Rooted & Whole

Privacy Policy

PRIVACY POLICY



Your privacy matters to me. This Privacy Policy explains what information Rooted & Whole (rootedandwhole.ca) collects, why it's collected, how it's used, and what rights you have over your personal information.



This site is operated from New Brunswick, Canada, and complies with the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).



By using this website, you consent to the practices described in this policy.



1. WHO I AM

Rooted & Whole is a personal blog and online shop operated by an individual based in New Brunswick, Canada. The website is located at rootedandwhole.ca.

For privacy-related questions or requests, contact me at: hello@rootedandwhole.ca or through the contact form at: rootedandwhole.ca/workwithus 



2. WHAT INFORMATION I COLLECT

I collect two types of information: information you give me directly, and information collected automatically when you visit the site.

Information you provide directly:

  • Name and email address — when you sign up for my email list through a form on this site
  • Name, email address, and any message contents — when you submit a contact form
  • Purchase information — if you purchase a product through my Etsy shop (note: purchases are processed by Etsy, not this website; Etsy's own privacy policy applies)

Information collected automatically:

  • Pages visited, time spent on each page, device type, browser, and approximate geographic location — collected via Google Analytics when you visit this site
  • Cookies — small text files stored on your device by your browser (see Section 6 for details)

3. WHY I COLLECT THIS INFORMATION

I collect your information only for the following purposes:

  • To send you the email newsletter and content updates you requested — if you signed up for my email list
  • To respond to your message — if you used the contact form
  • To understand how visitors use this site so I can improve it — via Google Analytics data
  • To comply with legal obligations

I do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.



4. EMAIL LIST

If you subscribe to my email list, your name and email address are stored with Kit (formerly ConvertKit), my email marketing provider. Kit is based in the United States and stores data on servers in the US. By subscribing, you consent to your information being transferred to and processed in the US in accordance with Kit's Privacy Policy (convertkit.com/privacy).

You can unsubscribe from my email list at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email I send. Your information will be removed promptly.

I send marketing emails in compliance with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). You will only receive emails if you have expressly consented to receive them.



5. GOOGLE ANALYTICS

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect information about how visitors use this site, including which pages are visited, how long visitors stay, and where traffic comes from. This information is used in aggregate form to help me understand and improve the site.

Google Analytics data is transmitted to and stored on Google's servers, which may be located in the United States or other countries. Google may use this data in accordance with its own privacy policy (policies.google.com/privacy).

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by:

  • Installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on (tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout)
  • Enabling "Do Not Track" in your browser settings (note: this is not universally supported)
  • Adjusting your browser's cookie settings (see Section 6)

6. COOKIES

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. This site uses the following types of cookies:

Analytics cookies: Placed by Google Analytics to track site usage. These are not used to identify you personally, but to understand aggregate visitor behaviour.

Functional cookies: May be placed by your browser or the site platform to remember basic preferences.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies, delete existing cookies, or be notified when cookies are set. Note that disabling cookies may affect how some parts of this site function.

This site does not currently use advertising cookies. If advertising is added in the future, this policy will be updated to reflect that change.



7. AFFILIATE LINKS

Some posts on this site contain affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely believe in.

Affiliate links do not place cookies or collect your personal information through this site. Any tracking of purchases occurs through the affiliate program's own systems, subject to their privacy policies. Affiliate programs I participate in or plan to participate in include, but are not limited to, Catholic Sprouts and Blessed Is She.

All affiliate relationships are disclosed in accordance with applicable guidelines. See my Affiliate Disclosure for more information.



8. ADVERTISING

This site does not currently display third-party advertisements. If advertising (such as Google AdSense) is added in the future, this Privacy Policy will be updated to describe the types of cookies and data collection involved. Please check back periodically for updates.



9. THIRD-PARTY LINKS

This website contains links to external websites, including my Etsy shop and affiliate partner sites. I am not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. I encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.



10. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

This website is not directed at children under the age of 13, and I do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information through this site, please contact me and I will take steps to remove that information promptly.



11. YOUR RIGHTS UNDER PIPEDA

As a resident of Canada, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• The right to know what personal information I hold about you

• The right to access your personal information

• The right to correct inaccurate personal information

• The right to withdraw consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information (subject to legal or contractual restrictions)

• The right to complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, contact me at hello@rootedandwhole.ca or through the contact form at rootedandwhole.ca/workwithus. I will respond to your request within 30 days.

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you may have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the right to data portability and the right to erasure. Please contact me to make any such request.



12. DATA RETENTION

I retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected:

• Email list subscribers: Your information is retained until you unsubscribe

• Contact form submissions: Retained for up to 12 months, then deleted

• Google Analytics data: Retained according to Google's standard data retention settings (typically 26 months)



13. DATA SECURITY

I take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmitting information over the internet is 100% secure, and I cannot guarantee absolute security.

14. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. I encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of this site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.



15. CONTACT

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact me:

By email: hello@rootedandwhole.ca 

Through the contact form: rootedandwhole.ca/workwithus



You also have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada:

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

30 Victoria Street

Gatineau, Quebec K1A 1H3

1-800-282-1376

priv.gc.ca