Privacy Policy

Last Updated: April 7, 2026
Effective Date: March 16, 2026

Welcome to WillStreet (“we,” “our,” or “us”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website willstreet.ca, subscribe to our newsletter, or interact with our content.

WillStreet is operated as a sole proprietorship based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), and applicable Ontario privacy laws. We also take reasonable steps to respect the privacy rights of international visitors, including those protected under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Please read this policy carefully. If you disagree with its terms, please discontinue use of our site.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information you voluntarily provide to us, including:

  • Newsletter subscriptions: When you subscribe to The WillStreet Report via Beehiiv, we collect your email address and any optional information you provide (such as your name).
  • Contact form submissions: When you use our WPForms contact form, we collect your name, email address, and the content of your message.
  • Comments: If you leave comments on our website, we collect your name, email address, and comment content.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit willstreet.ca, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and tracking technologies, including:

  • Log data: IP address, browser type and version, pages visited, time and date of visit, time spent on pages, and referring URLs.
  • Device information: Device type, operating system, and unique device identifiers.
  • Analytics data: User behaviour patterns, traffic sources, and engagement metrics collected through Google Analytics.
  • Cookie data: Information stored in cookies placed on your device (see Section 4 for full details).

1.3 Information From Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party services including:

  • Google Analytics (website traffic and behaviour analysis)
  • Google Search Console (search performance data)
  • Beehiiv (newsletter platform analytics)
  • Affiliate networks including Amazon Associates, ShareASale, Impact, and others

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • To deliver our newsletter: Sending The WillStreet Report and related communications to subscribers who have explicitly opted in.
  • To respond to inquiries: Replying to messages submitted through our contact form.
  • To improve our content: Analyzing how visitors interact with our site to improve article quality, site structure, and user experience.
  • To monitor and analyze usage: Understanding which content resonates with our audience through Google Analytics data.
  • To comply with legal obligations: Retaining records as required by applicable Canadian law.
  • To prevent fraud and abuse: Detecting and addressing technical issues, spam, and security threats.
  • To show relevant advertising: If and when Google AdSense display advertising is implemented on this site, Google uses data to serve relevant ads to visitors.

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We do not share your email list with sponsors, advertisers, or any third parties.

3. Legal Basis for Processing (Canadian and International Users)

3.1 Canadian Residents (PIPEDA and CASL)

Under PIPEDA, we collect and use personal information only with your knowledge and consent, or where permitted by law. Under CASL, we send commercial electronic messages only to individuals who have provided express or implied consent. Every newsletter and promotional email we send includes a clear and easy unsubscribe mechanism. Unsubscribe requests are processed within 10 business days as required by CASL.

3.2 European Union Residents (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, our legal bases for processing your personal data include:

  • Consent: Where you have given clear consent (e.g., newsletter subscription)
  • Legitimate interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests and does not override your rights
  • Legal obligation: Where processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

4.1 What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help websites function properly, remember your preferences, and provide analytical information to site owners.

4.2 Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function. These cannot be disabled. They include WordPress session cookies and security cookies.

Analytics Cookies (Google Analytics): We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. Google Analytics collects information such as how often you visit, what pages you view, and what other sites you visited before coming to ours. We use this information to improve WillStreet. Google Analytics collects only the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit, not your name or other personally identifying information. We do not combine the information collected through Google Analytics with personally identifiable information. Google’s ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics about your visits is restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Service and the Google Privacy Policy.

Advertising Cookies (Google AdSense — Future): We may use Google AdSense to display advertisements on our site. Google AdSense uses cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website and other sites on the internet. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.

Affiliate Tracking Cookies: When you click an affiliate link on our site, the affiliate network (such as Amazon Associates, ShareASale, or Impact) may place a cookie on your device to track whether a purchase results from your visit. This cookie does not collect personally identifiable information beyond what is necessary to attribute the referral.

4.3 Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website. For more information on managing cookies, visit allaboutcookies.org.

5. Affiliate Disclosure and Third-Party Links

WillStreet participates in affiliate marketing programs. This means we may earn a commission when you click on certain links and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial content or reviews. We only recommend products and services we believe provide genuine value to our readers.

Our site may contain links to third-party websites, products, and services. These third-party sites have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or data handling. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit.

6. Newsletter and Email Communications

Our newsletter, The WillStreet Report, is managed through Beehiiv. By subscribing, you consent to receive regular email communications from WillStreet. Each email includes an unsubscribe link. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Beehiiv, as our email service provider, may collect and process data in accordance with their own privacy policy, available at beehiiv.com/privacy.

We will never share, sell, or rent your email address or subscriber data to any third party, including sponsors and advertisers. Sponsors may pay to be featured in our newsletter, but they receive no access to our subscriber list.

7. Data Retention

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

  • Newsletter subscriber data: Retained while your subscription is active. Deleted within 30 days of unsubscription upon request.
  • Contact form submissions: Retained for up to 12 months for correspondence purposes.
  • Analytics data: Retained as per Google Analytics default retention settings (up to 26 months).
  • Comment data: Retained while your comment remains published on the site.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include SSL/TLS encryption on our website (https://willstreet.ca), secure password practices, and limited access to personal data.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your Rights and Choices

9.1 Canadian Residents

Under PIPEDA, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you
  • Request correction of inaccurate information
  • Withdraw consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information
  • Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)

9.2 European Union Residents

Under GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access your personal data
  • Rectify inaccurate data
  • Request erasure (“right to be forgotten”)
  • Restrict or object to processing
  • Data portability
  • Withdraw consent at any time
  • Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

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

10. Children’s Privacy

WillStreet is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. We will notify subscribers of material changes via email and update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

WillStreet
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Email: will@willstreet.ca
Website: https://willstreet.ca

We are committed to resolving privacy complaints promptly and fairly.