Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

At APTOTAX ("APTOTAX", "we", "us" or "our"), your privacy is our priority. APTOTAX provides Canadian tax services, with a focus on non-residents and businesses expanding into Canada.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and protect your personal information when you visit www.aptotax.com (the "website"), contact us or use our services. We handle personal information in compliance with Quebec's Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (CQLR, c. P-39.1; in French, Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnels dans le secteur privé), as amended by Law 25, and with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

By using our website or our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Privacy Officer

APTOTAX has designated a Privacy Officer, who is the person in charge of the protection of personal information:

You can contact our Privacy Officer with any question, request or complaint about how we handle your personal information.

3. Information We Collect

We collect and process personal information to provide, improve and secure our services. We collect only the information we need for the purposes described in this policy.

3.1 Information You Provide

We may collect:

• Your name, email address, phone number and home or business address.
• Payment details when you purchase our services.
• Information you provide voluntarily during inquiries, consultations or service delivery. Depending on the services you request, this may include tax, financial, employment and business information, and related documents.

3.2 Contact Form

When you use the contact form on our website, we collect your name, your email address and the content of your message. We use this information only to answer your inquiry.

Your submission is processed by a server function hosted on Microsoft Azure and sent to us by email through Resend, an email delivery service. Resend processes this data in the United States. We then receive your message in our business email inbox.

The form also runs basic anti-spam checks (a hidden field and the time taken to complete the form). These checks do not use cookies and are not used to identify you.

Please do not include sensitive information, such as social insurance numbers, banking details or tax documents, in your message.

3.3 Sensitive Information

Sensitive information, such as financial information or government identification numbers, is collected only with your express consent and only when it is needed for the specific services you request.

3.4 Technical Information

When you visit the website, our hosting provider, Microsoft Azure, automatically processes technical information such as your internet protocol (IP) address, browser type, the date and time of your visit and the pages requested. This information is needed to deliver the website, administer it and keep it secure. We do not combine it with other information to identify you, and we do not use it to track your browsing or to build profiles.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

• To answer your inquiries, including messages sent through our contact form.
• To provide and personalize our services.
• To communicate with you about your file, updates, promotions and improvements to our services. You can ask us to stop sending you promotional messages at any time.
• To bill our services and handle collections.
• To comply with our legal, tax and regulatory obligations.
• To maintain, secure and improve our website and services.

We do not use your personal information for any other purpose without your consent, unless the law permits or requires it.

5. Consent

By using our website, submitting our contact form or engaging our services, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information for the purposes described in this policy. We obtain your express consent before we collect sensitive information or use your information for a new purpose.

You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting our Privacy Officer, subject to legal or contractual restrictions (for example, tax record retention requirements). Withdrawing your consent may affect our ability to provide certain services.

6. Sharing Your Information

Your information is handled responsibly and shared only when necessary:

• Service providers: trusted third parties who help us operate our website and deliver our services, such as payment processors, hosting providers and email delivery services. Section 7 lists the providers used by this website.
• Government and tax authorities: when needed to deliver the services you request, for example to register tax accounts, file returns or request waivers with the Canada Revenue Agency or provincial tax authorities.
• Your other advisors: with your authorization, when we work with your international tax advisors, legal counsel, immigration lawyers or bankers to implement your chosen structure.
• Legal obligations: when required by law, such as a court order or a government regulation.
• Marketing partners: only with your explicit consent, for promotional purposes.

We ensure that the service providers and partners we work with adhere to strict confidentiality and data protection standards.

7. Website Hosting and Third-Party Services

This website relies on the following third-party services:

• Microsoft Azure (hosting): the website and its contact form function are hosted on Microsoft Azure Static Web Apps, a service operated by Microsoft. Microsoft processes technical information, such as IP addresses, to deliver the website. See the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
• Resend (email delivery): contact form submissions (name, email address and message) are sent to us by email through Resend, which processes this data in the United States. See the Resend Privacy Policy.
• Google Fonts and Google Hosted Libraries: the website loads its fonts and certain script files from Google's servers. When your browser requests these files, Google receives your IP address and basic information about your browser. See the Google Privacy Policy.
• Public content delivery networks: our home page also loads script files from cdnjs and jsDelivr. When your browser requests these files, these services receive your IP address.
• Client Portal (Financial Cents): the Client Portal link on our website opens a portal operated by Financial Cents, a third-party service with its own terms and privacy policy. Information you provide through the portal is processed by Financial Cents under its own policies, and APTOTAX handles the information it receives through the portal in accordance with this policy. Financial Cents states in its privacy policy that it transfers data to the United States. See the Financial Cents Privacy Policy.

Our website also links to other websites, such as LinkedIn. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites, and we encourage you to read their privacy policies.

8. Cookies and Tracking

This website does not set cookies and does not use analytics, advertising or other tracking tools. We do not track your browsing activities for advertising or marketing purposes. We are committed to providing a secure and private browsing experience for our users.

Third-party services connected to our website, such as the Client Portal or the websites you reach through our links, may use cookies. Their use of cookies is governed by the privacy policies of those third parties.

9. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Your information may be stored or processed outside Quebec and outside Canada (for example, in the United States or Europe) by our service providers. For example, Resend processes contact form submissions in the United States.

In such cases, we ensure compliance with applicable privacy laws and adequate data protection measures. As required by Quebec law, before we communicate personal information outside Quebec, we assess whether it will receive adequate protection. Information held outside Canada is subject to the laws of the country where it is held and may be accessible to the courts and authorities of that country.

10. Data Security

We implement a comprehensive range of security measures to ensure the protection and accuracy of the personal information we hold and to protect it against unauthorized access, use or modification. These measures include:

• Designating a Privacy Officer.
• Implementing administrative controls.
• Establishing physical security measures.
• Raising awareness and providing training for staff.
• Using technological security measures, including an encrypted (HTTPS) connection for this website.

If a confidentiality incident involving your personal information presents a risk of serious injury, we will notify you and the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec, as required by law.

Despite our precautions, data transmission over the Internet, including by email, is never completely secure. We make every effort to protect personal information, but we cannot guarantee the security of the information we receive or transmit.

11. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to:

• Fulfill the purposes for which it was collected.
• Comply with legal, tax or regulatory requirements.
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements.

When retention is no longer required, your information is securely deleted or anonymized.

12. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: have inaccurate, incomplete or ambiguous information corrected.
• Deletion: request the removal of your information, where applicable.
• Consent management: withdraw your consent to the processing of your information at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
• Data portability: request the transfer of your computerized information in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Complaint: file a complaint with the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe your rights have not been respected.

To exercise your rights, contact our Privacy Officer at lizlopez@aptotax.com. We may ask you to confirm your identity before we act on your request. We will respond within the time limits set by applicable law.

13. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised. Significant changes will be communicated by email or through a notice on our website.

14. Contact Us

For any questions, concerns or requests related to this Privacy Policy, please contact our Privacy Officer: