Introduction and Scope

Welcome to Mellarex's Privacy Policy. This document explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit our website at mellarex.com or use our financial education services. We're committed to transparency about our data practices and your rights under Canadian privacy law, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation.

This policy applies to all personal information we collect through our website, educational programs, customer communications, and related services. By using our services, you acknowledge that you've read and understood this privacy policy. We believe financial education should be accessible and trustworthy, which starts with how we handle your personal data.

Information We Collect

We collect various types of information to provide and improve our financial education services. The information we gather helps us deliver personalized learning experiences while maintaining the highest standards of data protection.

Automatic Information Collection

Our website automatically collects certain information through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies. This includes your browsing behavior, pages visited, time spent on our site, and referring websites. We use this data to improve site functionality, analyze usage patterns, and personalize your experience. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings, though some features may not work properly if cookies are disabled.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for legitimate business purposes related to providing financial education services. Our data processing is based on your consent, our legitimate interests, or legal obligations under Canadian law.

• Delivering educational content, courses, and personalized learning recommendations
• Processing registrations and managing your account and course progress
• Communicating about programs, updates, and relevant financial education opportunities
• Providing customer support and responding to inquiries or feedback
• Improving our website functionality and developing new educational resources
• Conducting research and analysis to enhance our educational offerings
• Ensuring website security and preventing fraud or misuse of our services
• Complying with legal obligations and regulatory requirements

Marketing Communications

With your consent, we may send you newsletters, course announcements, and other educational content via email. You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the opt-out links in our emails or by contacting us directly. We respect your communication preferences and will only send relevant, valuable content related to financial education.

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We don't sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share your information only in specific circumstances outlined below, always with appropriate safeguards to protect your privacy.

1. Service Providers: We work with trusted third-party companies that help us operate our website and deliver educational services, such as hosting providers, payment processors, and email service providers. These partners are contractually bound to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes.
2. Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or to protect our legal rights, prevent fraud, or ensure user safety.
3. Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred to the acquiring organization, subject to the same privacy protections outlined in this policy.
4. Consent-Based Sharing: We may share your information with other parties when you've given explicit consent for such sharing, such as connecting with educational partners or certification bodies.

International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers may process your information outside of Canada. When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place through contractual protections, adequacy decisions, or other approved mechanisms to maintain the same level of protection required under Canadian privacy law.

Data Security and Protection

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our security practices include both technical and organizational measures designed to safeguard your data throughout its lifecycle.

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest using industry-standard protocols
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing of our systems
• Access controls and authentication requirements for staff handling personal data
• Secure hosting environments with physical and network security protections
• Employee training on privacy and security best practices
• Incident response procedures for addressing potential security breaches
• Regular backup and recovery procedures to ensure data availability

While we strive to protect your personal information, no internet transmission is completely secure. We encourage you to use strong passwords, keep your login credentials confidential, and notify us immediately if you suspect any unauthorized access to your account.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or as required by applicable law. Our retention periods vary depending on the type of information and its intended use:

• Account information: Retained for the duration of your active relationship with us, plus seven years for legal and tax purposes
• Course progress and educational records: Maintained for five years after completion to support continuing education requirements
• Marketing communications preferences: Kept until you withdraw consent or request deletion
• Website analytics data: Aggregated and anonymized after 26 months
• Support communications: Retained for three years to improve service quality

When personal information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it according to our data destruction procedures. Some information may be retained in anonymized form for statistical analysis and service improvement purposes.

Your Privacy Rights

How to Exercise Your Rights

To make a privacy-related request, contact us using the information provided below. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request to ensure we're protecting your personal information from unauthorized access.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalized content. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and understand how you use our site.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality, including security features and account access
• Performance Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website through analytics data
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings to provide a more personalized experience
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements and measure campaign effectiveness (with your consent)

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or by using our cookie consent tool. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality, but you'll still be able to access most of our educational content and services.

Children's Privacy

Our services are designed for adults and we don't knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18 years of age. If you're under 18, please don't provide personal information through our website or services. If we become aware that we've inadvertently collected information from someone under 18, we'll take steps to delete that information promptly.

Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided personal information to us should contact us immediately so we can remove the information from our systems.

Privacy Policy Updates

We may update this privacy policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, services, or applicable privacy laws. When we make significant changes, we'll notify you through email or by posting a prominent notice on our website. We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed about how we protect your personal information.

The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when the most recent changes were made. Continued use of our services after any modifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated privacy policy.