Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Your privacy is important to us at WellCooked.ca. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services.
1. Information We Collect
Personal Information
When you create an account, we may collect:
- Username and email address
- Password (stored in encrypted form only)
- Profile details such as name, photo, and country (optional)
Content You Create
We store the recipes, comments, photos, and other content you voluntarily submit to the platform.
Automatically Collected Information
When you browse WellCooked.ca, we automatically collect:
- IP address and approximate geographic location
- Browser type, device type, and operating system
- Pages visited, time spent, and navigation patterns
- Referring website or search engine
2. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your data based on:
- Consent: When you create an account and agree to our terms
- Legitimate interest: To operate, maintain, and improve our platform
- Legal obligation: When required by Canadian law
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Create and manage your WellCooked account
- Display your published content (recipes, comments, profile) to the community
- Provide bilingual services in English and French
- Send essential service notifications (e.g., password reset)
- Analyze traffic and usage trends to enhance our platform
- Detect and prevent fraud, spam, and security threats
We do not send marketing emails or newsletters unless you explicitly opt in.
4. Information Sharing & Disclosure
We do not sell your personal information. We may share data with:
- Hosting providers: Our servers are hosted in Canada
- Analytics services: To understand site usage (data is anonymized where possible)
- Law enforcement: Only when legally compelled to do so
Your publicly shared content (recipes, comments, username, profile picture) is visible to anyone visiting the site.
5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
We use the following types of cookies:
| Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Session | Keep you logged in | Browser session |
| Language | Remember EN/FR preference | 1 year |
| Analytics | Site usage statistics | 2 years |
You can manage cookie preferences in your browser settings.
6. Data Security
We take the security of your data seriously and employ multiple safeguards:
- SSL/TLS encryption (HTTPS) on all pages
- Secure password storage using cryptographic hashing
- Regular software updates and security patches
- Limited access to personal data by authorized personnel only
While we strive to protect your information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure.
7. Your Privacy Rights
In accordance with Quebec's Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (Law 25) and Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), you have the right to:
- Access your personal data upon request
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your account and data
- Withdraw your consent to data processing
- File a complaint with the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec (CAI)
8. Data Retention
We retain personal data for as long as your account remains active. Upon account deletion:
- Personal identifiers are removed within 30 days
- Published recipes may be retained in anonymized form
- Server backups are purged within 90 days
9. International Users
WellCooked.ca is operated from Canada and intended primarily for Canadian users. If you access our site from outside Canada, your data will be transferred to and processed in Canada, which may have different data protection laws than your country.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may revise this Privacy Policy at any time. The updated version will be indicated by the "Last updated" date at the top. We encourage you to review this page regularly to stay informed about how we protect your data.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us through our Contact page.
Privacy Officer: WellCooked.ca — For privacy-related inquiries, please use our contact form and reference "Privacy Request" in the subject line.