Privacy Policy

Last Updated: November 9, 2026

At Aces and Oak and Biz Collective YYC (“we,” “us,” or “our”), we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy outlines our practices regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and safeguarding of personal information in compliance with Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).

This policy applies to information collected through acesandoak.com, our related event and community web pages, project inquiry forms, vendor applications, consultation bookings, and direct business interactions.

1. Scope & Relationship Between Brands

Aces and Oak operates as a visual production and social strategy agency, and manages the Biz Collective YYC community initiative. By submitting inquiries, subscribing to updates, or registering for events across either brand’s platforms, you acknowledge that personal information collected may be shared internally between Aces and Oak and Biz Collective YYC to coordinate services, manage vendor logistics, and deliver community programming.

2. Information We Collect

A. Information You Voluntarily Provide

We collect personal information that you intentionally submit to us through web forms, consultation scheduling, contract onboarding, vendor applications, or event sign-ups. This includes:

  • Contact Details: First and last name, email address, phone number, and physical mailing address (where applicable).

  • Business & Brand Information: Business name, website URL, industry sector, and social media handles (e.g., Instagram, LinkedIn).

  • Project & Event Details: Project scopes, creative briefs, production budgets, event participation details, and any notes provided in free-form inquiry fields.

  • Payment Information: For service retainers, production deposits, event tickets, or vendor booth fees, payment transactions are handled through secure third-party payment gateways (such as Stripe). We do not store complete credit card numbers or banking credentials on our systems.

B. Information Collected Automatically

Our website is hosted on Squarespace. When you access and navigate our website, Squarespace and associated analytics tools automatically collect standard device and technical information, including:

  • IP address and generalized geographic location (city and country level)

  • Browser type, device category, and operating system

  • Referral URLs and navigation paths

  • Time spent on pages, click actions, and interaction timestamps

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website utilizes cookies and similar tracking mechanisms provided by Squarespace to ensure platform security, support site navigation, and measure performance:

  • Functional and Required Cookies: Essential for Squarespace to securely render web pages, maintain active sessions, and protect against malicious traffic.

  • Analytics and Performance Cookies: Non-essential cookies that collect aggregated, anonymized metrics on site traffic, popular content, and user pathways.

You may adjust your internet browser settings at any time to decline or remove cookies. Doing so will not prevent you from using our site, though certain interactive elements or media embeds may load with reduced functionality.

4. Purposes for Collecting and Using Information

We collect and process personal information strictly for reasonable business purposes, including:

  • Responding to project inquiries, assessing fit, and preparing for discovery or consultation calls.

  • Drafting proposals, executing client service agreements, and delivering visual media production and social media management services.

  • Reviewing vendor applications and coordinating logistical details for Biz Collective YYC markets, and networking events.

  • Distributing news, service offerings, and community announcements where authorized.

  • Maintaining internal administrative records, tax documentation, and client communication histories.

  • Monitoring and improving the speed, visual layout, and usability of our website.

We do not sell, rent, lease, or trade personal contact lists or client data to third parties.

5. Consent and Electronic Communications

We collect, use, and disclose personal information only with your consent, which may be express (e.g., ticking an opt-in box on a sign-up form) or implied where permitted under PIPA and CASL (such as when you initiate an inquiry regarding our production services).

In accordance with Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL):

  • Submitting a project inquiry or consultation request establishes an inquiry relationship, allowing us to send relevant operational follow-ups regarding your request.

  • General marketing emails, creative updates, and promotional Biz Collective event announcements are sent based on express consent or verifiable existing business relationships.

  • You may revoke your consent to receive non-transactional marketing emails at any time by selecting the "Unsubscribe" link contained in any marketing email or by sending a direct written request to Aces and Oak.

6. Disclosure to Third-Party Service Providers

We disclose personal information to external service providers only to the extent necessary to support our agency operations, host our platforms, process transactions, and facilitate communications. These providers are bound by contractual confidentiality terms and are prohibited from using your data for independent purposes.

7. Storage and Processing Outside Canada

Some of our primary technology and platform service providers, including Squarespace (website hosting and forms), Google Workspace (email, document management, and cloud storage), and Stripe (payment processing), are headquartered and maintain servers outside of Canada, primarily in the United States.

Pursuant to Section 13.1 of Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA):

  • Jurisdictional Transfer: Personal information collected by us may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States and other international jurisdictions where these third-party providers or their sub-processors operate facilities.

  • Foreign Law Enforcement Access: When personal information is held in a foreign country, it is subject to the laws of that jurisdiction. In certain circumstances, courts, regulatory bodies, and national security or law enforcement authorities in those countries may be entitled to access your personal information under lawful orders or foreign legal process.

  • Inquiries Regarding Foreign Processing: Questions regarding our policies and practices with respect to service providers outside Canada may be directed to our designated Privacy Officer using the contact details provided in Section 11.

8. Data Security and Safeguards

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information to protect personal data against loss, theft, unauthorized access, copying, disclosure, or alteration. These measures include restricted-access cloud folder structures, two-factor authentication on core administrative accounts, and encrypted data transfer protocols across our website.

While we take every reasonable measure to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet or cloud storage network can be guaranteed as completely secure.

9. Retention of Personal Information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the operational, commercial, and legal purposes for which it was originally collected, including the satisfaction of statutory accounting, tax, and legal requirements. When records are no longer required, they are securely destroyed, deleted from active databases, or fully anonymized.

10. Individual Access, Correction, and Rights

Under Alberta PIPA and applicable Canadian privacy legislation, you have the right to:

  • Request access to the personal information about you that is currently in our custody or control.

  • Inquire about the ways in which your personal information has been used or disclosed.

  • Request corrections to inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal information.

  • Request the removal of your personal information from our ongoing marketing databases (subject to legal or contractual document retention obligations).

All formal access or correction requests must be submitted in writing to our Privacy Officer. We will respond within thirty (30) days or provide written notice if an extension is permitted under Alberta law.

11. Policy Updates

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy to reflect evolving privacy practices, statutory amendments, or changes to our internal operations. Any revisions will be published directly to this page with an updated "Last Updated" date at the top.

12. Contact Information

To submit an access request, exercise your privacy rights, address concerns about our handling of your data, or inquire about our foreign service providers, please contact:

Aces and Oak

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Email: hello@acesandoak.com

Website: acesandoak.com