Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 18, 2026

1. Introduction

The Hammer is a community newsletter and business directory serving Hamilton, Ontario, operated at onlyinhamilton.ca. We take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your rights as someone in our community.

This policy applies to all users of our Services, including newsletter subscribers, business listing owners, and visitors to our website. By using our Services, you agree to the practices described here.

We comply with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Quebec’s Law 25 where applicable.

2. What Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Give Us Directly

We collect information you provide when you:

  • Subscribe to our newsletter (name, email address)
  • Create an account on our website (name, email address, password)
  • Submit a business listing (business name, address, phone number, website, business description, photos, and your contact information as the listing owner)
  • Make a payment for a paid subscription or listing (billing name, email; payment card details are processed directly by our payment provider and not stored by us)
  • Submit a review, photo, or other content
  • Contact us through our Contact page

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information, including:

  • IP address and general location (city/region level)
  • Browser type and device information
  • Pages visited, time spent, and links clicked
  • Referring website (how you found us)

This information is collected through cookies and standard web analytics tools (such as Google Analytics). It helps us understand how people use the site so we can improve it.

2.3 Email Engagement Data

Our newsletter platform (MailerLite) tracks whether emails are opened and which links are clicked. This helps us understand what content resonates with our readers and improve future issues. You can opt out of this tracking by disabling image loading in your email client.

2.4 Information We Don’t Collect

We do not collect sensitive personal information such as government ID numbers, financial account details beyond what’s needed for payment processing, health information, or information about children under 18.

3. Why We Collect Your Information

We only collect information we actually need. Here’s what we use it for:

  • Delivering the newsletter to your inbox
  • Creating and managing your account
  • Processing payments for paid subscriptions and business listings
  • Publishing and managing business directory listings
  • Responding to your messages and support requests
  • Sending service-related notifications (e.g., listing expiry reminders, billing confirmations)
  • Improving our website and newsletter through analytics
  • Complying with legal obligations

We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling in ways that would significantly affect you.

4. Who We Share Your Information With

We do not sell your personal information. Ever. We only share your information with trusted third-party service providers that help us operate our Services, and only to the extent necessary. These include:

  • MailerLite — our email newsletter platform (stores subscriber email addresses and engagement data)
  • Stripe or equivalent payment processor — handles payment transactions securely (we do not store your card details)
  • WordPress hosting provider — hosts our website and directory
  • Google Analytics — website traffic analytics (anonymized data)

All third-party providers are required to protect your information and may only use it to provide services to us, not for their own purposes.

We may also disclose your information if required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of our community.

5. Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to make the site work properly and to help us understand how it’s being used. We use:

  • Essential cookies: Required for the website to function (e.g., keeping you logged in)
  • Analytics cookies: Help us understand site traffic and usage patterns (e.g., Google Analytics)
  • Preference cookies: Remember your settings and choices

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect how some parts of the site work. Most browsers also allow you to see what cookies are set and delete them individually.

6. How Long We Keep Your Information

We keep your information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy:

  • Newsletter subscriber data: Retained while you remain subscribed. Deleted within 30 days of unsubscribing upon request.
  • Account data: Retained while your account is active. Deleted within 30 days of account closure upon request.
  • Business listing data: Retained while your listing is active or your account exists. You can delete your listing at any time.
  • Payment records: Retained for 7 years as required by Canadian tax law.
  • Analytics data: Retained in aggregated, anonymized form indefinitely; individual-level data deleted after 26 months.

7. Your Privacy Rights

As someone whose information we hold, you have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
  • Correction: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
  • Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
  • Withdrawal of consent: Unsubscribe from our newsletter or close your account at any time
  • Portability: Request your data in a common electronic format

To exercise any of these rights, contact us through the Contact page at onlyinhamilton.ca. We will respond within 30 days. If you are a Quebec resident, you have additional rights under Law 25, including the right to be informed of automated decision-making and to request that decisions affecting you be reviewed by a person.

8. How We Protect Your Information

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. This includes:

  • Using HTTPS encryption on our website
  • Storing passwords in hashed (non-readable) form
  • Limiting access to personal data to team members who need it to do their jobs
  • Using reputable, security-conscious third-party platforms

No system is perfectly secure. If you have concerns about a specific interaction or suspect your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

9. Links to Other Websites

Our newsletter and website contain links to local business websites, event pages, news sources, and other external sites. This Privacy Policy applies only to our Services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of websites we link to, and we encourage you to review their policies before sharing personal information with them.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Services are not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. If we make significant changes, we’ll notify subscribers by email and post an updated version on our website with a new effective date. Your continued use of our Services after the update means you accept the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please reach out through the Contact page.

We’re a small local team and we take privacy concerns seriously. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can, and no later than 30 days after receiving your request.

The Hammer — onlyinhamilton.ca 🔨