Privacy Policy

How we handle your information & respect your trust

Last updated: January 2024

Look, we get it - privacy policies can be a slog to read through. But we actually care about your data and wanted to be straight with you about what we collect, why we collect it, and what we do with it. We're a small studio in Toronto, not some massive corporation, so we keep things pretty simple around here.

This policy covers our website and any interactions you might have with Valaryn Thalquint Architecture. If something's unclear or you've got questions, just shoot us an email at studio@valarynthalquint.info.

When you reach out to us or use our website, we might collect stuff like:

  • Contact details - your name, email, phone number when you fill out our contact form or send us a message
  • Project info - details about what you're looking to build or design if you're inquiring about our services
  • Basic website data - things like IP addresses, browser type, pages you visit, how long you stick around (pretty standard web analytics stuff)
  • Cookies - small files that help the site work better and remember your preferences

We don't collect anything we don't need. If we're asking for it, it's because it helps us serve you better or keep the website running smoothly.

We're not collecting data just for kicks. Here's what we use it for:

  • Getting back to you - can't respond to your inquiry if we don't have your contact info, right?
  • Project work - if we're working together, we need details to create designs that actually fit what you're after
  • Making the site better - analytics help us figure out what's working and what's not, so we can improve your experience
  • Legal stuff - sometimes we're required to keep records for compliance with Canadian regulations
  • Sending updates - but only if you've opted in to hear from us about projects, sustainability insights, or studio news

We won't spam you or sell your email to random marketing lists. That's just not how we operate.

Security matters to us. We take reasonable steps to protect your information from unauthorized access or disclosure:

  • Our website uses SSL encryption (that little padlock in your browser)
  • We limit who on our team can access personal information - only folks who genuinely need it for their work
  • We work with reputable hosting providers that have solid security practices
  • Client project files are stored securely and backed up regularly

That said, no system's 100% bulletproof. While we do our best, we can't guarantee absolute security - that's just the reality of the digital world.

We're not in the business of selling or renting your personal info. Here's the limited scenarios where we might share it:

  • Project collaborators - engineers, consultants, or contractors who need details to work on your project (and they're bound by confidentiality agreements)
  • Service providers - companies that help us run our business, like our hosting service or email platform
  • Legal requirements - if we're legally obligated to disclose information (court orders, regulatory requests, etc.)
  • With your permission - like if you've agreed to let us feature your project in our portfolio

That's pretty much it. Your info stays with us unless there's a good reason otherwise.

Yeah, we use cookies - not the chocolate chip kind, unfortunately. These are small text files that help our website function properly and give us insight into how people use the site.

Types of cookies we use:

  • Essential cookies - needed for basic site functionality, like keeping you logged into forms
  • Analytics cookies - help us understand visitor behavior so we can improve the site
  • Preference cookies - remember your settings and choices

Most browsers let you control or block cookies if you want. Just know that blocking certain cookies might make parts of our site not work as smoothly.

It's your data, so you've got rights when it comes to how we handle it:

  • Access - you can ask what personal info we have about you
  • Correction - if something's wrong or outdated, let us know and we'll fix it
  • Deletion - you can request that we delete your information (with some exceptions for legal or contractual obligations)
  • Opt-out - don't wanna receive our emails anymore? Just unsubscribe or let us know
  • Data portability - you can request a copy of your data in a usable format

To exercise any of these rights, just reach out to us at studio@valarynthalquint.info. We'll handle it within a reasonable timeframe.

We don't keep your information forever - that'd be weird and unnecessary. Here's our general approach:

  • Contact inquiries - kept for about 2 years unless we're actively working together
  • Project files - typically retained for 7-10 years after project completion (architectural standards and legal requirements)
  • Marketing data - kept until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it
  • Website analytics - aggregated data kept indefinitely, but individual identifiable info is purged regularly

Once we don't need your data anymore, we either delete it or anonymize it so it can't be traced back to you.

Our website might link to other sites - supplier resources, project partners, industry organizations, that sort of thing. Once you click through to another site, this privacy policy doesn't apply anymore. Those sites have their own policies, and we can't control what they do.

We try to only link to reputable sites, but it's worth reading their privacy policies too if you're concerned about how your data's handled.

Sometimes we'll need to update this policy - maybe because of new laws, changes in how we operate, or improvements to our practices. When we make significant changes, we'll update the date at the top and might send out a notification if you're on our mailing list.

It's worth checking back here occasionally to stay in the loop. We won't make major changes without being transparent about it.

Seriously, if anything here is confusing or you've got questions about how we handle your data, just reach out. We'd rather have a conversation than have you wondering what's going on behind the scenes.

Contact us:

Valaryn Thalquint Architecture
1247 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M6J 1J4
Canada

Email: studio@valarynthalquint.info
Phone: (416) 555-0847

If you've got a complaint about how we've handled your personal information and we can't resolve it together, you can also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Bottom line:

We respect your privacy, keep your data secure, and only use it for legitimate reasons. We're transparent about our practices and you've got control over your information. If you ever have doubts or questions, we're just an email or phone call away.