Privacy Policy

At EquityFlex Alberta, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (www.equityflexalberta.ca), interact with us through other channels (such as phone, email, or in person), or apply for a home equity loan. By using our services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

1. Who We Are

EquityFlex Alberta is a home equity loan provider based in Alberta, Canada. We offer flexible loans ranging from 9K to 999K using the equity in your property as security. Terms range from 1 month to 18 months. Our office is located at:

EquityFlex Alberta

331, 10654 82 Avenue NW

Edmonton, AB T5E 2A7

Email: info@equityflexalberta.ca

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Privacy Officer at the email address above.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information to provide our services, process loan applications, and improve your experience. The types of information we may collect include:

Personal Information:

Name, address, phone number, and email address (e.g., when you fill out a loan application or contact form).
Date of birth, Social Insurance Number (SIN), or other government-issued identification (for identity verification and legal compliance).
Financial information, such as income, property ownership details, mortgage balance, and other debts (to assess your loan eligibility).
Employment information, such as your employer’s name and your job title (to verify income stability).

Non-Personal Information:

Website usage data, such as your IP address, browser type, and pages visited (collected via cookies and analytics tools).
Device information, such as the type of device you use to access our website (e.g., mobile or desktop).

Information from Third Parties:

Property valuation data from real estate databases or appraisers (to determine your home’s equity).
Public records, such as land titles or liens on your property (to verify ownership and assess risk).

We do not require a credit check for our loans, so we do not collect your credit score or credit history unless you voluntarily provide it.

3. How We Collect Information

We collect information in the following ways:

Directly from You: When you:

Submit a loan application online, over the phone, or in person.
Contact us via email, phone, or our website’s contact form.
Sign up for our newsletter or marketing communications.

Automatically: When you:

Visit our website (through cookies, Google Analytics, and similar tools).
Interact with our social media pages (e.g., Facebook, Instagram).

From Third Parties: When we:

Verify your property details through real estate or public records.
Work with service providers, such as appraisers or legal professionals to process your loan application.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, and improve our operations. Specifically, we may use your information to:

Process and evaluate your loan application, including verifying your identity and assessing your property’s equity.
Communicate with you about your loan, including sending updates, reminders, and responses to your inquiries.
Manage our relationship with you, such as providing customer support or notifying you of changes to our services.
Comply with legal and regulatory requirements, such as anti-money laundering laws and financial reporting obligations.
Improve our website and services by analyzing usage data (e.g., which pages are most visited).
Send you marketing communications, such as newsletters or promotional offers, if you have opted in to receive them. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in our emails or contacting us directly.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. However, we may share your information in the following circumstances:

With Service Providers: We work with trusted third parties to process your loan application and provide our services. These include:

Property appraisers to assess your home’s value.
Legal professionals to prepare loan agreements.
Payment processors to handle transactions.
IT and analytics providers, such as Google Analytics, to maintain and improve our website.

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

For Legal Reasons: We may disclose your information if required by law, such as:

To comply with a court order, subpoena, or other legal process.
To prevent fraud, money laundering, or other illegal activities.
To protect the rights, property, or safety of EquityFlex Alberta, our customers, or the public.

With Your Consent: We may share your information with other parties if you give us explicit permission to do so (e.g., if you request a referral to a partner service).

6. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal information seriously and use reasonable measures to protect it, including:

Technical Safeguards: We use encryption (e.g., SSL/TLS) to secure data transmitted through our website. Our databases are protected with firewalls and access controls.
Organizational Safeguards: We limit access to your information to authorized employees and service providers who need it to perform their duties. All staff are trained on privacy and data security best practices.
Physical Safeguards: Our physical office in Edmonton is secured with access controls to prevent unauthorized entry.

Despite these measures, no system is completely secure. If a data breach occurs, we will notify you and the appropriate authorities as required by law, such as under PIPEDA.

7. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, or as required by law. For example:

Loan application data is kept for 7 years after your loan is closed, to comply with financial record-keeping laws in Canada.
Website usage data (e.g., analytics) is retained for up to 2 years to analyze trends and improve our services.
Marketing data (e.g., email addresses for newsletters) is kept until you unsubscribe or request deletion.

After the retention period, we securely delete or anonymize your information.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Under PIPEDA, you have rights regarding your personal information. These include:

Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion: You can request that we delete your information, subject to legal retention requirements (e.g., we must keep loan records for 7 years).
Opt-Out of Marketing: You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link or contacting us.
Cookies: You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or by opting out of non-essential cookies on our website.

To exercise these rights, please contact our Privacy Officer at info@equityflexalberta.ca. We will respond to your request within 30 days, as required by PIPEDA.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on our website. Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us:

Remember your preferences (e.g., language settings).
Analyze website usage (e.g., which pages you visit most).
Deliver personalized content and ads.

Types of Cookies We Use:

Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function (e.g., to process your loan application form).
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site (e.g., Google Analytics).
Marketing Cookies: Used to show you relevant ads on other platforms (e.g., Facebook Ads).

You can manage cookies through your browser settings or by clicking the “Cookie Preferences” link on our website. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect your ability to use certain features, such as submitting a loan application.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, such as payment processors or real estate resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. International Data Transfers

EquityFlex Alberta primarily operates in Canada, and your information is stored on secure servers located in Canada. However, some of our service providers (e.g., Google Analytics) may process data outside of Canada. When this happens, we ensure that your information is protected in accordance with Canadian privacy laws and that appropriate safeguards, such as contractual agreements, are in place.

12. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 19. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 19, we will delete it immediately.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy and notify you via email or a notice on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

14. How to Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Privacy Officer

EquityFlex Alberta

331, 10654 82 Avenue NW

Edmonton, AB T5E 2A7

Email: info@equityflexalberta.ca

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca or 1-800-282-1376.