Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 3, 2026

1. Introduction & Scope

Canadian Energy Guide ("Canadian Energy Guide," "we," "us," or "our") is an independent consumer-education publisher focused on residential solar power in Canada. We research and compare solar options and publish plain-language guides, province-by-province cost breakdowns, and a downloadable installer-quote evaluation checklist. We want to be unambiguous about what we are not: we are not a solar installer, we do not perform installations, and we do not sell solar panels, inverters, batteries, or any other equipment. Our role is editorial and educational.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and safeguard personal information through our website at canadianenergyguide.com (the "Site"), including any forms, downloads, and interactions made available on it. It applies to information collected from readers and visitors located in Canada and elsewhere who use the Site.

We handle personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), S.C. 2000, c. 5, and we are committed to upholding the ten fair information principles set out in Schedule 1 of that Act: accountability, identifying purposes, consent, limiting collection, limiting use, disclosure and retention, accuracy, safeguards, openness, individual access, and challenging compliance. Where provincial privacy regimes apply to us or to our service providers — such as Quebec's Law 25, the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) of Alberta, or the PIPA of British Columbia — we take reasonable steps to align our practices with those requirements as well.

2. Information We Collect

We aim to collect only the information we genuinely need to operate the Site and serve our readers. The categories below describe what we collect, where it is collected, and why.

2.1 Information you provide directly

When you request the installer-quote evaluation checklist or contact us through a form on the Site, we collect the details you choose to submit. This typically includes your name, your email address, and any message text or questions you include. This information is collected at the point you complete and submit the relevant form, and we use it to deliver what you asked for and to respond to you.

2.2 Information collected automatically

When you visit the Site, certain technical data is collected automatically by our hosting and analytics infrastructure. This may include your IP address, browser type and version, device and operating system information, the pages you visit and time spent on them, the referring URL that led you to us, and an approximate geographic location derived from your IP address. We collect this data to keep the Site running, to understand readership patterns, and to protect against abuse.

2.3 Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to remember your preferences (including your cookie consent choice), to keep essential features working, and to measure how readers use our guides. You can learn exactly which cookies we use, and manage your choices, in our Cookie Policy. Cookie data is collected through your browser while you are on the Site.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information described above for the following specific and limited purposes:

To deliver the resource you requested, such as emailing you a copy of the installer-quote evaluation checklist (PDF).
To respond to your enquiries, questions, and correspondence sent through our forms or by email.
To send relevant solar-education updates and editorial newsletters, but only where you have given us your express consent to receive them.
To improve our editorial content, guides, and province-by-province cost comparisons based on what readers find useful.
To measure Site performance and readership analytics in aggregate, so we can understand which topics matter most.
To maintain the security and integrity of the Site, detect and prevent fraud, spam, and abuse, and troubleshoot technical issues.
To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations under Canadian law.
To connect you with vetted partner installers when you have specifically asked to be connected, so that you can obtain quotes or further information.

We will not use your personal information for a new purpose that is materially different from those identified above without first obtaining your consent, unless we are permitted or required to do so by law.

4. Consent (PIPEDA)

Under PIPEDA, your knowledge and consent are required for the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information, except where the law allows otherwise. We obtain express consent for sensitive or non-essential activities — for example, through the required consent checkbox you must actively select on our forms before we send you marketing or educational emails. We rely on implied consent only for activities that are reasonably necessary to operate the Site and fulfil a request you have clearly initiated, such as emailing you the checklist you asked for.

You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. To withdraw consent, email us at editorial@canadianenergyguide.com. Withdrawing consent may mean we can no longer provide certain communications or services to you.

All commercial electronic messages we send comply with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). We send marketing email only after you have provided express opt-in consent, we clearly identify ourselves as the sender, and we include a working unsubscribe mechanism in every message. You can opt out of our marketing emails at any time by using that unsubscribe link, and we will honour your request promptly.

5. Affiliate & Partner Installers

Canadian Energy Guide may earn compensation when a reader chooses to connect with one of our vetted partner installers. This is an affiliate relationship, and we believe in disclosing it openly so you can weigh our content with that context in mind. We may receive a referral fee or similar compensation if you request to be connected and subsequently engage with a partner.

If, and only if, you actively choose to be connected with a partner installer, we share the contact details you provide for that purpose — typically your name, email address, your location or province, and any project details you supply — so the installer can follow up with you. We do not pass your information to installers unless you have asked to be connected.

Importantly, compensation does not influence how we present the risks, limitations, costs, or trade-offs of residential solar. Our editorial assessments of installers and solar options are made independently of any commercial arrangement, and we disclose risks and caveats regardless of whether a partner relationship exists.

6. Disclosure & Sharing

We share personal information only in the limited circumstances described below:

Service providers: We use trusted third parties to operate the Site, including our hosting provider, our email service provider (for delivering the checklist and any newsletters), and our analytics provider. These providers process information on our behalf and are bound to use it only for the services they provide to us.
Partner installers: As described in Section 5, only when you choose to be connected.
Legal disclosures: Where we are required or permitted by applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or to protect our rights, safety, or property and those of others.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not rent or trade it for the independent commercial purposes of third parties.

Some of our service providers may store or process information on servers located outside of Canada. Where personal information is transferred across borders, it may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction where it is held. We take reasonable contractual and organizational measures to ensure that any such providers offer a comparable level of protection consistent with PIPEDA.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal information only for as long as is reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.

Form and lead data (the information you submit through the checklist request or contact form) is retained for up to 24 months from your last interaction with us, unless a longer period is required by applicable law or to resolve a dispute.
Email marketing records are retained for as long as you remain subscribed, plus a reasonable period afterward to honour unsubscribe requests and demonstrate CASL compliance.
Analytics and technical data is generally retained for a shorter period, typically up to 14 months, after which it is aggregated or deleted.

When personal information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to securely delete, destroy, or anonymize it so that it can no longer be associated with you.

8. Safeguards & Security

We protect personal information with safeguards appropriate to its sensitivity. These measures include encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS, access controls that limit who can view personal information, and a practice of granting access only to the small number of staff and service providers who need it to do their work. We also apply organizational measures such as confidentiality expectations and periodic review of our practices.

While we work hard to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we are committed to addressing any security incident promptly and in accordance with our legal obligations.

9. Your Rights under PIPEDA

Subject to certain legal exceptions, you have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

Right to access: You may ask us to confirm whether we hold personal information about you and to provide you with access to it.
Right to correction: You may request that we correct any personal information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
Right to withdraw consent: You may withdraw your consent to our use of your personal information at any time, subject to legal or contractual limits.
Right to be informed: You have the right to be informed about how your personal information is used and disclosed.
Right to challenge compliance: You may challenge our compliance with PIPEDA by contacting our Privacy Officer.

To exercise any of these rights, please email us at editorial@canadianenergyguide.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request. We will respond to access requests within 30 days as required by PIPEDA, or we will let you know if a permitted extension is necessary.

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal information or your request, you have the right to escalate your concern to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC), which oversees compliance with PIPEDA. Depending on where you live, you may also be able to contact your provincial privacy regulator.

10. Children's Privacy

The Site is intended for adults aged 18 and over who are researching residential solar power for their households. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at editorial@canadianenergyguide.com and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

11. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Site, remember your preferences, and understand readership. Some cookies are essential, while others are optional and used only with your consent. For a full description of the cookies we use, their purposes, and how to manage them, please see our Cookie Policy.

12. Third-Party Links

The Site may contain links to external websites and resources that we do not control, such as Google Fonts (used to render our typography), partner installer websites, and reference materials we cite in our guides. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of websites operated by others, and we encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice on the Site. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Your continued use of the Site after an update indicates your acknowledgement of the revised policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or would like to make an access request, please reach out to our Privacy Officer. We welcome your questions and will do our best to help.

Canadian Energy Guide (Privacy Officer)
Website: canadianenergyguide.com
Email: editorial@canadianenergyguide.com