Legal
Privacy Policy
Last Updated: March 14, 2025 · Effective: March 14, 2025
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Rideau Sums ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to handling your personal information with care and transparency. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and the choices available to you.
We operate under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Nova Scotia privacy legislation. If you have questions about anything in this policy, please reach out to us at [email protected].
This policy applies to information collected through our website, contact forms, consultations, and any engagement with our accounting services.
Information We Collect
We collect personal information only when it is reasonably necessary to provide our services or respond to your inquiries. This may include:
- Contact information — your name, email address, and phone number, collected when you submit an inquiry or engage our services.
- Business information — company name, CRA business number, financial data, and tax records shared with us in the course of providing accounting or tax services.
- Technical data — IP address, browser type, pages visited, and session duration, collected automatically through cookies and analytics tools when you visit our website.
- Communication records — emails and written correspondence exchanged during our engagement.
Legal basis: We process your personal data on the basis of your consent (when you submit a form or engage our services), the performance of a contract (when we are providing services), and our legitimate interests in operating a professional accounting practice. We retain client records for a minimum of seven years in compliance with CRA record-keeping requirements.
How We Use Your Information
Information you share with us is used strictly in connection with delivering our services and managing our relationship with you. Specific uses include:
Service Delivery
Preparing and filing tax returns, HST compliance work, and advisory services on your behalf.
Communication
Responding to inquiries, scheduling meetings, sharing filing confirmations, and keeping you informed of relevant developments.
Website Improvement
Understanding how visitors use our website so we can improve content and usability over time.
Legal Compliance
Meeting our obligations under CRA regulations, PIPEDA, and professional standards governing accounting practice in Nova Scotia.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
Data Sharing with Third Parties
We may share your information with trusted third parties only where necessary to deliver our services or comply with legal obligations:
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) — Tax returns and HST filings submitted electronically on your behalf.
- Software providers — Accounting and tax software used in preparing your returns, subject to their own privacy policies.
- Analytics services — Anonymised website usage data may be processed by analytics platforms to help us understand site performance.
- Legal authorities — Where required by law, court order, or regulatory obligation.
How We Protect Your Information
We apply reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or loss:
- Encrypted storage for client financial data and sensitive records.
- Secure, access-controlled systems with role-based permissions for staff.
- Regular review of security practices in line with professional accounting standards.
- Procedures for notifying affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada in the event of a breach that poses a real risk of significant harm.
Cookies and Tracking
Our website uses cookies to support basic functionality and understand how visitors engage with our content. Cookies are small files stored in your browser. We use:
- Essential cookies — Required for the site to function correctly. Cannot be disabled.
- Analytics cookies — Help us understand page visits and user behaviour in aggregate, anonymised form.
- Preference cookies — Remember choices you make, such as cookie consent preferences.
You can manage your cookie preferences at any time on our Cookie Policy page.
Your Rights
Under PIPEDA and applicable provincial legislation, you have the right to:
Access
Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Rectification
Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Erasure
Request deletion of your data, subject to our legal retention obligations.
Withdraw Consent
Withdraw consent to processing where consent is the legal basis, with reasonable notice.
Data Portability
Receive your data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Lodge a Complaint
File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe your rights have not been respected.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to external resources or government portals (such as the CRA website). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites and encourage you to review their respective privacy policies before submitting personal information.
Children's Privacy
Our services are intended for business owners and individuals aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a minor has submitted information to us, please contact us promptly and we will address the matter.
Updates to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we do, we will revise the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Continued use of our website or services after a policy update constitutes your acknowledgment of the revised terms.
Questions About This Policy?
We're happy to answer any questions about how we handle your information. Please reach out to us directly.