Privacy Policy

The Smart Traders
Website: https://www.thesmarttraders.com/
Last updated: September 8, 2025
Jurisdiction: Ontario, Canada (PIPEDA + CASL)

1) What this Policy covers

This Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you visit thesmarttraders.com, create an account, purchase a course/membership, join webinars, participate in our community areas, or interact with our emails and support.

We only collect information needed to operate and improve the Services.

Identity & Contact: name, email, password (hashed), optional phone, country/region.
Account & Usage: login history, IP address, device/browser, time zone, pages/lessons viewed, course progress, quiz results, certificates/badges, referral/UTM data.
Transactions: products purchased, membership tier, renewal/cancellation dates, amount/currency, limited payment metadata from our payment processor (we do not store full card numbers).
Support & Community: messages, tickets, survey responses, testimonials, comments in member areas.
Marketing Preferences: opt-ins, unsubscribe status, basic email engagement (opens/clicks).
Cookies/SDKs: session, security, performance/analytics, preferences, and (if enabled) advertising/retargeting cookies (see §7).

We collect data you provide, automatically via our site, and from service providers (e.g., payment, analytics, email delivery) consistent with privacy law.

3) When we collect it

When you register, buy, or contact support
When you access content, join webinars, or use community features
When you opt in to newsletters or promotions
Automatically via cookies/SDKs when you browse our site

4) How we use your information

We use personal information to:

Provide & secure the Services (accounts, course delivery, certificates, community access, troubleshooting, fraud prevention).
Process payments & subscriptions (billing, invoices, tax compliance).
Communicate (receipts, account/security notices, product updates, service changes).
Improve our content and features (analytics, research, quality assurance).
Personalize learning (save progress, recommend modules).
Marketing with consent (newsletters, offers, webinar invites; CASL-compliant).
Comply with law and enforce our Terms.

5) Legal basis & consent (PIPEDA)

We collect, use, and disclose personal information with your knowledge and consent, except where otherwise permitted or required by law. You may withdraw consent at any time (see §12). Some features require certain data to function (e.g., membership access and billing).

6) Sharing your information

We do not sell personal information. We share it only with:

Service providers under contract (hosting/CDN, payment processing, email/CRM, analytics, video delivery, security/anti-fraud, customer support). They must protect it and use it only to provide services to us and may process it inside or outside Canada.
Legal/safety recipients if required by law, court order, or to protect rights, property, users, or the public.
Business transactions (e.g., merger/sale) under confidentiality and applicable law.

On request, we can identify the core service providers handling your data.

7) Cookies & similar technologies

We use cookies, pixels, and local storage to run and improve thesmarttraders.com.

Strictly necessary: login/session, security, load balancing.
Performance/analytics: aggregated traffic, feature usage.
Functional: remember preferences (e.g., time zone).
Advertising/retargeting (optional): if enabled, we may show interest-based promotions on other platforms.

Your choices: You can block or delete cookies via your browser. Blocking essential cookies may break login or progress tracking. Major platforms and Google also offer ad-preference controls and an Analytics opt-out.

8) International transfers

Your information may be processed on servers outside Canada (e.g., U.S. or EU). We use contractual and technical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the data, but foreign laws may allow access by courts, law enforcement, or national security authorities.

9) Security

We apply administrative, technical, and physical safeguards proportionate to the sensitivity of the data (encryption in transit, access controls, least-privilege, regular updates, backups). No method is 100% secure—please use strong, unique passwords and protect your devices.

10) Retention

We keep personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes in §4 and to meet legal, tax, accounting, and security obligations. When no longer required, we anonymize or securely delete it.

11) Children

Our Services are intended for individuals 18+. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a minor has provided data, contact us and we’ll delete it.

12) Your rights

You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, request corrections, and withdraw consent for future uses (subject to legal/contractual limits and reasonable notice). We may request identity verification and will respond within a reasonable time.

Concerns/complaints: Contact us first (see §1). You may also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or, in Ontario, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

13) Email marketing (CASL)

If you opt in, we send commercial electronic messages (CEMs) about lessons, webinars, promotions, and updates. Every message identifies us and includes an unsubscribe link. You can withdraw consent at any time via the link or by emailing us.

14) Third-party links & communities

Our site may link to external platforms (e.g., video hosting, discussion spaces). Those have their own privacy practices. Please review their policies; we are not responsible for third-party content or practices.

15) Automated decisions

We do not make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects based solely on automated processing. We may use lightweight profiling (e.g., course progress) to personalize learning suggestions.

16) Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy periodically. The “Last updated” date reflects the latest version. Material changes will be communicated on the site or by email where appropriate. Continued use after changes means you accept the updated Policy.

17) How to contact us

Privacy requests & questions:
privacy@thesmarttraders.com
The Smart Traders — Privacy, [Street], [City], ON, [Postal Code], Canada

Optional snippets

Cookie banner:

We use cookies and similar technologies to run this site, improve performance, and (if enabled) personalize ads. By clicking “Accept,” you agree to their use. Manage preferences in “Cookie Settings.” See our Privacy Policy for details.

Email opt-in consent (CASL):

By entering your email, you agree to receive educational updates and promotions from The Smart Traders. You can unsubscribe any time via the link in our emails.