Privacy Policy

Our Policy

Welcome to the website CanadaWideCredit.com(the “Website”). Canada Wide Credit is an affiliate of Loans Canada which is a loan comparison platform and is used to learn about lenders and credit or to apply for loans and other financial services or other related services (collectively, the “Service(s)”).

Canada Wide Credit does not arrange or underwrite any financial services and is simply a referral service. When you apply for a service through Canada Wide Credit, the platform will make a referral of your application to qualified providers. “Users” and “you” refer to anyone who visits or uses services, or communicates with service providers through Canada Wide Credit.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information is collected, how that personal information is used, and your choices concerning our personal information practices. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, “Personal Information” is any information about an identifiable individual, but does not include business contact information used to contact the individual for purposes relating to their job. For any collection, use, disclosure or other processing that is not reasonably necessary to provide what you’ve asked through us or for purposes connected to enforcing or protecting your or Canada Wide Credit’s rights, you can opt-out of such information handling practice. To learn how to opt-out, please see the section entitled “Your Choices”.

Short Summary

The purpose of Canada Wide Credit is to help Canadians achieve better financial outcomes.

As an affiliate we link to multiple brands to provide Canadians with free educational and financial product comparison resources. CompareHub is a free membership platform Canadians can use to obtain their Equifax credit score and report for free.

Canada Wide Credit’s affiliate links offer the ability to apply for a variety of financial services, including personal loans, car loans, debt consolidation and other services. Users can apply by clicking on links to product or service provider landing pages, or by submitting applications for certain services directly on the affiliate partner websites.

When users apply through Canada Wide Credit by submitting a form, they will eventually be asked to provide certain personal information to complete their request. This information may be shared with one or more third party APIs to help qualify the User with their request. Canada Wide Credit is not a direct service provider. Data is not shared for the purpose of enrolling users with marketing messages sent from third parties. Users from Quebec can expect their data to be deleted after 12 months of their application submission, with the exception of basic contact information (such as their email address) if they opt in to receive marketing communications.

With an exception existing for Users we identify to be from Quebec, who must first opt-in, our affiliate partners automatically employ the use of cookies and third-party trackers on their web properties.

For information on the type of data they collect, how it is stored, and other details please review the pirvacy policy on the website where you provide detailed information other than your contact information.

If you have any questions or would like to contact our privacy officer please submit a privacy information request to loans@canadawidecredit.com

Agreeing To The Terms Of Our Privacy Policy

Before using any services on Canada Wide Credit or submitting any Personal Information through Canada Wide Credit , please review this Privacy Policy carefully and contact us if you have any questions. By using Canada Wide Credit or submitting any information through Canada Wide Credit’s affiliate links, you have agreed to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this Privacy Policy, please leave the Website, do not complete any requests for information on Canada Wide Credit or make any otherwise use the the website.

Canada Wide Credit is intended to be used by Users only in Canada. If you are not in Canada, please do not use any of Canada Wide Credit’s affiliate links.

Personal Information

The primary purpose when collecting Personal Information through any of our affiliate links is to provide the Services expected from the service provider, to achieve optimal operation of our affiliate business, and to improve the quality of interactions by allowing our affiliate partners to create customized experiences. The type of Personal Information collected is reasonably connected to these purposes. For any information that is not reasonably connected to the reason you reached out to for financial services through Canada Wide Credit, you may opt-out of the information handling practice through the service provider(s) you submitted your information to.

Canada Wide Credit does not collect or retain any user information. Information provided by completeing a form or application on Canada Wide Credit is information required to match Users with providers for the Services requested. That information resides with the affiliate partner – not on Canada Wide Credit. The type of information that may be collected varies on the Service used (including loan applications, debt relief, business financing, credit building solutions, car loan services, mortgage services, and money transfers, CompareHub portal membership), and includes, but is not limited to:

Key Contact Information: your name, email address, phone number, mailing/billing addresses, and any other information you choose to provide when you submit information to get a quote.
Financial & Employment & Other Personal Information: When you inquire about a quote/estimate, the service provider may ask you to provide detailed personal information, including the financial information necessary to provide further details to qualified third-party providers who can assist you with your search. Financial information & Other Personal Information (including date of birth and IP address) is used to find eligible third-party providers for the financial service the User applied for. The information provided by Users may be shared with other financial service partners to process the User’s information on their behalf. Information is only disclosed to partners who have been bound by confidentiality obligations. In some instances, your personal or financial information might be shared with third party tools, such as instant bank verification tools, so that the service provider can provide improved product-matching Services. Canada Wide Credit believes each partner makes every effort to ensure your personal and financial information is safeguarded and that the service providers we work with are credible and practice proper security protocols.
Identity Verification Information: In addition to providing their Key Contact Information and Other Personal Information, some users who choose to obtain free credit report may be asked to verify their identity via a questionnaire provided by Equifax. This is used to safeguard the user’s identity and protect their data from being accessed by unauthorized individuals or third-parties.
Communication Information: Canada Wide Credit may collect information should you contact us with questions or concerns (such as for support purposes) and when you voluntarily respond to questionnaires, surveys, or requests for market research seeking your opinion and feedback. Providing communication information is optional for you. This includes communication preferences and your preferences in receiving marketing from us and third parties.
Commercial Information: Some Canada Wide Credit’s affiliate links may retain a history of the products you apply for at the service provider’s end, not on Canada Wide Credit.

Technical and Internet Activity Information: When you use Canada Wide Credit’s website, we or (third-party tracking tools that we use) may automatically log the following information:

Device Information: This includes information like device manufacturer and model, device identifier, IP address, UA string, location, browser type, operating system, duration of use, user behaviour, length of time spent on the services, frequency of use, and unique identifiers of the device you use to access the Service. We may also collect diagnostic information relating to app crashes, app performance, network latency, and network errors. The information we collect may vary based on your device type and settings.
Usage Information: Information about how you use services promoted on Canada Wide Credit, such as the types of content that you view or engage with, the features you use, the actions you take, and the time, frequency, and duration of your activities. On Canada Wide Credit, we use Google Analytics, and other web analytics services to help collect and analyze Usage Information. For more information on how Google uses this information, click here.

How We Collect Your Information

Personal Information may be collected in a number of ways, primarily through the affiliate links to the various services.

In general, you can browse the Website without telling us who you are or revealing any Personal Information about yourself. If you would like to proceed with applyinmg for any of the services, certain information is required from you in order to fulfill service features and functionality, or to verify your identity, and to provide a safe experience for all parties. Information collected includes, but is not limited to, identifying information, and contact information. Canada Wide Credit does not collect that information. It is collectyed by the service provider for whatever service you apply for.

However Canada Wide Credit may use the following technologies to collect information:

Cookies, which are text files stored on your device to uniquely identify your browser or to store information or settings in the browser to help you navigate between pages efficiently, remember your preferences, and enable functionality (“Cookies”), help us understand user activity and patterns, and facilitate online advertising. By using Canada Wide Credit, its websites or any of its services, you are accepting Cookies and in continuing to visit or use our Website, you are agreeing to the use of Cookies and similar technologies for the purposes we describe in this Privacy Policy.
Local storage technologies, like HTML5, that provide cookie-equivalent functionality but can store larger amounts of data, including on your device, outside of your browser in connection with specific applications.
Web beacons, also known as pixel tags or clear GIFs, which are used to demonstrate that a webpage or email was accessed or opened, or that certain content was viewed or clicked.
Third-party metrics and analytics, including Google Analytics and other social media or digital advertising tracking pixels, on certain pages or features of the Service to help us understand and analyze visitor traffic, measure the promotional effectiveness and efficacy of our affiliate features, affiliate offerings, and affiliate marketing campaigns. We also use these tools to identify pitfalls, shortcomings, and areas of our operations in need of improvement, and to view the overall performance and ranking of our online presence. These tools might store Cookies on your device at their discretion. We sometimes use surveys or other forms provided by a third party. It is possible that when engaged, the third-party provider might collect information or store a Cookie. We never explicitly provide information that we have collected about you to any third parties. We recognize your right to employ the use of programs that may block our use of any third-party tools.
Social media, if you post a review, make a comment, or otherwise submit Personal Information on a public forum such as with one of our social media accounts, your communications may be viewable by the public.

You do not have to use the Services Canada Wide Credit offers if you do not want to disclose your information. You have the right to refuse to provide information by disengaging from the feature or offering that is making the request.

In compliance with Quebec law, users from the province of Quebec will automatically and by default be exempt from third-party tracking. Users from Quebec can expect an “opt-in” mechanism for cookies, local storage and other tracking technology. Canada Wide Credit reserves the right to store cookies and/or other data for essential purposes only.

How Your Information May Be Used

In general, Personal Information may be used by our affilaite partners for the following purposes:

Service Delivery, including to:
- Provide, operate, maintain, and secure the Service.
  - Service request decisions are usually rendered automatically and when this occurs, Users are immediately notified of the results of the decision
Communicating with You, including to:
- Send you updates about administrative matters such as changes to our Terms of Service or Privacy Policy; and
- Provide user support, and respond to your requests, questions, and feedback.
Service Improvement, including to:
- Improve the Service and create new features;
- Facilitate and improve future Service requests,
- Personalize your experience; and
- Create and derive insights from aggregated information.
Marketing and Advertising, including for:
- Direct Marketing: To send you marketing communications, including notifying you of special promotions, offers, and events via email, SMS, phone calls and other means. Marketing communications can include both first-party and third-party offers sent by one of our brands.
  
  In adherence with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation, you may only receive direct marketing messages if one of the two conditions below is met (and you have not unsubscribed):
  1. You provided express consent to receive marketing emails when submitting a Service request or when signing up as a member
  2. You provided implied consent to receive marketing emails when submitting a Service request.

Users from the province of Quebec must first opt-in to have their data used for interest-based advertising by third party advertising platforms. These users may opt-in by selecting the appropriate cookie banner option when visiting one of our websites, by submitting a Service request, or by becoming a CompareHub member.

Compliance and Protection, including to:
- Comply with applicable laws, lawful requests, and legal process, such as to respond to subpoenas or requests from government authorities;
- Protect our, your, or others’ rights, privacy, safety, or property (including by making and defending legal claims);
- Audit our compliance with legal and contractual requirements and internal policies; and
- Prevent, identify, investigate, and deter fraudulent, harmful, unauthorized, unethical, or illegal activity, including cyberattacks and identity theft.

Canada Wide Credit has no access to Personal Information provided through its affiliate or referral links. Personal Information may only be accessed by employees of the affiliate service provider who require access to achieve the requirements of their roles.

Data Sharing: Canada Wide Credit has an affiliate or referral relationship with multiple service providers. Any personal information is handled by the end user who generally does not sell, rent, license, or lease your Personal Information to third parties except for the purpose of qualifying your Service request. Generally no mobile information is shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes.

Personal Information may be accessible by:

Service Providers, including lenders, credit counsellors, mortgage brokers, other financial service providers and others we are partnered with to help users find (or qualify for) the product or service they are requesting, or to find or qualify for a related service. For example, when a user submits a Personal Loan application, the User’s data may be shared with one or more service provider APIs to qualify the user’s loan application request. No mobile information will be shared with third partiesfor promotional purposes.
Technology Providers, including hosting services, email services, address APIs, bank verification services, credit reporting agencies, advertising and marketing services, payment processors, VOIP providers, customer support services, and analytics services. We take commercially reasonable steps to ensure our service providers adhere to the security standards we apply to your Personal Information.
Professional Advisors, such as lawyers, accountants, and others, where doing so is necessary to facilitate the services they render to us.
Business Transaction Recipients, such as counter parties and others assisting with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, receivership, dissolution, asset sale, or similar transaction, and with successors or affiliates as part of or following that transaction.
Regulatory requirements, where required to comply with laws and applicable regulatory requirements.

Should Canada Wide Credit have personal information we may disclose your Personal Information: (a) to any governmental authority as part of an investigation to determine our compliance with any applicable law, rule, or regulation (including privacy laws, rules, and regulations); (b) in response to a court order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful judicial or administrative proceeding; (c) as otherwise required or permitted under any applicable law, rule, or regulation; and (d) in good faith, to protect or defend the rights or property of Canada Wide Credit or a third party.

In the instances described above, we may be required to share your Personal Information with or without your consent. In limited circumstances, we may be legally prohibited from advising you that your information was shared in this way.

Personal Information Retention And Data Deletion

Canada Wide Credit rarely retasins personal information. On those rare occasions when it is necessary, we retain Personal Information until:

We no longer need it to satisfy the purposes described in this Privacy Policy; and
The information is no longer reasonably necessary to enforce, defend, or protect our, yours or a third party’s rights and no longer reasonably necessary to satisfy legal requirements.
Until the User closes their account.

Should Canada Wide Credit have personal information related to residents of Quebec, users from Quebec can expect to have their data that Canada Wide Credit controls automatically eliminated from our servers after 12 months unless they are members. Users who on occasion provide “express” marketing consent or who have subscribed to our email newsletters can expect to have their basic contact information stored by us for as long as their opt-in status remains unchanged.

Data managed by Canada Wide Credit has redundancy protection and back-up servers in located in Chicago, United States, Coventry, United Kingdom, and Sydney, Australia.

If you have any questions or would like to contact our privacy officer please submit a privacy information request to loans@canadawidecredit.com

Children

Our Service is not intended for children who are under the age of 18. Canada Wide Credit does not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under the age of 18. If you have reason to believe that a child under the age of 18 has provided Personal Information to Canada Wide Credit through the Service please contact us and we will endeavour to delete that information from our databases.

Links To Other Websites

Canada Wide Credit’s service offering generally contain links to other websites not operated or controlled by Canada Wide Credit, including social media services (“Third Party Websites”). The information that you share with Third Party Websites will be governed by the specific privacy policies and terms of service of the Third Party Websites and not by this Privacy Policy. By providing these links we do not imply that we endorse or have reviewed these sites. Please contact the Third Party Websites directly for information on their privacy practices and policies.

Data Security and Risk

You use the services provided through Canada Wide Credit at your own risk. We implement commercially reasonable technical, administrative, and organizational measures to protect Personal Information both online and offline from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. In addition, our employees, service and technology partners, and other contractors or third-parties understand the importance of keeping your information private.

However, no Internet or e-mail transmission is ever fully secure or error-free. In particular, e-mail sent to or from us may not be secure. Therefore, you should take special care in deciding what information you send. Risks resulting from breaches depend on the nature of the information at issue and the circumstances around the breach. When third-party threat actors are involved, the risks increase and are varied including phishing attempts and identity theft. Please keep this in mind when disclosing any Personal Information through Canada Wide Credit to a service provider via the Internet. In addition, we are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures contained on the Service or Third Party Websites. We encourage all individuals to provide only the information they are comfortable with providing a third-party, keep watch for communications that are suspicious, and report any suspicious activity to us as soon as possible.

Disclosure Of Personal Information Outside Canada

To the extent we transfer or disclose Personal Information to a third party outside Canada, your Personal Information may be subject to the laws of the foreign jurisdictions to which the data is processed or in which it is stored, including any law permitting or requiring disclosure of the information to the government, government agencies, courts, and law enforcement in that jurisdiction. We have undertaken due diligence and have taken appropriate safeguards to require that your Personal Information will remain protected and require our third-party service providers, and partners if applicable, to have appropriate safeguards as well. Where we transfer any Personal Information out of the jurisdiction where you live, including for one or more of the purposes as set out in this Privacy Policy, we will do so in accordance with the requirements of applicable data protection laws, including by entering into data transfer agreements with the recipient to ensure your Personal Information is accorded an adequate level of protection.

Your Choices

Update or Correct Personal Information: You can contact us and request any updates or corrections needed to keep your Personal Information accurate, current, and complete.
Opt-Out of Marketing Communications: You may opt-out of marketing communications by following the unsubscribe instructions in any marketing email we send you. Please note, however, that you may continue to receive communications after opting out of marketing communications.
Opting out of Information Handling Practices: You may opt-out of those information handling practices set forth herein that are not reasonably necessary to achieve the purposes you’ve requested, subject to certain limitations.
Limit Online Tracking: Here are some of the ways you can limit online tracking:
- Block Cookies: Most browsers let you remove or reject cookies, including cookies used for interest-based advertising. To do this, follow the instructions in your browser settings. Many browsers accept cookies by default until you change your settings. Use the following links to learn more about how to control cookies and online tracking through your browser:
  1. Firefox; Chrome; Microsoft Edge; Safari
Limit the Use of Advertising ID: You may be able to limit use of your mobile device’s advertising ID for interest-based advertising purposes through your device’s settings.
Use Privacy Plug-Ins or Browsers: You can block our Services from setting cookies used for interest-based ads by using a browser with privacy features, like Brave, or installing browser plugins like Privacy Badger, DuckDuckGo, Ghostery or uBlock Origin, and configuring them to block third party cookies/trackers. You can also install a browser add-on to opt-out of Google Analytics.
Advertising Industry Opt-Outs: You can also use these opt-out options to limit use of your information for interest-based advertising by participating companies:
1. Digital Advertising Alliance
2. Network Advertising Initiative
Do Not Track: We currently do not respond to “Do Not Track” or similar signals. Learn more about “Do Not Track” here.

Note that the above opt-out mechanisms are specific to the device or browser on which they are exercised. You will need to opt-out on every browser and device that you use to access the Website.

Governing Law

This Privacy Policy and all related matters shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of Canada.

Changes To Privacy Policy

The Service and our business may change from time to time. As a result, we may change this Privacy Policy at any time. Unless another type of notice is required by applicable law, we will post an updated version on this page indicating the effective date of the update at the top of this Privacy Policy. By continuing to use our Service or providing us with Personal Information after we have posted an updated Privacy Policy, or notified you by other means if applicable, you consent to the revised Privacy Policy and practices described in it.

We encourage you to periodically review our Website for the latest information on our privacy practices. If at any point you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, you must not use the Website or our Services.

Contact, Complaints & Data Deletion Requests

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or information practices, please feel free to contact us at loans@canadawidecredit.com.