Privacy Policy

At Herminia Montesanta, we understand that your financial education journey requires trust. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit our website or participate in our investment fundamentals programs.

We operate under Canadian privacy laws, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and we're committed to maintaining the highest standards of data protection for all our students and website visitors.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

When you interact with our educational services, we collect information you voluntarily provide:

• Contact Details: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address when you inquire about our programs
• Educational Background: Information about your current financial knowledge level to tailor our teaching approach
• Communication Preferences: How and when you prefer to receive updates about our investment fundamentals courses
• Program Applications: Details submitted when applying for our learning programs, including financial goals and experience level
• Feedback and Inquiries: Comments, questions, or suggestions you share with our team

Automatically Collected Information

Our website automatically collects certain technical information to improve your browsing experience:

• Browser type and version you're using
• Pages you visit on our website and time spent on each page
• Your IP address and general geographic location (city/province level)
• Device information and screen resolution for responsive design optimization
• Referring website that brought you to our site

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information specifically for educational and communication purposes related to investment fundamentals:

Communication and Support

We use your contact information to respond to your inquiries, provide program updates, and share relevant educational content about investment strategies. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time while still receiving essential program-related updates.

Website Improvement

Technical data helps us understand how visitors use our site, allowing us to improve navigation, content organization, and overall user experience for prospective students.

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We follow a strict policy regarding information sharing and only disclose your data in specific, limited circumstances:

1. Service Providers: We work with trusted Canadian service providers for website hosting, email communications, and payment processing. These partners are bound by confidentiality agreements and may only use your information to provide services on our behalf.
2. Legal Requirements: We may disclose information when required by Canadian law, court orders, or government regulations, or to protect our legal rights and the safety of our students and staff.
3. Business Transfers: In the unlikely event of a business sale or merger, personal information may be transferred as part of business assets, but only with the same privacy protections in place.

Your Privacy Rights

Under Canadian privacy law, you have several important rights regarding your personal information:

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, send a detailed request to our privacy contact email. We'll respond within 30 days and may require identity verification to protect your information from unauthorized access.

Data Security and Protection

We implement multiple layers of security to protect your personal information:

Technical Safeguards

• Encryption: All data transmission uses SSL/TLS encryption to protect information in transit
• Secure Storage: Personal information is stored on secure servers with access controls and regular security updates
• Access Limitations: Only authorized team members have access to personal information, and only for legitimate business purposes
• Regular Monitoring: We conduct regular security assessments and monitor for potential threats or vulnerabilities

Physical and Administrative Controls

Our office at 169 Rue du Carrefour, Saint-Antonin, QC maintains physical security measures, and all team members receive privacy training. We regularly review and update our security procedures to address evolving threats.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Active Students: Information is retained throughout your program enrollment and for two years after completion for ongoing support
• Prospective Students: Inquiry information is kept for up to one year unless you request earlier deletion
• Website Analytics: Technical data is aggregated and anonymized after 12 months
• Legal Requirements: Some information may be retained longer to comply with Canadian tax and business record requirements

When retention periods expire, we securely delete or anonymize your information using industry-standard data destruction methods.

Cookies and Website Technology

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience and provide better educational services:

Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for basic website functionality, including form submissions and secure areas of our site. They don't store personally identifiable information but are required for proper site operation.

Analytics Cookies

We use analytics tools to understand how visitors interact with our content, which pages are most helpful, and how we can improve our educational resources. This data is aggregated and doesn't identify individual users.

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences, though disabling certain cookies may limit some website functionality.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we'll:

• Post the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
• Send email notifications to current students and active subscribers
• Highlight major changes in our communications
• Provide a 30-day notice period before implementing substantial modifications

We encourage you to review this policy periodically, especially before providing new personal information or enrolling in our programs.

International Data Considerations

While we primarily serve Canadian students, some of our technical service providers may store data on servers located outside Canada. When this occurs:

• We ensure all international transfers comply with Canadian privacy law requirements
• Service providers must maintain equivalent privacy protections
• Data is encrypted during transmission and storage regardless of location
• We maintain contracts requiring secure handling and prompt deletion when services end

If you have concerns about international data storage, please contact us to discuss your options.