Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Blue Collar CFO is a fractional CFO service for trades and contractor businesses, operated by Soutar Capital Inc., based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. For questions about this policy or your personal information, contact us at:

Soutar Capital Inc. / Blue Collar CFO
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Email: kyle@bluecollarcfo.ca

2. What Information We Collect

We collect personal information only to the extent necessary to provide our services and respond to your inquiries. This may include:

• Contact information: your name, email address, phone number, and business name
• Business information: your trade type, annual revenue range, and financial challenges you share with us voluntarily through our intake form
• Communication records: emails, call notes, or messages exchanged between you and Blue Collar CFO
• Website usage data: anonymized analytics data including pages visited, time on site, and referring sources (collected via cookies or third-party analytics tools)

We do not collect sensitive financial documents, tax returns, or banking credentials through this website. Any such information shared during an engagement is governed by a separate client services agreement.

3. How We Collect Your Information

We collect personal information in the following ways:

• Directly from you when you fill out a contact or booking form on our website
• Through email or phone when you reach out to us directly
• Automatically through cookies and analytics tools when you browse our website

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To respond to your inquiry or booking request
• To schedule and conduct your free discovery call
• To assess whether our services are a good fit for your business
• To deliver fractional CFO services if you become a client
• To send you relevant information about our services, with your consent
• To improve our website and service offerings
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We collect and process your personal information based on:

• Your consent when you voluntarily submit a form or contact us
• Contractual necessity to fulfill a services agreement with you as a client
• Legitimate interests in operating and improving our business, where those interests are not overridden by your rights
• Legal obligation to comply with applicable laws and regulations

6. Disclosure of Your Information

We may share your personal information with:

• Service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering services (e.g., Formspree for form processing, email providers, scheduling tools). These providers are contractually required to protect your information.
• Professional advisors such as lawyers or accountants, where necessary and under confidentiality obligations
• Government or regulatory bodies when required by law, court order, or regulatory authority

We will not disclose your information for any other purpose without your explicit consent.

7. Cookies and Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to understand how visitors use the site. Cookies are small text files placed on your device. You can control cookie settings through your browser.

We may use analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) that collect anonymized usage data. This data does not identify you personally and is used solely to improve our website.

By continuing to use our website, you consent to the use of cookies as described in this policy. You may opt out of analytics tracking through your browser's privacy settings or by using opt-out tools provided by analytics services.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Specifically:

• Inquiry and booking form submissions are retained for up to 24 months unless you request earlier deletion
• Client engagement records are retained for a minimum of 7 years to comply with accounting and regulatory obligations
• Website analytics data is retained in anonymized form for up to 26 months

9. Your Privacy Rights

Under PIPEDA and applicable provincial legislation, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions
• Request deletion of your personal information, where legally permissible
• 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 kyle@bluecollarcfo.ca. We will respond within 30 days.

10. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include secure communication channels (HTTPS), limited access to personal data, and use of reputable third-party service providers.

No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.

12. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Blue Collar CFO serves clients in both Canada and the United States. Some of our service providers may process or store data outside of Canada. When this occurs, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction where it is processed. By using our services, you consent to such transfers.

13. Children's Privacy

Our services are directed at businesses and their owners. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The updated policy will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Continued use of our website or services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Kyle Soutar, CPA, CMA
Privacy Officer, Soutar Capital Inc.
Blue Collar CFO
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Email: kyle@bluecollarcfo.ca

You also have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca or 1-800-282-1376 if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.