Last updated February 26, 2026
Cookie Policy
This Cookie Policy explains how Homeowner.ca uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you visit our website (the "Site"). It should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your personal information more broadly.
Homeowner.ca is owned and operated by PointForm, Inc., an Ontario corporation located at 412 Laird Road, Guelph, ON N1G 3X7, Canada.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites function properly, improve user experience, and provide information to site operators.
Cookies may be set by the website you are visiting ("first-party cookies") or by third-party services that the website uses, such as analytics providers or advertising networks ("third-party cookies").
Cookies can be "persistent" (remaining on your device until they expire or you delete them) or "session-based" (deleted automatically when you close your browser).
How We Use Cookies
Homeowner.ca uses a limited number of cookies to operate and improve the Site. We do not use cookies to build individual user profiles or track you across unrelated websites.
Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the Site to function properly. They enable core features and cannot be disabled without affecting your experience.
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookie consent preferences | Homeowner.ca | Remembers your cookie consent choices so you are not asked repeatedly | Persistent (up to 12 months) |
| Session management | Homeowner.ca | Maintains basic site functionality during your visit | Session |
cookieyes-consent | CookieYes | Stores your cookie consent preferences (which categories you accepted or rejected) | 12 months |
__clerk_* | Clerk | Authentication session cookies (only set when you are signed in) | Session |
__client_uat | Clerk | Authentication session timestamp | Session |
Essential cookies do not collect personal information for marketing purposes.
Analytics Cookies
We use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with the Site. This helps us identify which content is most useful, how readers navigate the Site, and where we can improve.
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique visitors to the Site | 2 years |
_ga_* | Google Analytics | Maintains session state | 2 years |
_gid | Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique visitors within a 24-hour period | 24 hours |
_gat | Google Analytics | Throttles request rate to limit data collection on high-traffic pages | 1 minute |
Analytics data is collected in aggregate and anonymized where possible. We use this data to understand overall traffic patterns and content performance — not to identify individual visitors.
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on.
Advertising Cookies
Homeowner.ca uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. AdSense may set cookies on your device to serve ads and measure their performance.
How advertising works on Homeowner.ca:
We use Google Consent Mode v2, which means:
- Before you grant consent: Google AdSense operates in cookieless mode. Ads are served based on the content of the page you are viewing (contextual advertising), not based on your browsing history or personal data. No advertising cookies are set.
- After you grant consent: If you click "Accept All" or enable the "Advertising" category in our consent banner, AdSense may set cookies to serve personalized ads based on your interests and browsing activity across websites that use Google advertising services.
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
Various _gads_* | Google AdSense | Ad serving, frequency capping, and performance measurement | Varies (up to 13 months) |
__gpi | Google AdSense | Stores advertising preferences | 13 months |
IDE | Google DoubleClick | Used by Google to serve targeted ads (only with consent) | 13 months |
You can manage your Google ad personalization preferences at adssettings.google.com.
Note: The specific cookies set by AdSense may change over time. We periodically scan our site using CookieYes to maintain an up-to-date cookie inventory.
Affiliate Tracking Cookies
Homeowner.ca includes affiliate links in our product reviews and recommendations. When you click an affiliate link, the destination merchant or affiliate network may set a cookie on your device to attribute your visit or purchase to Homeowner.ca.
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Various | Amazon Associates | Tracks referrals from affiliate links to Amazon.ca | Typically 24 hours to 90 days |
| Various | Other affiliate networks | Tracks referrals from affiliate links to partner retailers | Varies by network |
Important: Affiliate tracking cookies are set by third parties, not by Homeowner.ca. They are governed by the respective third party's privacy and cookie policies. We do not control these cookies and do not receive personally identifiable information from affiliate partners — only aggregated, anonymized reporting (e.g., number of clicks, conversion rates, total commission earned).
Preference Cookies
These cookies remember choices you make on the Site to provide a more tailored experience.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dismissed notifications | Remembers when you have dismissed a notification or banner so it does not reappear | Persistent (varies) |
| Display preferences | Remembers layout or display choices, if applicable | Persistent (varies) |
Preference cookies do not collect personal information for marketing purposes.
Local Storage
In addition to cookies, Homeowner.ca uses your browser's local storage to remember certain preferences. Local storage works similarly to cookies but is not sent to our servers with each request.
| Item | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
homeowner-theme | Remembers your light or dark mode preference | Until you clear browser data |
Local storage items do not contain personal information and are not used for tracking or analytics.
Cookies We Do Not Use
For clarity, Homeowner.ca does not use:
- Social media tracking cookies. We do not embed social media tracking pixels or widgets that set cookies on your device. If we link to social media platforms, clicking those links takes you to the third party's website, where their own cookie and privacy policies apply.
- Profiling cookies. We do not use cookies to build individual profiles of your interests, preferences, or behaviour for our own marketing purposes. Any ad personalization is managed by Google AdSense and can be controlled through your Google ad settings and our consent banner.
Consent
Where required by applicable Canadian privacy legislation, we obtain your consent before placing non-essential cookies (such as analytics or affiliate tracking cookies) on your device.
When you first visit Homeowner.ca, you may see a cookie consent banner that allows you to accept or manage your cookie preferences. You can change your preferences at any time through your browser settings.
Your consent is not required for essential cookies, as these are necessary for the Site to function properly.
Homeowner.ca uses CookieYes as our Consent Management Platform (CMP). When you first visit the Site, the CookieYes consent banner appears at the bottom of the page. You can:
- Accept All — enables all cookie categories (analytics, advertising, affiliate tracking)
- Reject All — only essential cookies remain active
- Customize — choose which categories to enable or disable
Your preferences are stored in a first-party cookie (cookieyes-consent) for up to 12 months. You can change your preferences at any time by clicking the CookieYes widget icon in the bottom-left corner of the page.
We also use Google Consent Mode v2, which ensures that Google services (Analytics, AdSense) respect your consent choices automatically. When consent is denied, these services operate in a restricted, cookieless mode.
Managing and Deleting Cookies
You have full control over the cookies stored on your device. Most web browsers allow you to:
- View what cookies are currently stored and inspect their details
- Delete individual cookies or clear all cookies at once
- Block third-party cookies while allowing first-party cookies
- Block cookies from specific websites
- Block all cookies entirely
- Automatically delete all cookies when you close your browser
Browser-Specific Instructions
To manage cookies in your browser, refer to the help documentation for your specific browser:
- Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data
- Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
- Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Cookies and site data
For more general information about cookies and how to manage them, visit aboutcookies.org.
Impact of Blocking Cookies
Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may affect your experience on the Site:
- Blocking essential cookies may prevent certain features from working correctly.
- Blocking analytics cookies will not affect your browsing experience but will prevent us from understanding how visitors use the Site.
- Blocking advertising cookies will not prevent ads from appearing, but ads will be contextual (based on page content) rather than personalized.
- Blocking affiliate tracking cookies will not affect your ability to visit retailer websites, but may prevent the retailer from attributing your visit to Homeowner.ca.
Do Not Track
Some web browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that sends a signal to websites indicating that you do not wish to have your online activity tracked. There is currently no universally accepted standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals.
At this time, the Site does not respond to DNT signals. You can manage your tracking preferences through the cookie controls described above and through your browser settings.
Third-Party Cookies and Links
When you click a link on Homeowner.ca that takes you to a third-party website (such as a retailer, manufacturer, or social media platform), that website may set its own cookies on your device. These cookies are governed by the third party's own privacy and cookie policies, not by this Cookie Policy.
We encourage you to review the cookie and privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit through links on the Site.
Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, changes in applicable law, or changes in our practices. When we make changes, the updated policy will be posted on this page.
We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies, please contact us:
PointForm, Inc.
412 Laird Road
Guelph, ON N1G 3X7
Canada
Email: admin@pointform.com
For broader questions about how we handle your personal information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
Need to get in touch?
Have a question about our content, policies, or services? We're here to help.
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