This Privacy Policy describes how Aquascapes Recreational Contractors ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, protects, and handles your personal information when you use our website (https://aquascapesrc.ca), book our services, or visit our retail store. As a business operating in Waterloo, Ontario, we are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

1. What information do we collect?

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, as well as some information that is collected automatically when you visit our website.

Information you provide to us

Contact details: Names, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses collected through website contact forms, quote requests, and service bookings.
Property data: Information specific to your property, such as backyard layouts, pool specifications, equipment types, and service history.

Payment information

If you purchase products, book services, or enroll in recurring maintenance, we collect payment information. We do not store raw credit card numbers on our website servers. Instead, we use secure, PCI-compliant third-party processors.

Automatically collected information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect basic device and usage information, such as your IP address, browser type, referring URLs, and pages visited. This information does not reveal your specific identity and is used solely for analytics and website optimization.

2. How do we process your information?

We use your personal information to provide and improve our services. Specifically, we process your information to:

Provide accurate quotes and conduct site visits for pool construction and renovations.
Schedule and fulfill service appointments, such as pool openings, closings, and weekly maintenance.
Process payments for online reservations, in-store purchases, and recurring billing.
Maintain comprehensive service records for your pool and property to ensure efficient future service and warranty support.
Respond to customer inquiries and offer ongoing support.
Analyze website traffic to improve user experience.

3. How do we handle payment information?

We handle payment data through two primary, highly secure streams, depending on how you interact with us:

Payment method	Processor	How it is handled
Online reservations & billing	Stripe	When you book services through our website, payment information is collected and processed securely by Stripe. If you opt to keep a card on file for a final bill, this data is tokenized and stored securely by Stripe, not in our website database.
In-store & recurring billing	Chase Payment Solutions	For in-person store purchases and recurring weekly service billing, credit card information is processed and stored securely using Chase's physical and virtual terminals.

4. When and with whom do we share your information?

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We only share your data in the following limited circumstances:

Service providers: We share necessary data with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as our payment processors (Stripe and Chase Payment Solutions) and website hosting providers.
Subcontractors: If your custom pool build or renovation requires specialized trades (e.g., electricians, gas fitters), we may share your address and project details with trusted subcontractors strictly to fulfill the contract.
Legal obligations: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, subpoena, or court order.

5. How long do we keep your information?

Because a custom pool is a long-term investment, our data retention timelines vary based on the type of information:

Data type	Retention period	Reason for retention
Property & service records Work orders, pool specs, diagrams	Indefinite	To provide ongoing lifecycle support, warranty fulfillment, and historical service context. These records stay with the property, even if ownership changes.
Financial & payment data Credit cards on file	Duration of active billing relationship	Retained only as long as an active billing relationship exists (e.g., weekly maintenance). Removed when services cancel, subject to tax and accounting laws.

6. Cookies and tracking technologies

We use basic cookies and similar tracking technologies (such as Google Analytics) to understand website traffic, identify usage trends, and improve the user experience. This data is aggregated and does not reveal your specific identity. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent, though some parts of our website may not function properly without them.

7. How do we keep your information safe?

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures designed to protect your personal information against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access. This includes using encrypted payment gateways and securing our physical office files.

8. Your privacy rights

Under Canadian privacy laws (PIPEDA), you have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: Request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
Withdraw consent: Withdraw your consent for us to process your data, subject to legal and contractual restrictions. Please note that withdrawing consent may impact our ability to provide certain services.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Privacy Officer.

9. Contact us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our designated Privacy Officer:

Shaun Tully, Privacy Officer
Aquascapes Recreational Contractors
D2-550 Parkside Drive, Waterloo, ON
Phone: (519) 886-8751
Email: info@aquascapesrc.ca

Privacy policy