Your Privacy Matters

1. Introduction

Leaning on Locals is a Canadian marketplace that connects homeowners and customers ("Customers") with skilled local service professionals ("Service Providers"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about what we collect and why, in compliance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

This policy applies to all users of our mobile application (iOS and Android) and website located at leaningonlocals.ca.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

• Account registration details (name, email address, phone number, password)
• Profile information (profile photo, bio, service area for Service Providers)
• Service listings, descriptions, pricing, and portfolio photos (Service Providers)
• Booking requests, messages, and reviews submitted through the platform
• Payment details processed securely through our third-party payment processor
• Communications you send to our support team

Information collected automatically

• Device identifiers (device type, OS version, unique device ID)
• Usage data (pages viewed, features used, session duration, click paths)
• Location data (approximate or precise, if you grant permission) to show local services
• Log data (IP address, browser type, referring URLs, timestamps)
• Push notification tokens (if you enable notifications)

Information from third parties

• Public profile data if you sign in via Apple or Google
• Identity verification data from our verification partners (Service Providers)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account and provide platform services
• Facilitate bookings and communications between Customers and Service Providers
• Process payments and send receipts
• Display your profile and service listings to other users
• Send transactional notifications (booking confirmations, messages, reminders)
• Provide customer support and respond to inquiries
• Improve and personalize the platform experience
• Detect, prevent, and investigate fraud or unsafe activity
• Comply with legal obligations
• Send promotional communications (you may opt out at any time)

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

4. Sharing Your Information

We share information only as described below:

• Between platform users: Profile details, ratings, and booking information are shared between Customers and Service Providers as needed to complete a booking.
• Service providers (vendors): We share data with trusted third-party vendors who help us operate the platform — including payment processors, cloud storage providers, analytics tools, and push notification services. These vendors are bound by data processing agreements and may not use your data for their own purposes.
• Legal compliance: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our users or the public.
• Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will notify you before your data is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. You may request deletion of your account at any time (see Your Rights below).

We may retain certain information after account deletion where required by law, to resolve disputes, prevent fraud, or enforce our agreements. Anonymized or aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for analytics purposes.

6. Your Rights Under PIPEDA

As a Canadian resident, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Withdrawal of consent: Withdraw consent to certain uses of your data (this may limit your ability to use some features)
• Deletion: Request that we delete your account and associated personal data, subject to legal retention obligations
• Complaint: File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe your rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@leaningonlocals.ca. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to remember your preferences, analyze traffic, and improve your experience. You can control cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our site.

Our mobile app may use software development kits (SDKs) from analytics and crash-reporting providers. These collect anonymized performance data to help us identify and fix issues.

8. Children's Privacy

Leaning on Locals is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected information from a minor, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

9. Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include encryption in transit (TLS), encrypted data at rest, role-based access controls, and regular security assessments.

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that poses a real risk of significant harm, we will notify affected users and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada as required by law.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or via an in-app notification at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

We encourage you to review this page periodically. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Privacy Officer: