1. Who We Are

Fluent Francais ("we," "us," or "our") is a Canadian language education provider operating in Canada. Our registered business address is in Ontario, Canada. We offer French language courses (A1, A2, B1, B2, and TEF Preparation) delivered through our online student portal.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal information:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, and province/postal code provided during enrollment.
• Payment Information: Credit card details are processed directly by Stripe, Inc. We do not store, transmit, or have access to your full card number. We retain only the last four digits, card type, and transaction reference for billing purposes.
• Usage Data: Lesson completion status, quiz scores, session attendance, and time spent on platform features.
• Device & Technical Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, and cookies (see Cookie Policy below).
• Communications: Emails or messages you send to our support team.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your student account and portal access.
• To process payments and issue receipts via Stripe.
• To deliver course content, track your progress, and issue certificates.
• To send you session reminders, course updates, and relevant communications.
• To respond to support inquiries and resolve disputes.
• To comply with Canadian tax laws (GST/HST/PST/QST reporting obligations).
• To improve our platform through anonymised analytics.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (PIPEDA)

Under PIPEDA, we collect and use your personal information with your knowledge and consent. By enrolling in a course, you consent to the collection and use of your data as described in this policy. You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal and contractual restrictions.

5. Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your data with:

• Stripe, Inc.: To securely process your payment. Stripe's privacy policy is available at stripe.com/privacy.
• Zoom Video Communications: For delivery of live doubt sessions. Governed by Zoom's Privacy Policy.
• Canada Revenue Agency (CRA): As required for GST/HST compliance.
• Law enforcement: Where required by applicable Canadian law or court order.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active and for seven (7) years thereafter, as required by Canadian tax law. Payment transaction records are retained for seven (7) years. You may request deletion of non-legally-required data at any time.

7. Your Rights Under PIPEDA

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Request that inaccurate data be corrected.
• Withdrawal of Consent: Withdraw consent to non-essential data processing.
• Complaint: File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) at priv.gc.ca.

8. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including SSL/TLS encryption, secure server infrastructure, and access controls. All payment processing is handled by Stripe, which is PCI-DSS Level 1 certified — the highest level of security certification available in the payment industry.

9. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Some of our service providers (including Stripe and Zoom) may process data outside Canada. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place consistent with PIPEDA requirements.

10. Contact Our Privacy Officer

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing our website, creating an account, or purchasing a course, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and all applicable Canadian laws. If you do not agree, please do not use our services.

2. Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years of age to purchase a course independently. Students under 18 may enroll with parental or guardian consent.
• You must provide accurate, complete, and current information during enrollment.
• One account per person. You may not share your account credentials with others.

3. Course Access & License

Upon successful payment, you receive a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access the course content. This includes:

• Lifetime access to all recorded video lessons for your enrolled course.
• Access to section quizzes and downloadable worksheets.
• Access to scheduled live doubt sessions for the duration of your active course.
• One digital certificate of completion upon successfully finishing all sections.

Course content is for personal educational use only. You may not resell, redistribute, screen-record, or reproduce any course material without written permission from Fluent Francais.

4. Payment & Pricing

• All prices are listed in Canadian Dollars (CAD) and include applicable taxes where displayed.
• Taxes (GST, HST, PST, or QST) are calculated based on your Canadian province or territory at checkout.
• Payment is processed securely through Stripe. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Interac.
• Discount codes must be applied at checkout and cannot be retroactively applied.
• We reserve the right to change pricing at any time. Price changes will not affect already-completed purchases.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Share your login credentials or course access with any third party.
• Record, copy, or distribute any course video, worksheet, or quiz content.
• Use automated tools or bots to access course content.
• Engage in any conduct that disrupts live sessions or harms other students.
• Misrepresent your identity or enrollment status.

Violation of these terms may result in immediate account termination without refund.

6. Intellectual Property

All course content, including videos, worksheets, quizzes, branding, and website design, is the exclusive intellectual property of Fluent Francais and is protected under Canadian copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited and may result in legal action.

7. Disclaimers

Fluent Francais courses are educational resources designed to support French language learning. We do not guarantee specific exam results (including TEF scores) or immigration outcomes. Results vary depending on individual effort, prior knowledge, and external examination bodies.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by Ontario law, Fluent Francais shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of our platform, including interruptions to course access due to technical issues beyond our reasonable control.

9. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ontario.

10. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated to enrolled students via email at least 14 days before they take effect. Continued use of the platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

11. Contact

1. No-Refund Policy

Due to the nature of our digital course content — which is made available immediately upon payment — Fluent Francais does not offer refunds, chargebacks, or course credits once a purchase has been completed. This applies to:

• All course levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, and TEF Preparation.
• Purchases made at full price or with a discount code.
• Situations where the student has not yet accessed the course material.
• Situations where the student chooses not to continue the course.
• Changes in personal schedule, employment, or life circumstances.
• Dissatisfaction with course content, teaching style, or exam results.

2. Why We Do Not Offer Refunds

Our courses consist of digital content — pre-recorded videos, interactive quizzes, and downloadable PDF worksheets — that are accessible immediately upon enrollment. Under Section 19 of Ontario's Consumer Protection Act, 2002, and consistent with CRTC digital goods regulations, digital products that have been accessed or delivered are exempt from standard cancellation rights.

By proceeding to checkout and completing payment, you explicitly acknowledge that:

• You have reviewed the course description, duration, and included content.
• You waive any right to a cooling-off period under applicable Ontario consumer law, as the digital content is delivered immediately.
• You understand and accept this no-refund policy.

3. Exceptions (Technical Issues Only)

Credit, if issued, will be applied to your account for use toward another course or future enrollment only — it will not be transferred as a cash payment.

4. Chargebacks

Initiating a chargeback or payment dispute with your bank or credit card provider without first contacting Fluent Francais is a violation of these Terms of Service. We will respond to all chargebacks with documentation of the transaction, your acceptance of this no-refund policy, and your course access records. Fraudulent chargebacks may result in permanent account termination and referral for debt recovery.

5. Course Transfers

Course enrollments are non-transferable. You may not transfer your enrollment to another individual, course level, or intake period.

6. Before You Buy — Our Commitment to Transparency

We encourage all prospective students to:

• Take our free placement test to ensure you are enrolling in the correct level.
• Read the full course description and topics covered on our website.
• Contact us at [email protected] with any questions before purchasing.

We are committed to your success and will work with you to ensure you are in the right course before you pay.

7. Contact for Exceptional Circumstances

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences, keep you logged in, and understand how you use the site. Cookies do not contain personally identifiable information on their own.

2. Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies (Always Active)

• ff_session: Keeps you logged in to your student account during a session. Expires when you close your browser.
• ff_cookie_consent: Stores your cookie preference (accepted/declined). Expires after 365 days.
• stripe_mid / stripe_sid: Set by Stripe to prevent fraud during payment processing. These are essential for secure checkout. Stripe's cookie policy: stripe.com/cookies-policy.

Analytics Cookies (Optional — requires consent)

• ff_analytics: Tracks anonymised page views and feature usage to help us improve the platform. No personally identifiable data is collected. Expires after 90 days.

Preference Cookies (Optional)

• ff_lang: Remembers your language preference (English/French). Expires after 30 days.
• ff_currency: Remembers your selected currency display. Expires after 30 days.

3. Third-Party Cookies

We use the following third-party services that may set their own cookies:

• Stripe: Payment processing — essential, cannot be disabled.
• Zoom: Live session delivery — set when you join a Zoom session.

We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any advertising/tracking cookies.

4. Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can manage cookies in several ways:

• Our consent banner: Choose "Accept All" or "Decline" when you first visit our site.
• Browser settings: Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies through their settings menu. Note that blocking essential cookies will affect your ability to log in and complete checkout.
• Contact us: Email [email protected] to update your consent preferences.

5. Compliance

This Cookie Policy complies with Canada's PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) and the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). We do not use cookies for targeted advertising and we do not share cookie data with advertisers.