Privacy Policy

1. Introduction and Company Information

NorthStar Language Academy Inc. respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with applicable Canadian privacy laws, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and, where applicable, relevant provincial privacy laws. This Privacy Policy explains how NorthStar Language Academy Inc. collects, uses, discloses, stores, and protects personal information in the course of providing language-academy services, including course registration, student administration, communications, and related support services.

The data controller and organization responsible for the processing of personal information is:

NorthStar Language Academy Inc.
NorthStar Language Academy, 2450 Hemlock Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 1X8, Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (604) 683-9472

2. Data Collection and Processing

NorthStar Language Academy Inc. may collect personal information directly from you, from your authorized representative, or from third parties where permitted by law. The categories of personal information we may collect include:

• Identification details, such as name, date of birth, nationality, and student number;
• Contact information, such as address, email address, and telephone number;
• Registration and enrollment information, including course selection, class schedules, attendance, placement test results, and academic progress;
• Payment and billing information, including transaction records and invoicing details;
• Immigration or visa-related information, where necessary to support enrollment eligibility or required documentation;
• Records of communications with us, including emails, forms, phone calls, and support requests;
• Technical information, such as IP address, device identifiers, browser type, website usage data, and cookies or similar technologies;
• Any other information you voluntarily provide to us in connection with our services.

We may process personal information using paper records, electronic systems, learning management tools, student information systems, payment processors, website analytics tools, and other administrative platforms necessary to operate our business.

3. Purpose of Data Processing

NorthStar Language Academy Inc. processes personal information for legitimate business and operational purposes, including:

• Registering students and managing enrollment;
• Delivering language instruction and related academic services;
• Assessing placement level, attendance, participation, and progress;
• Communicating with students, parents, guardians, agents, and other authorized contacts;
• Processing payments, refunds, invoices, and account administration;
• Providing student support, scheduling, and program coordination;
• Complying with legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, and reporting obligations;
• Maintaining institutional records and quality assurance;
• Protecting the safety, security, and integrity of our students, staff, facilities, and systems;
• Improving our website, services, academic offerings, and operational efficiency;
• Sending service-related notices and, where permitted, promotional communications.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under Canadian privacy law, we generally collect, use, and disclose personal information with your knowledge and consent, except where otherwise permitted or required by law. Depending on the context, NorthStar Language Academy Inc. may process personal information on the basis of:

• Your express or implied consent;
• Performance of a contract or steps taken before entering into a contract, such as enrollment or student services;
• Compliance with legal and regulatory obligations;
• Our legitimate business purposes, provided such purposes are appropriate in the circumstances and not overridden by your rights and interests;
• Protection of vital interests, safety, fraud prevention, or other lawful purposes recognized by applicable law.

Where consent is required, you may be asked to provide it in writing, electronically, or through other clear affirmative actions.

5. Data Sharing and Third Parties

NorthStar Language Academy Inc. may disclose personal information to third parties only as necessary and in accordance with applicable law. These third parties may include:

• Payment processors and financial institutions;
• Cloud hosting, IT support, website, and cybersecurity service providers;
• Learning management system providers and academic software vendors;
• Professional advisers, auditors, insurers, and legal counsel;
• Government authorities, regulators, law enforcement, or courts where required or authorized by law;
• Agents, guardians, sponsors, or emergency contacts designated by the student or permitted by law;
• Service providers supporting communications, customer relationship management, and administrative operations.

All third parties are expected to protect personal information and use it only for the purposes for which it was disclosed, subject to contractual or legal safeguards where appropriate.

6. Data Transfer to Third Countries

Some of our service providers may be located outside Canada, including in jurisdictions such as the United States or other countries where data protection laws may differ from those in Canada. As a result, your personal information may be transferred, stored, or processed outside Canada and may be subject to access by foreign courts, law enforcement, or regulatory authorities.

NorthStar Language Academy Inc. takes reasonable steps to ensure that any cross-border transfers are subject to appropriate contractual, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect your personal information in a manner consistent with applicable Canadian privacy requirements.

7. Storage Duration

NorthStar Language Academy Inc. retains personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with legal and regulatory obligations, to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and applicable legal requirements. For example, student records, financial documents, and communication records may be retained for periods required under tax, accounting, educational, or contractual obligations. When personal information is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymize, or destroy it in accordance with our retention practices.

8. User Rights

Subject to limited exceptions under applicable law, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: to request access to the personal information we hold about you;
• Rectification: to request correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal information;
• Erasure: to request deletion of personal information where permitted by law;
• Restriction: to request limitation of certain processing activities in appropriate circumstances;
• Data portability: to request a copy of certain personal information in a structured and commonly used format, where applicable;
• Objection: to object to certain processing activities, including certain marketing communications or processing based on legitimate interests where applicable.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in the Contact Information section below. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request. We will respond within a reasonable time and in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

9. Withdrawal of Consent

Where we rely on your consent to collect, use, or disclose personal information, you may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal, contractual, or operational restrictions and reasonable notice. Withdrawal of consent may affect our ability to provide certain services, process registrations, or maintain your enrollment.

To withdraw consent, please contact NorthStar Language Academy Inc. at the contact details below. We will explain any consequences of withdrawal and whether alternate lawful grounds permit continued processing.

10. Right to Complain

If you have concerns about how NorthStar Language Academy Inc. handles your personal information, please contact us first so that we may attempt to resolve the issue promptly and fairly.

You may also have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or, where applicable, the relevant provincial privacy commissioner or oversight authority. Contact information for the applicable privacy regulator can be obtained from their official website.

11. Data Security

NorthStar Language Academy Inc. uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, misuse, and destruction. These measures may include access controls, password protection, encryption where appropriate, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and training.

While we take appropriate steps to protect personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a privacy breach affecting personal information, we will respond in accordance with applicable legal obligations, including notification where required.

12. Contact Information

If you have any questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact:

NorthStar Language Academy Inc.
NorthStar Language Academy, 2450 Hemlock Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 1X8, Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (604) 683-9472

13. Changes to Privacy Policy

NorthStar Language Academy Inc. may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. Any revised version will be posted on our website or otherwise made available to you, together with the updated effective date where appropriate.

Your continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes acknowledgement of the updated Privacy Policy to the extent permitted by law. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.