accounting or other professional services itself.

As an Ontario commercial website, its handling of personal information is generally subject to Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), where applicable. Privacy enquiries, access requests and complaints can be sent to the privacy contact listed below.

Information we collect

Information you provide

When you email us or make an enquiry, we may receive your name, email address, business or organization, message, and any other details you choose to supply. Please send medical, dental, legal, financial or other sensitive professional-service records directly to the relevant provider, not to DowntownHamilton.ca.

Technical and security information

Hosting and security services may record technical information such as IP address, browser and device details, pages requested, referring site, access time and security events. This helps us operate, protect and troubleshoot the website.

Google Analytics and cookies

When Google Analytics 4 is enabled, we use it to assess website traffic and performance, such as pages viewed, general referral sources, browser and device characteristics, approximate geography and interactions with site content. We do not intentionally send names, email addresses or enquiry contents to Google Analytics.

Our Google tag starts with analytics cookie consent denied. While consent is denied, Google's consent mode may still transmit limited cookieless signals about the consent state and site activity; it does not place Analytics cookies. If you select Allow analytics, Analytics may set first-party cookies such as _ga and _ga_* for measurement. If you decline, the website remains available without Analytics cookies.

A preference cookie named dv_analytics_consent records your decision for up to one year. If Analytics is enabled, you can revisit that decision using the Cookie preferences control in the website footer. The optional cookie banner only appears when Analytics is configured.

Google Search Console

We use Google Search Console to understand how the website performs in Google Search, including search visibility, indexing and aggregated search queries. Search Console does not require a visitor-tracking cookie on this site.

How information is used

We use information as reasonably necessary to:

• answer enquiries and privacy requests;
• operate, maintain and secure the website;
• understand aggregate website performance and improve its usefulness;
• manage recognized-provider and exclusive-category relationships; and
• keep appropriate operational records and comply with legal obligations.

DowntownHamilton.ca does not sell personal information.

Service providers and disclosure

Website hosting, email, security and analytics providers may process limited information to deliver their services. Analytics information is processed by Google under its applicable terms and privacy practices. Data may be processed outside Ontario or Canada and may be subject to the laws of the receiving jurisdiction.

We may disclose information when you authorize it or when reasonably required for service provision, professional advice, security, legal compliance, or the protection of rights. We do not routinely forward enquiries to professional-service providers without your direction or other lawful authorization.

Retention and security

Information is kept only as long as reasonably needed for the purposes described here, operational requirements and applicable legal obligations. Google Analytics retention settings are managed within Google Analytics and can vary by configuration; aggregate reporting may remain available for longer than individual event data.

We use reasonable administrative, technical and organizational safeguards appropriate to the information involved. No system or internet transmission can be guaranteed entirely secure.

Access, correction and complaints

Subject to applicable law, you may request access to personal information under our control, ask us to correct inaccurate details, withdraw consent for future analytics cookies, or raise a privacy concern. We may ask for appropriate verification before responding.

Please contact us first using the address below. If your concern is not resolved, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, which oversees PIPEDA complaints where that law applies.

External websites and providers

Our website links to independent professional practices, charities, regulators and other organizations. Those sites operate under their own privacy policies. Please review their practices before submitting personal or sensitive information to them.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when website features, service providers or legal requirements change. The effective date above identifies this policy's current version.