Privacy Policy
Effective Date: November 27, 2025
Last Updated: November 27, 2025
1. Privacy Policy Introduction
Elegant Memorials (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you:
- Visit our website at elegantmemorials.ca
- Purchase memorial plaques from us
- Create and manage online memorial pages
- Use our QR code memorial services
- Apply for or participate in our Partner Program
Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with these terms, please do not access the site or use our services.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Personal Information You Provide
When you use our services, we may collect:
Account Information: Name and email address, phone number (optional), billing and shipping addresses, and payment information processed securely through our payment processor.
Memorial Content: Names, dates, and biographical information of deceased individuals, photos, videos, and audio files you upload, written tributes, stories, and memories, and virtual greeting card (vCard) information if created.
Communications: Messages sent through our contact forms, customer service correspondence, and memorial page comments and tributes from visitors.
2.2 Partner Verification Information
If you apply for our Partner Program, we collect additional sensitive information required for identity verification and tax reporting purposes:
Personal Identification: Legal first and last name (as shown on government ID), date of birth, phone number, and Social Insurance Number (SIN) for tax reporting.
Business Information: Business type (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or nonprofit), legal business name and operating name, date established, website, CRA Business Number (BN), HST/GST registration number, and corporation number (if applicable).
Address Information: Business street address, city, province, postal code, and country, as well as mailing address if different from business address.
Payout Information: Your selected payout method (PayPal, Interac e-Transfer, direct deposit, or cheque), PayPal email address, e-Transfer email address, bank institution number, transit number, and account number for direct deposit, or name for cheque payable.
Verification Documents: Government-issued photo identification (driver’s license, passport, or provincial ID), void cheque or bank statement for banking verification, business registration documents (if applicable), and proof of address (if required).
2.3 Information Collected Automatically
Analytics Data: QR code scan data (date, time, location if enabled), page views and visit duration, device type, browser type, and operating system, IP address and general geographic location, and referral sources.
Technical Data: Cookies and similar tracking technologies, user agent information, and memorial page interaction data.
2.4 Information We Do Not Collect
We do NOT collect sensitive personal information from general customers such as health records or government-issued ID numbers (this information is only collected from Partner Program applicants for verification purposes). We do NOT track users across other websites. We do NOT sell your personal information to third parties.
3. How We Use Your Information
3.1 Service Delivery
Process and fulfill your memorial plaque orders, create and host your online memorial pages, generate and manage QR codes linked to memorial pages, enable memorial page features (photo galleries, tributes, guestbooks), and send order confirmations and shipping notifications.
3.2 Memorial Management
Allow you to customize and update memorial content, manage privacy settings and access controls for memorial pages, enable password protection for private memorials, and moderate and approve visitor tributes if you enable manual approval.
3.3 Partner Program Administration
We use partner verification information to verify your identity as required by Canadian financial regulations, comply with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) tax reporting requirements (T4A slips), process commission payments to your selected payout method, prevent fraud and ensure program integrity, and communicate important partner program updates.
3.4 Analytics and Improvement
Understand how memorial pages are accessed and used, provide you with analytics about memorial page visits (if enabled), improve our products and services, and troubleshoot technical issues.
3.5 Communications
Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support, send important service updates and notifications, and request feedback about your experience (with your consent).
3.6 Legal Compliance
Comply with applicable laws and regulations, enforce our Terms of Service, and protect against fraud and abuse.
4. How We Protect Your Information
4.1 Encryption and Security Measures
We implement robust technical and organizational measures to protect your information:
Data Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmission, AES-256 encryption for sensitive partner verification data (SIN, banking information, business numbers), and encrypted storage for all personal identification documents.
Infrastructure Security: Secure servers located in Canada, regular security audits and vulnerability assessments, access controls and multi-factor authentication for administrative access, firewalls and intrusion detection systems, and regular backups of memorial content.
4.2 Partner Document Security
Partner verification documents (government ID, void cheques, business registration) receive special protection:
Secure Storage: Documents are stored in a secure location outside the publicly accessible web directory and can only be accessed by authorized administrators through authenticated channels.
Verify and Delete Policy: Once we verify your identity documents, we securely delete the document files while maintaining an audit record that verification was completed. This means your sensitive documents are not retained longer than necessary. We keep a record of what was verified, when it was verified, and by whom, but the actual document file is permanently deleted.
Access Logging: All access to partner documents is logged for security audit purposes.
4.3 Your Responsibility
Keep your account password secure, use strong unique passwords, log out after using shared devices, and notify us immediately of any unauthorized access.
4.4 Limitations
While we strive to protect your information, no internet transmission is 100% secure. You provide information at your own risk.
5. How We Share Your Information
5.1 Service Providers
We share information with trusted service providers who assist in operating our business:
- Hosting providers (for website and memorial page hosting)
- Payment processors (for secure payment processing)
- Shipping carriers (for plaque delivery)
- Email service providers (for transactional emails)
- Analytics providers (for usage statistics)
5.2 Memorial Page Visitors
With your control, memorial content may be visible to visitors:
- Public memorial pages are visible to anyone with the link or who scans the QR code
- Password-protected memorials are only visible to those with the password you set
- You control what information is displayed on memorial pages
5.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.
5.4 Tax Authorities
For Partner Program participants, we are required to report commission payments to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and issue T4A slips for payments totaling $500 or more in a calendar year.
5.5 What We Do NOT Do
We do NOT sell your personal information to third parties, share your information for third-party marketing purposes, or provide memorial content or partner information to data brokers or aggregators.
6. Data Retention
6.1 Memorial Content
Memorial pages and content are retained indefinitely unless you request deletion. Purchased memorial plaques have associated memorial pages that remain active.
6.2 Account Information
Retained as long as your account is active, and for 7 years after account closure for legal and tax purposes.
6.3 Partner Verification Data
Verification Documents: Government ID, void cheques, and business registration documents are securely deleted immediately after verification is complete. We retain only a record that verification occurred.
Partner Account Information: Tax-related information (SIN, business numbers) is retained for 7 years after your last commission payment as required by CRA regulations. Banking and payout information is retained while your partner account is active and deleted upon account closure (after final payout).
6.4 Analytics Data
Anonymous analytics are retained for 2 years. Personally identifiable analytics are deleted after 6 months.
6.5 Payment Information
We do not store complete payment card information. Payment processors retain information per their policies.
7. Memorial Page Privacy Settings
You have full control over memorial page privacy.
7.1 Privacy Options Available
Public Memorials: Accessible to anyone with the link or QR code, may be indexed by search engines (you can disable this), and visitor tributes can be set to auto-approve or require your approval.
Password-Protected Memorials: Require a password you set to access, not indexed by search engines, and only people you share the password with can view content.
Hidden Memorials: Not accessible via direct link, only you can view and manage content, and useful for preparing memorial content before making it public.
7.2 Tribute Moderation
You can choose to manually approve all visitor tributes before they appear, edit or remove tributes at any time, and control who can leave tributes (everyone, or password holders only).
8. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:
Access and Portability: Request a copy of your personal information and export your memorial content and data.
Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information and edit memorial content at any time through your account.
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, delete memorial pages (except for legal retention requirements), and close your account.
Restriction and Objection: Restrict how we process your information, object to processing for certain purposes, and opt out of non-essential communications.
Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for optional data processing at any time.
To Exercise Your Rights: Contact us at [email protected] or use the privacy settings in your account dashboard.
9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
9.1 Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality, enable secure login and memorial page access, and cannot be disabled.
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site, collect anonymous usage statistics, and can be disabled through cookie settings.
Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences and improve your user experience.
9.2 Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect site functionality.
10. QR Code and Memorial Page Analytics
10.1 What We Track
When someone scans a QR code or visits a memorial page, we may collect: date and time of visit, approximate geographic location (city/region, not precise location), device type and browser, how long they viewed the page, and which sections they interacted with.
10.2 How You Control Analytics
Memorial Creators Can: Enable or disable analytics tracking entirely, view aggregate statistics (total views, popular photos, etc.), but cannot see individual visitor identities (analytics are anonymous).
Memorial Visitors Can: Use browser “Do Not Track” settings, use incognito/private browsing mode, and block cookies to prevent tracking.
11. Third-Party Links
Our memorial pages may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., funeral home websites, charity donation pages). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.
12. Children’s Privacy
Our services are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. Memorial pages may include information about deceased minors, but this information is provided by adults (parents, guardians, family members). If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at [email protected].
13. Canadian Privacy Laws
As a Canadian company, we comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), provincial privacy legislation where applicable, and Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).
Data Storage: Your data is stored on Canadian servers. We do not transfer personal information outside Canada without appropriate safeguards.
14. International Users
If you access our services from outside Canada, your information will be transferred to and processed in Canada. Canada has been recognized by the European Commission as providing adequate data protection. By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to Canada.
15. Memorial Content Ownership and Rights
Your Rights: You retain ownership of all content you upload, you grant us a license to display and store your content to provide our services, and you can export or delete your content at any time.
Visitor Tributes: Visitors who submit tributes grant permission for them to be displayed on your memorial page, you can moderate, edit, or remove tributes, and visitors can request deletion of their tributes by contacting you or us.
Deceased Individuals: Memorial pages honor the memory of deceased individuals, we assume you have proper authorization to create a memorial for the deceased, and family members of the deceased can request changes or removal by verifying their relationship.
16. Memorial Plaque Physical Product
Regarding your physical memorial plaque: We use your shipping information solely to deliver your plaque, we do not share shipping information with third parties except our shipping carrier, engraved information on plaques is based on what you provide, physical plaques link to online memorial pages via QR codes, and the QR code on your plaque is unique and permanent.
17. Data Breach Notification
In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you within 72 hours of discovering the breach, describe what information was compromised, explain steps we’re taking to address the breach, provide recommendations for protecting yourself, and comply with all applicable breach notification laws.
18. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this privacy policy periodically. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the new policy on this page, updating the “Last Updated” date, and sending an email notification for material changes. Your continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
19. Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns about this privacy policy or our privacy practices:
Elegant Memorials
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.elegantmemorials.ca
For Privacy Complaints:
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada:
30 Victoria Street, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 1H3
Toll-free: 1-800-282-1376
Website: www.priv.gc.ca
20. Consent
By using elegantmemorials.ca and our services, you consent to the collection and use of information as described in this privacy policy, the display of memorial content according to your privacy settings, the processing of payment information through our secure payment processor, and the storage of your data on Canadian servers.
If you apply for our Partner Program, you additionally consent to the collection and encrypted storage of sensitive identification and tax information, verification of your identity using government-issued identification, the secure deletion of verification documents after verification is complete, and reporting of commission payments to the Canada Revenue Agency as required by law.
You can withdraw consent for non-essential processing at any time by contacting us or adjusting your account settings.
Your privacy matters to us. We are committed to protecting the memories you share and the personal information you entrust to us.
This privacy policy was last updated on November 27, 2025.
