1. Introduction
Canada Africa Trade ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our website and services (the "Platform"). We comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation in Canada.
By using the Platform, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the Platform.
2. Information We Collect
We collect only the information necessary to respond to your trade inquiries and operate our brokerage services. This includes:
- Contact Information: Full name, email address, and phone number (if provided)
- Role and Company: Your role (e.g., supplier, buyer, broker) and the entity you represent
- Inquiry Content: The details of your trade inquiry, including commodities of interest, volumes, and any other information you voluntarily share in the message field
- Authentication Data: If you access our buyer portal, we collect login credentials (email and encrypted password) managed through our authentication provider (Supabase)
- Usage Data: Standard server logs including IP address, browser type, and pages visited — collected automatically and not linked to your identity
We do not collect payment information, government identification numbers, or any sensitive personal information beyond what you voluntarily provide.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To respond to trade inquiries submitted through the contact form
- To evaluate the commercial viability of a potential transaction
- To communicate with you regarding deal structuring, documentation, or follow-up
- To maintain records of business interactions for compliance and legal protection
- To authenticate and manage access to the buyer portal (if applicable)
- To improve the Platform's performance and user experience through anonymized usage analytics
We will never use your information for unsolicited marketing, nor sell or rent your personal data to third parties.
4. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:
- Consent: You voluntarily submit your information through our contact form or portal registration
- Legitimate Interest: We have a legitimate business interest in evaluating and responding to trade inquiries
- Contractual Necessity: Where you are a party to a signed trade agreement or NCNDA/IMFPA, processing is necessary to fulfill our obligations
- Legal Obligation: We may retain certain records to comply with Canadian business, tax, and trade regulations
5. Data Storage and Security
Your personal data is stored securely using Supabase, a cloud-based database platform with enterprise-grade encryption and security protocols. Data is stored on servers located in North America. Supabase implements:
- Encryption at rest (AES-256) and in transit (TLS)
- Role-based access control limiting who can access your data
- Regular security audits and compliance with SOC 2 Type II standards
While we implement industry-standard security measures, no data transmission over the internet is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:
- Inquiry data is retained for up to 3 years for business relationship and compliance purposes
- Signed trade documentation (NCNDA, SPA, etc.) is retained for a minimum of 7 years in accordance with Canadian business record-keeping obligations
- Portal authentication data is retained for the duration of the active account and deleted upon account closure
- Anonymized usage logs may be retained indefinitely for analytics purposes
7. Sharing of Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
- With Trade Counterparties: If you are a confirmed buyer or supplier in an active transaction, relevant contact and deal information may be shared with the other party — only with your prior knowledge and consent
- Service Providers: We may share data with trusted technology providers (e.g., Supabase for database, email delivery services) who are contractually bound to protect your information
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government authority
- Business Transfers: In the event of a merger or acquisition, your data may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to the same privacy protections
8. Your Rights
Under PIPEDA and applicable privacy laws, you have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
- Withdrawal of Consent: Withdraw consent to processing at any time (subject to legal and contractual limitations)
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations
- Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) at www.priv.gc.ca
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@canadaafricatrade.com. We will respond within 30 days.
9. Cookies and Tracking
Our Platform uses minimal cookies necessary for core functionality, including session management for the buyer portal. We do not use third-party advertising cookies or behavioral tracking.
- Session Cookies: Used to maintain your authenticated session in the buyer portal — deleted when you close your browser
- Preference Cookies: Used to remember your selected language (English / French) — persisted for 30 days
You may disable cookies in your browser settings, but this may affect the functionality of the buyer portal.
10. International Users
Canada Africa Trade serves clients across Canada and East Africa. If you are accessing the Platform from outside Canada, please be aware that your data will be transferred to and processed in Canada, where privacy laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction. By using the Platform, you consent to this transfer.
11. Children's Privacy
Our Platform is intended for business use by adults only. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18. If we become aware that a minor has submitted personal information, we will delete it promptly.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. Updated policies will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. We encourage you to review this policy regularly.
13. Contact Us
For any privacy-related questions, concerns, or requests, please contact our Privacy Officer: