Cookie Policy

Last Updated: June 29, 2026

1. Introduction

Scotia Connect operates the website scotiaconnext.com and is committed to being transparent about the technologies we use to deliver our services, improve your experience, and understand how our website is used. This Cookie Policy forms part of our broader Privacy Policy and should be read in conjunction with it.

This policy applies to all visitors, users, and others who access our website from Canada or anywhere in the world. We follow Canadian privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy laws, as well as international best practices informed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or our data practices, please contact us using the details provided at the end of this document.

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, tablet, or other internet-connected device when you visit a website. They are widely used by website owners to make websites work more efficiently, to provide functionality, and to collect information about how visitors use the site.

Cookies are sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit, or to another website that recognizes that cookie. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognize a user's device and remember information between pages or between visits.

2.1 How Cookies Work

When you first visit scotiaconnext.com, our server sends a small cookie file to your browser. Your browser stores this file and sends it back to our server each time you visit. This process allows us to:

  • Keep you signed in during a session
  • Remember your preferences and settings
  • Understand how you navigate and use our website
  • Deliver relevant content and advertisements
  • Improve our website's overall performance and user experience

2.2 Similar Technologies

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

  • Web Beacons (Pixel Tags): Tiny invisible images embedded in web pages or emails that track whether a page was viewed or an email was opened.
  • Local Storage: A browser-based mechanism that allows websites to store data locally on your device.
  • Session Storage: Temporary storage that is cleared when you close your browser tab or window.
  • Fingerprinting: A technique that collects browser and device characteristics to identify users.

All references to "cookies" in this policy include these similar technologies unless otherwise stated.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

We use four main categories of cookies on our website. Below is a detailed description of each type:

3.1 Strictly Necessary (Essential) Cookies

These cookies are essential for the proper functioning of our website. Without them, certain features of the website cannot be provided. They do not collect any personally identifiable information about you and cannot be disabled through our cookie management tools. These cookies are set in response to actions made by you, such as logging in or filling in forms.

Examples of use: Maintaining your session, remembering items in a shopping cart, ensuring secure login processes, load balancing.

3.2 Analytics and Performance Cookies

These cookies collect information about how visitors use our website. All data collected is aggregated and therefore anonymous. They help us understand which pages are the most and least popular, see how visitors move around the site, and identify errors. This information helps us improve the way our website works.

Examples of use: Counting the number of visitors, tracking how users arrived at our site, measuring page load times, recording which links were clicked.

3.3 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies allow our website to remember choices you make (such as your preferred language, region, or other settings) and provide enhanced, more personalized features. These cookies may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

Examples of use: Remembering language preferences, storing user interface customizations, enabling social media sharing features.

3.4 Advertising and Targeting Cookies

These cookies are used to deliver advertisements that are more relevant to you and your interests. They may also be used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement and help measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. They are usually placed by advertising networks with our permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organizations, such as advertisers.

Examples of use: Retargeting ads across the web, measuring the effectiveness of ad campaigns, tracking conversions from online ads.

4. Specific Cookies Used on scotiaconnext.com

The table below provides detailed information about the specific cookies that may be placed on your device when you visit our website. Please note that the list may be updated from time to time as we add or remove third-party services.

Cookie Name Provider Purpose Type Duration
_session_id scotiaconnext.com Maintains your active session while browsing the website, ensuring continuity between pages. Essential Session (deleted when browser is closed)
cookie_consent scotiaconnext.com Stores your cookie consent preferences so you are not asked again on subsequent visits. Essential 12 months
csrf_token scotiaconnext.com A security cookie that helps prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks on form submissions. Essential Session
_ga Google Analytics The main Google Analytics cookie. Used to distinguish unique users by assigning a randomly generated number as a client identifier. Collects information on the number of times a user has visited the website, dates of first and most recent visits, and page navigation patterns. Analytics 2 years
_gid Google Analytics Used to distinguish users. Stores and updates a unique value for each page visited. Helps Google Analytics report on website activity and user behavior within a single day. Analytics 24 hours
_gat Google Analytics Used to throttle request rate — limiting data collection on high-traffic websites. This cookie helps ensure the performance and speed of Google Analytics data collection. Analytics 1 minute
_gcl_au Google Ads (Google LLC) Used by Google AdSense for experimenting with advertisement efficiency across websites using their services. Stores and tracks conversions from Google Ads campaigns, linking ad clicks to actions performed on our website. Advertising 90 days
_fbp Facebook (Meta Platforms, Inc.) Used by Meta to deliver a series of advertisement products, such as real-time bidding from third-party advertisers. Tracks visits across websites to deliver targeted Facebook and Instagram advertisements. Advertising 90 days
fr Facebook (Meta Platforms, Inc.) Used by Facebook to deliver, measure, and improve the relevancy of ads. Contains a unique browser and user ID combination used for targeted advertising. Advertising 90 days
lang scotiaconnext.com Stores your preferred language setting to display content in the language of your choice on return visits. Functional 12 months
user_prefs scotiaconnext.com Remembers your personalization preferences such as display settings and layout choices to provide a more customized experience. Functional 6 months
NID Google LLC Registers a unique ID that identifies a returning user's device. The ID is used for targeted ads and to remember user preferences and other information. Advertising 6 months

5. Third-Party Cookies and Services

In addition to our own cookies, we use a number of third-party services that may place cookies on your device. These include:

5.1 Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to analyze how visitors use our website. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect standard internet log information and visitor behavior information in an anonymous form. This information is processed by Google to compile statistical reports on website activity. We use these reports to improve our website and better understand our audience.

Google's use of your data is governed by the Google Privacy Policy.

5.2 Google Ads

We may use Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) to advertise on Google's network. Google Ads uses cookies to track conversions (actions taken on our website after clicking an ad) and to serve remarketing ads to users who have previously visited our site.

5.3 Facebook / Meta Pixel

We may use the Facebook Pixel, a tool provided by Meta Platforms, Inc., to measure the effectiveness of our advertising by understanding the actions people take on our website. This may also be used to create custom audiences for targeted advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Meta's data practices are governed by the Meta Privacy Policy.

6. Legal Basis for Using Cookies in Canada

Under Canadian privacy law, specifically PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act), we are required to obtain meaningful consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information through cookies, except where essential cookies are used solely to enable a service you have requested.

We rely on the following bases for our cookie use:

  • Consent: For analytics, functional, and advertising cookies, we rely on your explicit consent provided through our cookie banner when you first visit the site.
  • Legitimate Interest / Service Delivery: For strictly necessary cookies, these are required to provide the service you have requested and do not require separate consent.

You may withdraw your consent at any time by adjusting your cookie preferences or browser settings, as described in Section 7 below.

7. How to Manage and Disable Cookies

You have the right to decide whether to accept or decline cookies (except strictly necessary cookies). You can manage your cookie preferences in several ways:

7.1 Our Cookie Consent Tool

When you first visit scotiaconnext.com, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner that allows you to accept or decline different categories of cookies. You can update your preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link available in the footer of our website.

7.2 Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to manage cookies through your browser settings. You can set your browser to refuse all or some cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. The following links provide instructions for managing cookies in popular browsers:

7.3 Third-Party Opt-Out Tools

You can opt out of interest-based advertising from specific third-party providers using the following tools:

  • Google Analytics Opt-Out: Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on to prevent your data from being collected by Google Analytics across all websites.
  • Google Ads Personalization: Manage or opt out of personalized Google advertising through Google Ad Settings.
  • Facebook / Meta Ad Preferences: Manage your Facebook advertising preferences through Facebook Ad Preferences.
  • Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada (DAAC): Opt out of interest-based advertising from participating companies through the DAAC Opt-Out Tool.
  • Network Advertising Initiative (NAI): Use the NAI Opt-Out Tool to opt out of targeted advertising from NAI member companies.
  • Your Online Choices (Europe): For additional options, visit Your Online Choices.

8. Impact of Disabling Cookies

While you have the right to disable or restrict cookies, please be aware that doing so may affect your experience on our website. The following table summarizes the potential impact of disabling each cookie category:

Cookie Type Impact of Disabling
Essential Cookies Cannot be disabled. Our website may not function correctly without these cookies. Core features such as login, forms, and secure transactions rely on these cookies.
Analytics Cookies We will not be able to track your visit or improve our website based on your behavior. Your experience on the website will not be directly affected, but we lose the ability to optimize our content for users like you.
Functional Cookies Your preferences (such as language, region, or display settings) will not be remembered between sessions. You may need to re-enter preferences on each visit.
Advertising Cookies You will still see advertisements, but they will be less relevant to your interests. You may see the same ads repeatedly. Our ability to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns will be limited.

9. Cookies and Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly use cookies to collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately using the details below and we will take prompt steps to delete that information.

10. Updates to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the cookies and technologies we use, legal requirements, or other operational reasons. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy. If we make significant changes, we may also notify you through a prominent notice on our website or through other appropriate communication channels.

We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about our use of cookies. Your continued use of scotiaconnext.com after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of those changes, to the extent permitted by applicable Canadian law.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies and similar technologies, please do not hesitate to contact us. Under PIPEDA, you have the right to access personal information we hold about you, request corrections, and withdraw your consent to our use of certain cookies.

Contact Information – Scotia Connect

We will endeavor to respond to all legitimate inquiries within 30 days of receipt, in accordance with the timelines required by PIPEDA. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC):

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
  • Website: www.priv.gc.ca
  • Toll-Free: 1-800-282-1376
  • Address: 30 Victoria Street, Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 1H3

This Cookie Policy was last reviewed and updated on June 29, 2026 and is effective as of that date. It is governed by the laws of Canada, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation.