Citadel Mortgages recognizes the importance of safeguarding your privacy and the information collected from our clients. This privacy statement covers the scope of usage of this website and also details the information collected from you. This policy states how the information gathered is used and how you can manage it.

Information Gathered

To process your requests and transactions, we gather specific personal details from you when you register or sign up for any service. This information may be used to contact you directly when required. However, in most cases, it will be reserved for administrative purposes so that we can review these details to provide you with more efficient services.

We respect the privacy of all our clients and assure that all the personal information collected is kept completely secure. We do not sell, trade, rent, transfer, or exchange your information with any third-party vendor or affiliate. The information gathered will be released only if it is deemed necessary by law. We may, in order to provide a more secure service, exchange your personal information with individual trusted companies and organizations for fraud protection and for ensuring a safer transaction gateway.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies to track your personal preferences when you browse our site. A cookie is a small packet of data sent to your browser from a web server. It is stored on your hard drive and can be recalled to allow easy and quick access to the website upon return. Details such as your contact information, username, and password are usually stored in cookies for easy retrieval.

If you do not wish to keep a log of your information, you can configure your browser to reject all cookies or to notify you whether to accept a cookie or not. Disabling the cookies may reduce the functionality of certain aspects of our website. To find out more about enabling and disabling cookies, please check the Help section of your browser.

Log Files

Our servers keep a log of your IP address to monitor user movement and determine site traffic statistics. This helps us analyze our main clientele and configure our website to serve you better. IP addresses are in no way linked to your personal information and will be kept strictly confidential at all times.

External Links

Our website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy and security practices of such sites. We advise you to exercise your discretion when dealing with such third-party vendors.

Subscription Services

Our site has various subscription services for which you can register to receive periodic emails to the account you specified. If at any time you wish to unsubscribe from a particular service, please send us an email at our support address or click on the Unsubscribe link provided at the end of each mail.

Changes in Privacy Policy

In the event of us changing or amending the Privacy Policy, the same will be posted on this page. If we decide to use your personal information in any other manner than specified in this policy, you will be notified via email. You will have the option of opting out of such use of your personal information.

Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

We comply with the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), which sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and spells out penalties for violations.

We collect your email address to:

– Send information, respond to inquiries, and/or other requests or questions.

– Process orders and send information and updates pertaining to orders.

– Send you additional information related to your product and/or service.

– Market to our mailing list or continue to send emails to our clients after the original transaction has occurred.

To be in accordance with CASL, we agree to the following:

– NOT use false or misleading subjects or email addresses.

– Identify the message as an advertisement in some reasonable way.

– Include the physical address of our business or site headquarters.

– Monitor third-party email marketing services for compliance if one is used.

– Honor opt-out/unsubscribe requests quickly.

– Allow users to unsubscribe by using the link at the bottom of each email.

If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, you can email us at

– Follow the instructions at the bottom of each email.

– And we will promptly remove you from ALL correspondence.

Contacting Us ( How to Contact Us)

Anytime one of our mortgage brokers calls you or you call into our company, the call may be recorded for support and training purposes.

If you have any questions or comments about this privacy policy or your dealings with us, you can use the contact us page to reach out to us.

Any complaints you would like to file must be submitted using our contact us page. Once received, a member of our leadership team will reach out to address any concerns.

As Permitted or Required by Law

Citadel Mortgages may disclose information when compelled in response to a law, regulation, court order, subpoena, valid demand, search warrant, government investigation, or other legally valid request or inquiry. We may also disclose information to our accountants, auditors, agents, and lawyers in connection with the enforcement or protection of our legal rights. We also reserve the right to report to law enforcement agencies any activities that we, in good faith, believe to be unlawful, or to law enforcement and emergency services providers in an emergency or where required or permitted by law. We may release certain personal information when we have reasonable grounds to believe that such release is reasonably necessary to protect the rights, property, and safety of others and ourselves, in accordance with or as authorized by law.

Business Transactions

We may disclose personal information to a third party in connection with a sale or transfer of business or assets, an amalgamation, re-organization, or financing of parts of our business. However, in the event the transaction is completed, your personal information will remain protected by applicable privacy laws. In the event the transaction is not completed, we will require the other party not to use or disclose your personal information in any manner whatsoever and to completely delete such information.

Other Types of Sharing

We may also disclose our customers’ personal information to an individual who, in the reasonable judgment of Citadel Mortgages, is acting on behalf of the individual in question, such as through a power of attorney. For information on how you can limit the type of information that we collect, use, or share about you when you visit and/or use our website, please refer to the Website section of this Privacy Policy.

Business Analytics

We may share aggregated customer and/or website user information with our partners or entities within the Citadel Mortgages group. This information does not allow identifying individual customers or users and is only used to provide our partners a better understanding of the general profile of customers of our products and/or services and users of our website, trends in the industry, or similar type of information. We do not link aggregate user data with personal information.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics, which allows us to see information on user website activities, including but not limited to page views, source, and time spent on our website. This information is depersonalized and is displayed as numbers, meaning that it cannot be tracked back to individuals. You may opt-out of our use of Google Analytics by visiting the Google Analytics opt-out page.

Google AdWords

We use Google AdWords Remarketing to advertise Citadel Mortgages across the Internet and to advertise on third-party websites (including Google) to previous visitors to our websites. AdWords remarketing will display ads to you based on what parts of the website you have viewed by placing a cookie on your web browser. It could mean that we advertise to previous visitors who haven’t completed a task on our site or this could be in the form of an advertisement on the Google search results page or a site in the Google Display Network. This cookie does not in any way identify you or give access to your computer or mobile device. The cookie is only used to indicate to other websites that you have visited a particular page on our website, so that they may show you ads relating to that page. If you do not wish to participate in our Google AdWords Remarketing, you can opt out by visiting Google’s Ads Preferences Manager.

Third Party Advertising

We may use third-party advertising companies to collect data and/or serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information about your visits to our website and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you, at all times, in compliance with applicable privacy laws. These companies may also use other types of technologies to recognize your computer or device and/or to collect and record information about your web surfing activity, including your activities on or off this website. Please keep in mind that your web browser may not permit you to block the use of these non-cookie technologies, and those browser settings that block cookies may have no effect on such techniques. You can also generally opt out of receiving personalized ads from third-party advertisers and ad networks who are members of the Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada. Please visit the DAAC opt-out page for more information, including if you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies at: http://youradchoices.ca

Privacy Policies of Third Parties

This Privacy Policy only addresses the use and disclosure of information by Citadel Mortgages. Other websites that may be accessible through Citadel Mortgages websites have their own privacy policies and data collection, use, and disclosure practices. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the privacy statements provided by all third parties prior to providing them with information or taking advantage of an offer or promotion.

Mobile App Data Collection

In the event that you download and/or use any of our applications, we may require and collect, directly from you, information necessary to authenticate you. We may also record your IP geolocation, allowing us to block access when the user is outside of Canada. When you register on certain apps, you may be required to agree that we may send you notifications regarding your property evaluation, credit score, or general information by electronic messaging on a periodic basis. If you no longer want to receive any notifications, you can unsubscribe at any time.

Quality and Access Rights

Citadel Mortgages strives to ensure that customers’ personal information is as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is used. Citadel Mortgages provides customer access to their personal information. Customers may correct or amend any inaccuracies in their personal information by contacting us using the contact information detailed in the section How to Contact Us of this Privacy Policy. Citadel Mortgages has the right to refuse a request for access to personal information if the information is protected by legal privilege, granting access would reveal confidential commercial information, the information was collected for purposes related to the detection and prevention of fraud, the information was generated in the course of a formal dispute resolution process, the information would likely reveal personal information about another individual, the request is vexatious or frivolous, or any other reason as authorized under applicable laws.

Personal Information Outside of Canada

In some cases, personal information that we manage may be transferred, processed, and stored outside Canada, and therefore may be available to government authorities under lawful orders and laws applicable there.

Terms of Use

About these Terms of Use
Last updated: May 31st, 2023

We are Citadel Mortgages, incorporated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Office Locations

Head Office: 150 King Street West, 2nd Floor, Suite 335, Toronto, ON M5H 1J9
Alberta Office: 421 7th Avenue S.W., 30th Floor, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 4K9
Nova Scotia Office: 1701 Hollis Street, Suite 800, Halifax, NS B3J 3M8
Saskatchewan Office: 2010 – 11th Avenue, 7th Floor, Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 0J3
Newfoundland Office: 1 Church Hill, Suite 201-522, St. John’s, Newfoundland A1C 3Z7
New Brunswick Office: 500 St George Street, Moncton, NB, E1C 1Y3
British Columbia Office: 4170 Still Creek Drive, Suite 200, Burnaby, BC V5C 6C6
Montreal Office: 1155 Rue Metcalfe, #1500, Montreal, QC H3B 2V6

Citadel Mortgages is licensed in the following jurisdictions: Ontario (FSRA 12993), Saskatchewan (FCAA 509446), Nova Scotia (2021-3000010), Alberta, PEI, Nunavut, Newfoundland (21-07-CI083-1), New Brunswick (210031130), BCFSA (X301267), Quebec AMF (3003071684).

These Terms of Use apply to the use of this website, regardless of how you access it. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before you proceed.

We may, at any time and without notice, terminate your access to or use of this website. If we do so, you do not have the right to bring any claim or claims against us.

Consent to Terms of Use

By using this website, you agree to these Terms of Use.

If you do not agree to these Terms of Use, please do not use this website. These Terms of Use were last updated on the date shown at the top. We may change these Terms of Use at any time by posting an updated version on our website, so you may wish to check it before using this website. You may only use this website for lawful purposes.

Copyright Notice

Unless we expressly state otherwise, the copyright and any other intellectual property rights, including but not limited to design rights, trademarks, and patents appearing anywhere on this website remain our property, whether owned by or licensed to us.

You may not use any of the material on this website without our prior written permission for your own commercial purposes, whether by reproducing, copying, downloading, printing, linking to, editing, broadcasting, distributing, or otherwise. You may use it for your own personal non-commercial use.

Disclaimer

Accessing or using this website or its content in any way is done entirely at your own risk. You will be responsible for any loss or damage to any computer, device, software, systems, or data resulting directly or indirectly from the use or inability to use this website or its content.

We are under no obligation to provide uninterrupted access to this website. We reserve the right to restrict your access to this website at any time and for any reason.

We do not guarantee that the contents of this website will be free of errors, bugs, worms, trojans, or viruses, or otherwise make any representations as to the quality, accuracy, or completeness of the content available on the website, including but not limited to any price quotes, stock availability data, or non-fraudulent representations. You are responsible for maintaining appropriate software on your computer or device to protect you from any such errors, bugs, worms, trojans, or viruses.

To the fullest extent permissible by law, we exclude any and all liability to you resulting from your use of the website or connected to these Terms of Use. This exclusion includes but is not limited to any type of damages, loss of data, income or profit, or loss or damage to property belonging to you or third parties arising from the use of this website or its contents.

Nothing in these Terms of Use is intended to limit our liability to you for death or personal injury resulting from our negligence or that of our employees or agents.

Citadel Mortgages Social Awareness Program Disclaimer

Citadel Mortgages believes in supporting our communities and offers the Citadel Mortgages Social Awareness Program. This program allows Citadel Mortgages to provide our clients with the opportunity to:

– Plant a tree in any name given
– Offer a donation to a charity listed on the form within the closing documents for your mortgage

There is no cost or obligation to the client to take part in this offer. Citadel Mortgages offers a list of charities they support and have vetted. Although there is a section to recommend a charity of choice for our clients, Citadel Mortgages is under no obligation to support any charity named by any clients. If Citadel Mortgages onboard a new charity, a proper vetting process will be used for all recommendations. Additionally, there is no set time frame or obligation to support or donate to any charity of recommendation. Citadel Mortgages has the final decision on all charities provided on the list or recommendations.

Citadel Mortgages does not and cannot guarantee that funds will be used in a manner consistent with any such preference. Citadel Mortgages is not responsible for or will be held liable for the ultimate handling of such preferences. Any client who participates in this program hereby acknowledges that taking part in the Citadel Mortgages Social Awareness Program of a Donation’s use is merely an expression of preference and does not give rise to any contractual obligations. Citadel Mortgages reserves the right in its sole discretion to make the final decision for any charity it donates to regardless of the client’s recommendation.

Links to Third-Party Websites

This website may provide links to websites or other online resources under the control of third parties. Any such links are provided solely for your convenience. We have no control over the contents of these third-party resources. We are not responsible for the contents of any linked websites and do not endorse them in any way.

You can only link to our website with prior written permission from us. We reserve the right to withdraw any such permission at any time.

Privacy Policy

We take your privacy and the protection of your data very seriously. We may gather and/or use certain information about you in accordance with our privacy policy. Please see our separate privacy policy for more information.

Entire Agreement

These Terms of Use are the entire agreement between us and you and supersede any and all prior terms, conditions, warranties, or representations to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Applicable Law

This Agreement shall be governed by the law of Ontario, and courts of Ontario will have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to these Terms of Use.

Price Privileges™ Fuel Discount Cards

Price Privileges™ fuel discount cards give you cents-per-litre savings on fuel at Canada’s largest retail fuel network of approximately 2,000 Esso™ and Mobil™ stations. Fuel discount cards are not gift cards and will not cover the entire fuel purchase amount.

For more information, visit [giftcards.esso.ca/price-privileges](https://giftcards.esso.ca/price-privileges).

Esso and Price Privileges are trademarks of Imperial Oil Limited. Imperial Oil, licensee. Mobil and Speedpass+ are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. Imperial Oil, licensee. For terms and conditions, visit giftcards.esso.ca/terms

Important Notice Regarding Mortgage Quotes and Financing Commitments

Please be advised that any rate provided by our mortgage agents, brokers, associates, sub-mortgage brokers, or mortgage associate brokers at any stage of the mortgage process is solely a quote and does not represent a commitment of financing. It is important to understand that a deal is considered live and binding only when our clients receive a broker complete notification from their respective mortgage agent, broker, associate, sub-mortgage broker, or mortgage associate broker.

Therefore, Citadel Mortgages, along with our team of mortgage professionals, cannot be held responsible or liable for any financing or rates provided under these terms. It is crucial to acknowledge and understand this distinction.

Please be aware that all terms and conditions are subject to change at any time. We recommend reviewing the most up-to-date terms and conditions relevant to your mortgage agreement.

By reading this statement or receiving this statement, you indicate your consent and agreement to the above terms and conditions.

Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to assist you throughout your mortgage journey.

Mortgage Fraud Policy

At Citadel Mortgages, we are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards and providing honest and reliable services to our clients. We strictly prohibit any involvement in mortgage fraud and ensure that none of our agents engage in such activities. This policy outlines our stance against mortgage fraud and provides a mechanism for reporting any suspicious activities.

Mortgage Fraud Prevention

1. Agent Training: We provide comprehensive training to our agents on the importance of maintaining integrity, ethical conduct, and compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. Our agents are educated about the risks and consequences of mortgage fraud and are strictly instructed not to participate in any fraudulent activities.

2. Due Diligence: We conduct thorough background checks on all our employees and agents before hiring them to ensure their integrity and trustworthiness. We also implement internal controls and audits to detect and prevent fraudulent activities.

3. Compliance with Laws: We strictly adhere to all applicable laws and regulations related to mortgage lending and fraud prevention. Our policies and procedures are designed to ensure compliance and protect our clients’ interests.

Reporting Mortgage Fraud

If at any time you, as our valued client, are approached or asked by one of our agents to participate in any fraudulent activities related to mortgages, we strongly encourage you to report it immediately. We take all reports of potential mortgage fraud seriously and will thoroughly investigate each case.

To report mortgage fraud, please follow these steps:

1. Gather Evidence: Collect any evidence or documentation related to the suspicious activity. This may include emails, text messages, documents, or any other relevant information.

2. Contact Support: Please go to our contact us page and fill out the form with a detailed description of the incident and attach any evidence you have gathered. Please include the date, time, and names of individuals involved, if known. Your report will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

3. Investigation and Action: Upon receiving your report, we will initiate a thorough investigation into the matter. Our dedicated team will review the evidence and take appropriate action based on the findings. If necessary, we will involve law enforcement authorities and cooperate fully in their investigation.

Non-Retaliation Policy

We have a strict non-retaliation policy to protect clients who report potential mortgage fraud. We will not tolerate any form of retaliation against individuals who make good faith reports. If you believe you have experienced any form of retaliation as a result of reporting mortgage fraud, please inform us immediately so that appropriate action can be taken.

Conclusion

At Citadel Mortgages, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. We have implemented robust policies and procedures to prevent mortgage fraud and ensure a secure and trustworthy lending environment for our clients. Your trust and confidence in our services are of utmost importance to us, and we encourage you to report any suspicious activities promptly. Together, we can work towards a mortgage industry free from fraud and deception.

Travel Incentive Terms

Please review our partners’ terms for this program here: https://travelsavings.ca/citadellive-3156-6765

Regulation Requirements Regarding Your Mortgage Application

We are regulated by government bodies and are subject to the terms they mandate to us to hold our licensing. As per their requirements, we must retain all files as stated below:

To collect, use, retain, and disclose your personal information for six (6) years following the later of:

a) The date of your latest application with us, or

b) The date on which the loans or mortgages we have arranged for you have expired or been terminated.

We are required to inquire about and receive your personal information from consumer reporting agencies, credit bureaus, real estate appraisers, your bank(s) or other financial institutions with whom you deal, your past mortgage brokers, your present and past employers, and other third parties who may have information about your financial status. 

This is a government requirement. For more information, please see the requirement from MBLAA https://bit.ly/49JX0ib

How to Obtain the Best Mortgage Rates on Our Site

To understand the process for obtaining the best mortgage rates listed on our website, it’s important to know how we operate. Citadel Mortgages is a national brokerage with over 27 awards and features in the Financial and National Post. We have a robust process to ensure the rates quoted to you are ones you are approved for.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Complete a Full Application: You must go through a full application and supply all required documents. This is essential for us to underwrite your file and provide approved rate quotes.

2. Document Requirements: We will require more documents than your bank because our lenders have never done business with you and do not have access to your banking profile, income, and down payment sources. This is why additional documentation is necessary.

Other brokerages or banks might provide you with a “pre-approval” or rate quote with limited or no documents to try and earn your business. At Citadel Mortgages, we operate ethically and do not engage in such practices. Many Canadians have experienced issues with closing their mortgage or having their financing pulled at the last minute due to these tactics by other brokerages and banks. We fully underwrite your file upfront to avoid these situations as much as possible.

However, it’s important to note that even with our thorough underwriting, if any information is withheld or found to be untrue in the application, the lender has the right to pull financing. Full disclosure to your mortgage broker is crucial.

We understand that our process entails a lot of documents, and it may not be suitable for everyone. You have the right to choose not to work with us, just as we have the right to choose not to work with you as a client.

Please allow us to help you by providing all the required documents when requested.

FINTRAC Compliance: Identity Verification and Anti-Money Laundering Requirements for Mortgage and Insurance Brokerages

Legal Disclaimer

As of October 11, 2024, all mortgage and insurance brokerages in Canada must comply with the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA), as enforced by FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada). These regulations are aimed at preventing money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes. As part of this compliance, brokerages are required to implement specific measures to verify client identities and monitor financial transactions.

Key Requirements:

1. Identity Verification:

   • Brokerages must verify the identity of all clients through approved verification processes, including online tools like Veriff, to ensure compliance with FINTRAC regulations.
   • The verification must occur before entering into any business relationship, such as mortgage approvals or insurance policy issuance.
   • This applies to both individuals and entities (such as corporations and trusts).

2. Record Keeping:

   • Brokerages must maintain detailed records of client identification, including documents used for verification, for a minimum of five years after the termination of the business relationship.
   • Information must be kept secure and made available to FINTRAC upon request.

3. Monitoring and Reporting:

   • Brokerages are required to continuously monitor transactions for suspicious activity and report any transactions that appear unusual, especially those involving large sums or high-risk clients.
   • Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) must be submitted to FINTRAC promptly upon detection of unusual or suspicious behavior.
   • Large cash transactions (above $10,000) must be reported to FINTRAC.

4. Compliance Program:

   • Brokerages must establish and implement a full compliance program that includes a risk assessment, written policies and procedures, regular employee training, and appointment of a compliance officer responsible for overseeing compliance with FINTRAC regulations.
   • Brokerages must also conduct regular reviews of their compliance program to ensure its effectiveness.

5. Penalties for Non-Compliance:

   • Non-compliance with FINTRAC’s regulations may result in severe penalties, including fines, sanctions, or loss of brokerage licenses. In cases of deliberate non-compliance or failure to prevent money laundering, criminal charges may apply.

These measures are critical for maintaining the integrity of Canada’s financial systems and for ensuring that mortgage and insurance brokerages adhere to international standards in preventing financial crime.

For more information on FINTRAC requirements and compliance, please refer to FINTRAC’s official website.