Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 21, 2026

Melly’s Workplace (“Melly’s,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you visit our website, make a purchase, subscribe to our newsletter, contact us, or engage with our programs, products, or fundraising efforts.

This policy applies to personal information collected through www.mellys.ca, which redirects to our Shopify-powered website, and through related communications and services.

1. Who we are

Melly’s Workplace is a Canadian registered charity and social enterprise café and market located in Whitby, Ontario.

Mailing / business address: 1022 Brock Street South, Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Email: info@mellysworkplace.ca
Phone: (905) 261-6238
CRA charitable registration number: 838081552 RR 0001

2. What personal information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Contact information, such as your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address

• Order information, such as billing address, shipping address, products purchased, and transaction details

• Account information, if you create an account on our website

• Newsletter and marketing information, such as your email address and your marketing preferences

• Donation-related information, where applicable, such as your name, email, mailing address, and donation history

• Technical and usage information, such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed, referring website, and interactions with our website

• Customer service information, including messages you send to us through forms, email, or social media

• Other information you choose to provide to us voluntarily

We do not intentionally collect more personal information than is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

3. How we collect personal information

We collect personal information:

• directly from you when you place an order, fill out a form, subscribe to our newsletter, contact us, or otherwise interact with us

• automatically through cookies and similar technologies when you browse our website

• from service providers that support our website, store, payment processing, email marketing, analytics, and order fulfillment

• from third-party donation platforms when you choose to donate through them, subject to their own terms and privacy practices

4. Why we collect and use personal information

We collect, use, and disclose personal information for purposes such as:

• providing and improving our website, products, and services

• processing and fulfilling orders

• sending order confirmations, shipping updates, and customer service communications

• responding to questions, feedback, and requests

• managing newsletter subscriptions and sending updates, campaigns, and other electronic communications where you have consented or where permitted by law

• understanding how visitors use our website and improving website performance, content, and user experience

• maintaining website security and preventing fraud or misuse

• meeting legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, and record-keeping requirements

• supporting our charitable and operational activities

We will only use personal information for purposes a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

5. Consent

By providing personal information to us, using our website, placing an order, subscribing to our newsletter, or otherwise engaging with us, you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy, unless a different legal basis applies.

You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. Withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide certain products, services, communications, or website features.

For marketing emails, you can withdraw consent at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us using the information above.

6. Email marketing and newsletter subscriptions

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we may send you updates about Melly’s, our programs, fundraising, coffee and product offerings, events, campaigns, and related news.

Where required by law, we will obtain your consent before sending commercial electronic messages. Every marketing email will include an unsubscribe option. You can unsubscribe at any time, and we will process your request in accordance with applicable law.

Transactional messages, such as order confirmations, shipping notices, receipts, or replies to your inquiries, may still be sent where appropriate.

7. Online store, payments, and Shopify

Our online store is hosted on Shopify, which provides the ecommerce platform that allows us to sell products online. As a result, Shopify and its related infrastructure may process personal information needed to operate the store, such as account details, browsing activity, order information, and checkout-related data.

When you make a purchase, payment information is processed by our payment service providers. We do not store your full payment card number on our own systems.

We may also use third-party apps or service providers to support store functions such as email marketing, shipping, customer communications, analytics, subscriptions, and fraud prevention. Those providers may receive personal information only as needed to perform services for us or as otherwise permitted by law.

8. Donations and tax receipts

Some donation pages or campaigns may direct you to a third-party platform, such as CanadaHelps, to complete your donation. If you donate through a third-party platform, your donation, payment, receipting, and related personal information may also be collected, used, and disclosed according to that platform’s own privacy policy, terms, and receipting practices.

Please review the privacy terms of any third-party donation processor before completing your donation.

Where donations are processed through a third-party platform, official donation receipts may be issued by that platform in accordance with its processes and applicable law.

9. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate our website and improve user experience. These technologies may:

• enable essential website functions, including cart and checkout features

• remember preferences and settings

• help us understand traffic and usage patterns

• support analytics, performance monitoring, and marketing activities

• help us measure campaign effectiveness and improve our website

Cookies may be set by us or by service providers such as Shopify, analytics providers, payment processors, embedded content providers, and marketing tools.

Types of cookies and technologies we may use

Essential cookies
These are necessary for the website to function properly, including security, checkout, cart, and account-related features.

Analytics and performance cookies
These help us understand how visitors use the website so we can improve performance and content.

Functional cookies
These remember choices and preferences to improve your browsing experience.

Advertising or marketing cookies
These may be used to deliver or measure relevant marketing and may be set by us or third parties.

You can control cookies through your browser settings and, where available, through our cookie banner or customer privacy preferences. Blocking some cookies may affect website functionality.

10. How we share personal information

We do not sell personal information.

We may share personal information with:

• Shopify and related ecommerce infrastructure providers

• payment processors

• shipping, fulfillment, and delivery partners

• email and marketing service providers

• analytics, website, and technology service providers

• customer support and security service providers

• donation processing platforms, where you choose to donate through them

• professional advisors, auditors, insurers, or legal counsel where necessary

• regulators, law enforcement, or other parties where required or permitted by law

We require service providers to handle personal information appropriately and only for authorized purposes.

11. Cross-border processing

Some of our service providers, including technology platforms and cloud-based tools, may store or process personal information outside your province or outside Canada, including in the United States or other jurisdictions. Where that occurs, personal information may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions and may be accessible to courts, law enforcement, or regulators there.

12. How we protect personal information

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards that are appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information we hold. These measures are designed to help protect against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, modification, or destruction.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. As a result, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

13. Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to satisfy legal, tax, accounting, and operational requirements, and to resolve disputes or enforce agreements.

When personal information is no longer required, we will delete, anonymize, or securely destroy it, subject to applicable retention requirements.

14. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

• request access to personal information we hold about you

• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information

• withdraw consent, where our processing is based on consent

• ask questions or make a complaint about our privacy practices

To make a request, contact us using the contact information listed above. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

15. Third-party websites and services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, or services, including social media platforms and third-party donation processors. We are not responsible for the privacy, security, or content practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review their policies before providing personal information.

16. Children’s privacy

Our website is intended for a general audience. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through the website without appropriate authority or consent where required. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information inappropriately, please contact us.

17. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices, technology, legal requirements, or operations. We will post the updated version on this page and update the “Last updated” date above. Your continued use of the website after changes are posted means you accept the updated policy, to the extent permitted by law.

18. Donations made through our CanadaHelps page are processed by CanadaHelps. Personal information, payment processing, and tax receipting are handled in accordance with CanadaHelps’ terms and privacy practices. Official charitable tax receipts for eligible gifts are issued through the donation platform used.

19. Contact us

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

Melly’s Workplace
1022 Brock Street South
Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Email: info@mellysworkplace.ca
Attention: Privacy Officer