Privacy Policy

Last Updated: April, 15, 2021

Houston Realty.ca (“we,” “our,” “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information in accordance with Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), the Real Estate Act of Alberta, and applicable rules and standards of the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) and our local real estate board.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you interact with our brokerage, our agents, and our website.

1. What Information We Collect

We may collect personal information that is reasonably necessary to provide real estate and property management services, including but not limited to:

Contact information (name, phone number, email address, mailing address)
Identification documents (government-issued ID, as required under RECA/FINTRAC compliance)
Financial information (income details, credit information, mortgage pre-approvals, rent payment details, etc.)
Property-related information (ownership details, rental agreements, transaction history)
Client communications and preferences

2. Purpose of Collection

We collect personal information for purposes including:

Facilitating real estate transactions (buying, selling, leasing, or managing property)
Verifying identity as required by law (e.g., FINTRAC anti-money laundering requirements)
Conducting credit or reference checks (for rental or property management purposes, where authorized)
Communicating with clients about listings, offers, agreements, and services
Meeting regulatory and compliance obligations under RECA, PIPA, and other applicable legislation
Providing ongoing client service and maintaining accurate records

3. Consent

By providing your personal information, you consent to its collection, use, and disclosure as outlined in this Privacy Policy.

You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
In certain cases, PIPA allows us to collect, use, or disclose personal information without consent (e.g., legal requirements, investigations, debt collection).

4. Disclosure of Information

We may share your personal information with:

RECA, our local real estate board, or regulatory bodies, as required by law
Financial institutions, mortgage brokers, lawyers, inspectors, or other parties directly involved in your transaction
Third-party service providers (IT support, payment processors, marketing platforms) who assist in delivering services, subject to confidentiality agreements
Law enforcement or government authorities where required by law

We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.

5. Safeguarding Your Information

We take reasonable physical, organizational, and technological measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

Access to personal information is limited to employees, agents, and service providers who require it to perform their duties.
Records are securely stored and retained only as long as necessary to fulfill legal and regulatory requirements (e.g., RECA mandates brokerages retain certain records for a minimum of 3 years).

6. Accuracy & Access

We strive to keep personal information accurate, complete, and up to date.
You have the right to request access to your personal information and to request corrections where appropriate, subject to limited exceptions under PIPA.

Requests can be made in writing to our Privacy Officer (see contact details below).

7. Website & Online Privacy

Our website may collect technical information such as IP addresses, browser type, and cookies for functionality and analytics.
Third-party tools (such as Facebook Pixel or Google Analytics) may be used to improve our marketing and services. These tools may collect information that does not identify you personally but helps us understand user behavior.

8. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests about this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact:

Privacy Officer
Houston Realty.ca
Phone: 403-768-5715

9. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal obligations. Updates will be posted on our website with the effective date.