Information We Collect

Running an investment education platform means we need certain information to serve you properly. Here's what we gather and why it matters.

Personal Information You Provide

When you sign up or reach out to us, we collect details you choose to share. This typically includes your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. If you're enrolling in our learning programs, we might ask about your investment experience level—helps us tailor content to where you're actually at, not where we think you should be.

Automatically Collected Data

Like most websites, ours picks up technical information when you visit. IP addresses, browser types, device information, and which pages you spend time on. We use this to understand how people navigate our site and spot any technical hiccups before they become real problems.

Financial Information

If you register for paid programs, we'll need payment details. Credit card information goes straight to our payment processor—we don't store it on our servers. We keep transaction records for accounting purposes and to handle any billing questions you might have down the line.

How We Use Your Information

Data collection isn't just for collecting's sake. Here's what we actually do with the information you share.

• Deliver educational materials and program access you've signed up for
• Send updates about your enrollment status, upcoming sessions, or schedule changes
• Process payments and maintain accurate financial records
• Respond to your questions and provide customer support
• Improve our website functionality based on how people actually use it
• Send occasional newsletters about investing topics—but only if you've opted in
• Comply with legal obligations under Canadian financial education regulations

Legal Basis for Processing (Canadian Context)

Under Canadian privacy legislation, particularly PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act), we need legitimate reasons to handle your data.

Consent

Most of the time, we process your information because you've given us permission—either by ticking a box, creating an account, or reaching out to us directly. You can withdraw consent anytime, though that might affect our ability to provide certain services.

Contractual Necessity

When you enroll in a program, we need your information to actually deliver what you've paid for. Can't send course materials without an email address, after all.

Legitimate Interests

We process some data to improve our services and maintain security. Things like analyzing website traffic patterns or preventing fraudulent account creation. These activities benefit both us and our learners.

Data Sharing and Third Parties

We work with a handful of service providers who help keep things running smoothly. They only get access to information they absolutely need.

All our partners sign agreements committing them to protect your data. If a provider is located outside Canada, we ensure they meet equivalent privacy standards.

Your Privacy Rights

Canadian privacy law gives you substantial control over your personal information. Here's what you can do and how to actually make it happen.

How to Exercise These Rights

Send your request to info@optimechzen.info with "Privacy Request" in the subject line. Include enough detail so we can locate your information—full name, email address you registered with, and what you're asking for. We'll respond within 30 days, though complex requests might take a bit longer.

Data Security Measures

We've implemented multiple layers of protection to keep your information secure. No system is completely bulletproof, but we take this seriously.

Technical Safeguards

All data transmission happens over encrypted connections (TLS 1.3). Our databases are encrypted at rest, and we maintain regular backups stored in geographically separate locations. Access to production systems requires multi-factor authentication—no exceptions.

Administrative Controls

Only staff members who genuinely need access to perform their jobs can view personal data. Everyone signs confidentiality agreements, and we conduct regular privacy training. When someone leaves our team, their access gets revoked immediately.

Physical Security

Our servers live in certified data centers with 24/7 monitoring, controlled access, and environmental safeguards. We don't keep paper records with personal information at our Winnipeg office—everything's digital and encrypted.

Breach Response

If a security incident occurs, we'll notify affected individuals within 72 hours and report to the Privacy Commissioner as required. You'll get clear information about what happened, what data was involved, and what steps we're taking.

Data Retention Periods

We don't hoard information forever. Here's how long we typically keep different types of data and why.

Active Account Data

While you're enrolled in programs or using our services, we keep your information current and accessible. Makes sense—you need it to access course materials and track your progress.

Inactive Accounts

If you haven't logged in for three years, we'll reach out to ask if you want to keep your account active. No response means we'll delete most of your personal information within six months, keeping only what's legally required for financial records.

Financial Records

Canadian tax law requires us to maintain transaction records for seven years. After that, they're securely destroyed—digital files wiped, any physical documents shredded.

Marketing Data

If you've subscribed to our newsletter but never created an account, we'll keep your email for two years of inactivity. After that, you're automatically removed from our mailing list.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies—small text files stored on your device. Some are essential for the site to function; others help us understand how people use our platform.

Essential Cookies

These keep you logged in and remember your preferences during a session. Without them, you'd have to re-enter information constantly. They don't track you across other websites.

Analytics Cookies

We use these to see which pages get the most traffic, how long people spend reading content, and where they tend to drop off. Helps us figure out what's working and what needs improvement. Data is anonymized before analysis.

Managing Cookie Preferences

Your browser settings let you block or delete cookies, though some features might not work properly if you do. Most browsers have built-in privacy modes that limit tracking automatically.

International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers operate servers outside Canada. When your information crosses borders, we ensure adequate protection through contractual safeguards.

Cloud services we use might process data in the United States or European Union. These regions have privacy frameworks that Canadian authorities recognize as providing adequate protection. If we ever need to transfer data to a jurisdiction without such recognition, we'll notify you first and explain the safeguards in place.

Children's Privacy

Our services target adults interested in learning about investing. We don't knowingly collect information from anyone under 16 years old. If you're a parent who discovers your child has created an account, contact us immediately and we'll delete it.

For users between 16 and 18, we recommend discussing your interest in investment education with a parent or guardian. While you can access our content, certain investment activities require adult supervision under Canadian securities regulations.

Changes to This Policy

Privacy practices evolve as technology and regulations change. When we update this policy, we'll post the new version here with a revised date at the top. Material changes—like adding new data processing activities or changing retention periods—will trigger an email notification to active users.

We maintain an archive of previous policy versions on request. If you're curious about what's changed over time, just ask.