PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction

Helix North ("we", "us", "our") operates the website helixnorth.ca. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit our website or make a purchase. By using our website, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

We are committed to protecting the privacy of our customers and website visitors in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you place an order, contact us, or interact with our website. This may include:

• Contact information: name, email address, phone number, and mailing address.
• Order information: products purchased, order history, payment method used, and shipping details.
• Communication records: messages sent through our contact form or email correspondence.
• Age verification: confirmation that you are 18 years of age or older.

We also automatically collect certain technical information when you visit our website:

• Device information: browser type, operating system, and screen resolution.
• Usage data: pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URLs.
• IP address: used for security purposes and general geographic analytics.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Processing and fulfilling your orders, including sending tracking information.
• Communicating with you about your orders, inquiries, or customer service requests.
• Verifying your age and eligibility to purchase research products.
• Improving our website, products, and customer experience.
• Preventing fraud and maintaining the security of our website.
• Complying with legal obligations and regulatory requirements.

We do not use your personal information for automated decision-making or profiling.

4. Information Sharing & Disclosure

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

• Service providers: We share order and shipping information with our shipping carriers (e.g., Canada Post) to fulfil deliveries. We use Google Apps Script for order processing.
• Payment processors: Payment information is handled through cryptocurrency networks or Interac e-Transfer. We do not store credit card or full payment details.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.
• Protection of rights: We may disclose information to protect the rights, safety, or property of Helix North, our customers, or the public.

5. Cookies & Analytics

Our website uses localStorage to maintain your shopping cart, age verification status, and coupon preferences. These are essential for the proper functioning of the website and do not track you across other websites.

We may use analytics services such as Google Analytics to collect aggregate, anonymized data about website usage. This helps us understand how visitors interact with our site and improve the user experience. Analytics data does not personally identify you.

You can control cookies and local storage through your browser settings. Disabling these features may affect the functionality of the website, including the shopping cart and age verification.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including:

• Order records: retained for a minimum of 7 years for tax and accounting purposes.
• Customer communications: retained for as long as necessary to resolve inquiries or disputes.
• Website analytics: aggregate data is retained indefinitely; individual session data is deleted after 26 months.

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• HTTPS encryption for all website communications.
• Secure processing of orders through encrypted channels.
• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis.

While we take reasonable precautions, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information.

8. Your Rights

Under Canadian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: request corrections to any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Withdrawal of consent: withdraw your consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
• Deletion: request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations.
• Complaint: file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us through our contact page.

9. International Transfers

Helix North operates from Canada. If you access our website from outside Canada, your information may be transferred to and processed in Canada. By using our website, you consent to this transfer. Canadian privacy laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website and products are not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from someone under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of the website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through our contact page.