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Privacy Policy

Effective date: April 15, 2025 

Goldhar & Associates Ltd. (“Goldhar”) and its affiliates (collectively, “us”, “we”, or “our”) are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains how we collect, use, disclose and protect the Personal Information (as defined below) of our customers and users. It applies to all Personal Information collected by us:  

  1. on https://www.shedthedebt.ca, https://goldhar.ca, https://goldhartaxsolutions.ca, and any other website or mobile application that links to this Policy (collectively, the “Goldhar Sites”);  
  1. when you engage with us via social media;  
  1. when you purchase or engage with our products or services; 
  1. when we otherwise interact with you (by email, telephone or otherwise) 

(collectively, the “Services”). 

By using the Services, you agree to the collection, use, and disclosure of Personal Information in accordance with this Policy.  

Definitions 

“Cookies” are small web files that a site or its provider transfers to your device’s hard drive through your web browser that enables the site’s or provider’s system to recognize your browser and remember certain information. 

“Personal Information” means information about an identified or identifiable individual, and includes the personal information of our customers and Users of our Services. 

“User” is the individual using our Services.  

“You” refers to the person or entity browsing, accessing or otherwise using our Services. 

  1. Collection of Personal Information 

When you use our Services, we may collect or receive Personal Information about you to provide our Services and operate our business. The types of Personal Information that we may collect about you are: 

  1. Information You Provide to Us Directly 

You may provide your Personal Information to us when you use our Services, including when you contact us with inquiries, or otherwise access our Services. This information may include:  

  1. Information Received From You as Part of Your Communications 

When you use our Services, complete electronic forms, communicate with us or contact us by email or phone, we may automatically collect and store certain information about you and the activity you engaged in, for example: your name and contact information; information that you voluntarily provide to us; the nature of your communication; the purpose of the interaction, and the action we took in response to your inquiry or request. 

  1. Information Collected Automatically 

We may receive and store certain information about you and your device(s) automatically when you access or use our Services. This information may include: 

  1. Personal Information from Publicly Available Sources and Third Parties 

We may collect or receive Personal Information about you from publicly available sources, social network providers, marketing partners, and/or third parties. This may include: 

  1. Use of Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies  

We use Cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information and personalize your experience with our Services.  

  1. Cookies 

How We Use Cookies – We use first-party and third-party Cookies for the following purposes: 

How to Manage Cookies – You may disable the use of Cookies by modifying your browser settings. If you choose to disable Cookies you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of our Services.  

  1. Online Analytics and Advertising Technologies 

We and our affiliates may use automated technologies (including Cookie identifiers on the Goldhar Sites and/or the Services), along with other collected information, to tailor ads or deliver content when you are on our Services or on other devices, apps or websites. 

  1. Interest-Based Advertising 

We (or our service providers) may use the information we collect, for example, IP addresses and unique mobile device identifiers, to locate or try to locate the same unique users across multiple browsers or devices (such as smartphones, tablets, or computers), or work with providers that do this, in order to better tailor content and features and provide you with a seamless experience across devices. If you wish to opt out of cross device tracking for purposes of interest-based advertising, you may do so through your device settings. We may also use cross-device targeting to help identify our users and serve advertising. This type of advertising is often called “interest-based” or “personalized” advertising—and when it occurs on mobile apps, “cross-app” advertising. 

You can learn more about interest-based advertising and how to opt-out of receiving tailored advertising by visiting (i) the Network Advertising Initiative’s Consumer Opt-Out link or (ii) the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Consumer Opt-Out link.  

To opt out of Google Analytics for display advertising or customize Google display network ads, you can visit the Google Ads Settings page. 

To opt out of Twitter’s interest-based ads, you can follow their instructions posted here.  

To opt out of Facebook’s interest-based ads, you can follow their instructions posted here.  

Please note that even if you opt-out, you may still receive advertisements from us. However, the advertising will not be tailored to your interests. Also, we do not control any of the above opt-out links or whether any particular company chooses to participate in these opt-out programs. 

  1. Mobile Applications  

Depending on your permissions, we may receive your Personal Information from your Internet service and mobile device providers. Users of mobile device who do not want to receive interest-based advertising may opt-out in several ways. You can learn more about your choices for mobile devices by visiting http://www.aboutads.info/appchoices. Each operating system, (iOS for Apple phones, Android for Android devices, and Windows for Microsoft devices) provides its own instructions on how to prevent the delivery of tailored in-application advertisements. You should view your device or system “Settings” to determine how you can opt out of use of your device ID for “cross-app” personalized advertising. 

  1. Use of Your Personal Information 

We may use the information we collect or receive about you for various purposes. 

  1. To Provide You With Our Services 

We use your information to provide you with the Services. For example, we use credit card information to complete a transaction or an address to fulfill your purchase order. If the applicable information is to be provided or Service is to be performed by a third party, then we will disclose the applicable Personal Information to the third party providing the information or performing applicable Services. Your information may be available or provided to third-party service providers (such as credit card companies, and payment processing companies) and that are contractually obligated to protect your information as disclosed in this Policy.  

  1. To Maintain, Improve, and Personalize the Services 

We use your information for our everyday business operations such as auditing, administration of the Services, forum management, fulfillment, and analytics. Your information may also be used to improve the content and/or functionality of the Services. For example, it may be used to help us improve our offerings. We also use your information to personalize your experience. We may personalize the content and features you see when visiting our Services. In addition, we may personalize advertisements, marketing communications, and recommendations to make them more tailored to your interests. 

  1. To Communicate with You 

We use your information to communicate with you. We may contact you with promotional offerings or other communications that may be of interest to you. If we send you marketing emails about Services that may interest you, each email will contain instructions permitting you to “unsubscribe” from receiving future marketing or other communications within ten (10) days.  

In the event you contact us, we use certain information to respond to your questions and assist you with any issues that may arise in your use of the Services.  

  1. Network Security Purposes 

We care about keeping you secure and safe while using our Services. Keeping you safe requires us to process your Personal Information, such as your device information, activity information and other relevant information. We use such information to combat spam, malware, malicious activities or security risks; improve and enforce our security measures; and to monitor and verify your identity so that unauthorized users do not gain access to your information.  

  1. To Maintain Legal and Regulatory Compliance 

Our Services are subject to certain laws and regulations which may require us to process your Personal Information. For example, we process your information to fulfill our business obligations, or as necessary to manage risk as required under applicable law. 

  1. To Enforce Compliance with Our Terms of Use and Policies 

When you access or use our Services, you are bound to the applicable Terms of Use for the Services and this Policy. To ensure you comply with them, we process your Personal Information by actively monitoring, investigating, preventing and mitigating any alleged or actual prohibited, illicit or illegal activities on our Services. We also process your Personal Information to: investigate, prevent or mitigate violations of our internal terms, agreements or policies; and enforce our agreements with third parties and business partners. 

  1. To Protect You, Others, and Our Business 

We use your information to protect you, others, and our business, including, without limitation, using information for fraud prevention, for enforcement of our Terms of Use, to comply with the law, and to protect against security risks. 

  1. For Our Business Purposes 

We may use your information for any other purpose disclosed to you at the time we collect or receive the information, or otherwise with your consent. 

  1. Sharing of Personal Information with Third Parties 

Your Personal Information is not shared with third parties without your permission, except as described below. 

  1. Service Providers 

We may share your information with our third-party service providers for certain business purposes. This information is provided in order for them to provide us services such as payment processing, advertising services, marketing partners, web analytics, data processing, IT services, customer support and other services. These third-party service providers have access to your Personal Information solely for the purpose of performing services on our behalf and are expressly obligated not to disclose or use your Personal Information for any other purpose. 

  1. Partners  

We may share your information with our partners including partners involved with affiliate marketing. 

  1. When Required by Law 

We recognize that information related to your orders could contain private information. However, we may be required to disclose your information to third parties including law enforcement agencies when required to protect and defend our legal rights, protect the security of users of our Services, prevent fraud, comply with the law, respond to legal process, or a request for cooperation by a government entity.  

  1. Corporate Transactions 

In the event of a sale, transfer, amalgamation, merger, reorganization, dissolution, or similar event we may transfer your information to one or more third parties as part of that transaction. 

  1. With Your Consent 

We also may share or disclose your information with your consent or at your direction.  

  1. Security of Personal Information 

We have implemented organizational, technological, and physical security controls that are designed to safeguard Personal Information. However, no online activity is ever fully secure or error-free. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee that your Personal Information is absolutely secure. Please keep this in mind when disclosing any information to us. 

  

Please recognize that protecting your Personal Information is also your responsibility. We urge you to take every precaution to protect your information when you are on the Internet, or when you communicate with us and with others through the Internet.  

  1. Retention 

We will retain your Personal Information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with the Services and to maintain a record of your transactions. We will retain and use your Personal Information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies. 

We will also retain platform traffic Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of our Services, or we are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods. 

  1. Your Rights 

You may request access to your Personal Information which we may hold by contacting us at the contact information set forth below, and we will respond within the time periods provided for under applicable laws. We will need to verify your identity before providing you with the Personal Information we hold about you. There is no cost for such access request unless you require copies of records. We may not be able to provide you with access to your Personal Information if the information cannot be separated from the Personal Information of others, cannot be disclosed for reasons of security or commercial confidentiality, or is protected by legal privilege. If we cannot provide you with access to your Personal Information, we will advise you of the reasons access is being denied, unless we are prohibited by law from doing so.  

You may request to update and change your Personal Information at the contact information set forth below. We will endeavor to correct or complete any Personal Information which you advise us is inaccurate or incomplete.  Where appropriate, the amended information will be transmitted to third parties having access to such information. 

  1. Transfer of Personal Information 

As discussed above, we may engage third parties to perform certain services on our behalf and to otherwise provide the Services. These third parties may store, process and transfer Personal Information on servers located outside of Canada. Subject to applicable laws, we will use reasonable efforts to ensure that appropriate protections are in place to require our third parties to maintain protections on Personal Information and abide by Canadian law.   

  1. Payments  

We may provide paid products and/or services within the Services. In that case, we use third-party services for payment processing (e.g., payment processors). 

We will not store or collect your payment card details. That information is provided directly to our third-party payments processor whose use of your Personal Information is governed by their privacy policy. 

All payment processors adhere to the standards set by PCI-DSS as managed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which is a joint effort of brands like Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. PCI-DSS requirements help ensure the secure handling of payment information. 

  1. Third-Party Sites 

Some of the functionality may be provided by third parties and the Services may link to other third-party websites that are not controlled by Goldhar. These third parties are not under our control and Goldhar is not responsible for their privacy policies or practices. If you provide any Personal Information to any third party or through any such third-party website, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the privacy policies and practices of that third party. 

  1. “Do Not Track” Signals 

We do not support Do Not Track (“DNT”). DNT is a preference you can set in your web browser to inform websites that you do not want to be tracked. 

You can enable or disable DNT by visiting the Preferences or Settings page of your web browser. 

  1. Changes To This Privacy Policy 

We may update our Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Policy on this page. 

We will let you know via email and/or a prominent notice on our Services, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “effective date” at the top of this Policy. 

You are advised to review this Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Policy are effective when they are posted on this page. 

  1. Contact Us 

If you have any questions or concerns relating to this Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at: 

Privacy Officer 
Administrative Headquarter 
Goldhar & Associates LTD. 
1220 Eglinton Avenue West 
Toronto, Ontario 
M6C 2E3