Legal

Cookie Policy

Ontario Directory

Last updated: April 25, 2026

This Cookie Policy explains how Ontario Directory uses cookies and similar technologies when you visit or use our website, directory, account features, listing tools, review features, contact forms, newsletters, and related services.

This Cookie Policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

By using Ontario Directory, you acknowledge that we may use cookies and similar technologies as described in this Cookie Policy. Where required by applicable law, we will ask for your consent before using certain non-essential cookies.

1. Who We Are

Ontario Directory is a local business directory and discovery platform that helps users find, compare, shortlist, and learn about businesses and services in Ontario.

In this Cookie Policy:

"Ontario Directory," "we," "us," or "our" means Ontario Directory and its owners, operators, representatives, contractors, service providers, and affiliates.
"Platform" means our website, directory, business listings, account features, review tools, contact forms, newsletters, and related services.
"You" or "your" means any visitor, user, business owner, business representative, or other person who accesses or uses the Platform.

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your browser, computer, phone, tablet, or other device when you visit a website.

Cookies help websites remember information about your visit, such as your login session, preferences, security settings, saved choices, and how you interact with the site.

Cookies can be set by the website you are visiting or by third-party service providers used by that website.

3. Similar Technologies

In addition to cookies, we may use similar technologies, including:

pixels or tracking tags, which help measure email or website interactions;
local storage, which stores information in your browser;
session storage, which stores information temporarily during your visit;
log files, which record technical events and site activity;
device identifiers, which help recognize browsers or devices;
analytics scripts, which help us understand how the Platform is used.

In this Cookie Policy, we refer to cookies and similar technologies together as "cookies" unless the context requires otherwise.

4. Why We Use Cookies

We may use cookies to:

operate the Platform;
keep you signed in;
protect accounts and listings;
remember your preferences;
save searches, comparisons, or shortlisted businesses;
improve search and directory functionality;
understand how visitors use Ontario Directory;
measure website performance;
troubleshoot errors;
prevent fraud, spam, bots, scraping, and abuse;
support contact forms, listing submissions, and account features;
improve user experience;
measure newsletter or email engagement;
support advertising or remarketing, if used in the future.

5. Types of Cookies We Use

5.1 Essential Cookies

Essential cookies are necessary for the Platform to work properly.

These cookies may be used to:

load website pages;
keep you logged in;
maintain secure sessions;
process forms;
remember privacy or cookie choices;
prevent fraud, spam, bots, and abuse;
protect account and listing management features;
balance traffic and maintain site performance.

Because these cookies are required for the Platform to function, they generally cannot be turned off through our cookie tools. You may block them through your browser settings, but some parts of the Platform may not work properly.

Examples of essential cookie uses include login authentication, security protection, saved session state, and cookie consent preferences.

5.2 Preference Cookies

Preference cookies help remember choices you make so the Platform can provide a more personalized experience.

These cookies may remember:

selected city or region;
saved search preferences;
preferred categories;
display preferences;
language or accessibility preferences;
recently viewed listings;
comparison or shortlist preferences.

If you disable preference cookies, some convenience features may not work as expected.

5.3 Analytics Cookies

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use Ontario Directory.

These cookies may collect information such as:

pages visited;
time spent on pages;
search queries;
clicks and interactions;
referral pages;
browser type;
device type;
approximate location;
error events;
feature usage;
popular categories, cities, or listings.

We use analytics information to improve the Platform, understand user needs, fix problems, improve design, and measure performance.

Analytics cookies may be set by us or by third-party analytics providers.

Where required, we will obtain consent before using non-essential analytics cookies.

5.4 Security and Fraud Prevention Cookies

Security cookies help protect Ontario Directory, users, business listings, reviews, and accounts.

These cookies may be used to:

detect suspicious activity;
prevent unauthorized access;
reduce spam;
identify bots or automated abuse;
prevent scraping or misuse;
protect forms and login systems;
investigate security incidents.

These cookies may be considered essential where they are necessary to protect the Platform.

5.5 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies support enhanced features on the Platform.

These may help with:

saved businesses;
saved comparisons;
recently viewed listings;
business claim workflows;
listing submission forms;
review submission forms;
support chat or contact forms, if used;
remembering partially completed form inputs.

If these cookies are disabled, some interactive features may be limited.

5.6 Advertising and Remarketing Cookies

Ontario Directory may use advertising or remarketing cookies in the future to promote our services, measure advertising performance, or show relevant ads.

These cookies may be used to:

understand whether users interact with ads;
measure the effectiveness of campaigns;
limit repeated ads;
show relevant promotions;
support sponsored or featured listing campaigns;
build general audience segments.

If we use advertising or remarketing cookies, they may be set by third-party advertising platforms.

Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before using advertising or remarketing cookies.

If Ontario Directory does not currently use advertising or remarketing cookies, this section describes possible future use. We will update this Cookie Policy and our cookie settings if our practices materially change.

5.7 Email and Newsletter Tracking Technologies

If you subscribe to emails, newsletters, or updates, we may use tracking technologies to understand whether emails are delivered, opened, clicked, or unsubscribed from.

This helps us:

manage email delivery;
understand which content is useful;
improve communications;
maintain unsubscribe records;
comply with email marketing rules;
reduce spam or abuse.

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails using the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us.

Service-related emails, such as account notices, listing verification emails, security alerts, billing notices, or legal updates, may still be sent even if you unsubscribe from marketing emails.

6. First-Party and Third-Party Cookies

6.1 First-Party Cookies

First-party cookies are set directly by Ontario Directory.

We may use first-party cookies to support login, preferences, saved features, security, analytics, and site performance.

6.2 Third-Party Cookies

Third-party cookies are set by service providers or external tools that help us operate, secure, analyze, improve, or promote the Platform.

Third-party providers may include:

hosting and infrastructure providers;
analytics providers;
security and fraud prevention tools;
email marketing providers;
customer support tools;
payment processors;
map or location tools;
embedded content providers;
advertising or remarketing platforms, if used.

Third-party cookies are controlled by those third parties and may be subject to their own privacy policies and cookie policies.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or services.

7. Specific Tools We May Use

Ontario Directory uses third-party tools to help operate, secure, measure, and improve the Platform. Based on the current Platform configuration, examples include:

Provider	Purpose	Cookie Type
Clerk	Authentication, account sessions, sign-in, and account security.	Essential / Security
Vercel Analytics	Website analytics and usage measurement.	Analytics
Google Ads / Google Tag	Advertising measurement, conversion tracking, and remarketing support where applicable.	Marketing / Analytics

We may also use or add tools over time for services such as hosting, error monitoring, email delivery, form handling, payment processing, spam prevention, security protection, or map and location features. If our cookie practices materially change, we will update this Cookie Policy.

8. Cookie Duration

8.1 Session Cookies

Session cookies are temporary. They usually expire when you close your browser.

They may be used for login sessions, security, navigation, form completion, and temporary preferences.

8.2 Persistent Cookies

Persistent cookies remain on your device after you close your browser. They stay until they expire or until you delete them.

They may be used to remember preferences, saved choices, analytics identifiers, consent settings, or login-related settings.

The exact duration depends on the type of cookie and the provider that sets it.

9. Cookie Consent and Choices

Where required by applicable law, we will request your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device.

Essential cookies may be used without consent where they are necessary to provide the Platform or protect its security.

You may be able to manage cookie choices through:

our cookie banner or cookie settings tool, if available;
your browser settings;
your device settings;
third-party opt-out tools;
unsubscribe links in marketing emails.

If we provide a cookie settings tool, you may use it to accept, reject, or manage certain categories of cookies.

Your choices may need to be saved using an essential cookie. If you delete cookies or use a different device or browser, you may need to set your preferences again.

10. Managing Cookies in Your Browser

Most browsers allow you to control cookies through settings.

You may be able to:

block all cookies;
block third-party cookies;
delete existing cookies;
clear cookies when you close your browser;
receive alerts before cookies are stored;
manage site-specific cookie permissions.

Browser controls are usually found in the privacy or security settings of your browser.

If you block or delete cookies, some parts of Ontario Directory may not work properly. For example, you may not be able to stay signed in, save comparisons, submit listings, claim businesses, remember preferences, or use certain interactive features.

11. Analytics Choices

If we use analytics providers, those providers may offer their own opt-out tools or privacy settings.

You may also limit analytics cookies by:

rejecting analytics cookies in our cookie banner, if available;
blocking cookies through your browser;
using privacy-focused browser settings;
using third-party analytics opt-out tools, where available.

Analytics settings may not prevent all technical logging that is necessary for security, troubleshooting, or site operation.

12. Advertising Choices

If Ontario Directory uses advertising or remarketing cookies, you may be able to manage advertising preferences through:

our cookie settings tool, if available;
your browser settings;
advertising platform settings;
device advertising settings;
industry opt-out tools.

Rejecting advertising cookies does not necessarily mean you will stop seeing ads. It may mean ads are less personalized or that ad performance is measured differently.

13. Do Not Track and Browser Signals

Some browsers provide "Do Not Track" or similar signals.

Because there is not always a common standard for responding to these signals, Ontario Directory may not respond to all browser-based tracking signals.

Where legally required or where supported by our tools, we will honour applicable consent preferences or opt-out mechanisms.

14. Personal Information and Cookies

Some cookies may collect or be linked to information that could be considered personal information, such as IP addresses, device identifiers, account identifiers, or online activity.

We handle personal information collected through cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

For more information about how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information, please review our Privacy Policy.

15. Cross-Border Processing

Some cookie-related information may be processed by service providers outside Ontario or outside Canada, including in the United States or other jurisdictions.

When information is processed outside Canada, it may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction, including lawful access by courts, law enforcement, regulators, or government authorities.

For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.

16. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices, technologies, service providers, legal requirements, or Platform features.

When we update this Cookie Policy, we will change the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

If we make material changes, we may provide additional notice, such as through the Platform, a cookie banner, email, or account notice where appropriate.

Your continued use of Ontario Directory after changes are posted means you accept the updated Cookie Policy.

17. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Cookie Policy or how Ontario Directory uses cookies and similar technologies, contact Ontario Directory through our and address your request to the Privacy Officer.

Website: https://ontariodirectory.com

Related Policies

Additional policies may apply to specific Platform features or services and are incorporated by reference where applicable.

Privacy Policy for information about how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information.
Terms and Conditions for information about use of the Platform, listings, reviews, and related legal terms.