Privacy Policy & Terms

Effective date: May 30, 2026  ·  Last updated: May 30, 2026

Overview

This website, lading.hatchlabs.tech (the “Site”, and together with the document-submission, identity-verification, signing, and delivery functions made available through it, the “Service”), is owned and operated by 9518-2663 Québec Inc., a corporation governed by the Business Corporations Act (Québec), CQLR c. S-31.1, doing business as Hatch Labs Inc. (with its parent and affiliated entities, “Hatch”, “we”, “us” or “our”).

Hatch lets importers, exporters, and their agents submit the documents tied to an incoming or outgoing shipment — by photographing the documents, verifying their identity, paying a flat per-shipment fee, and signing electronically — so that the User’s designated recipient (the “Client”) receives them in a single dashboard.

Hatch is a document-submission and delivery technology platform. Hatch is not a customs broker, freight forwarder, carrier, customs agent, lender, or legal, trade, or compliance advisor, and it does not provide customs clearance, freight, or regulatory-compliance services.

This document governs your use of the Site and Service and explains how Hatch handles personal information. It is divided into Part A (Terms and Conditions) and Part B (Privacy Policy).

Language / Langue

The parties have expressly agreed that this document be drawn up in English. Les parties ont expressément convenu que le présent document soit rédigé en anglais. A French-language version is available on request; where required by the Charter of the French Language (CQLR c. C-11), the French version prevails to the extent of any discrepancy.

Part A — Terms and Conditions

A1. Acceptance

By accessing or using the Site or Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, by the Privacy Policy in Part B, and — where you submit a shipment’s documents — by the consents described in this document. If you do not agree, do not use the Site or Service.

A2. Nature of the Service; no brokerage or advice

Hatch transmits the documents you submit to the Client you designate. Hatch does not independently verify the accuracy, authenticity, completeness, or legal sufficiency of the contents of those documents, and does not guarantee that any shipment will clear customs or satisfy any regulatory requirement. Hatch is not a customs broker, freight forwarder, carrier, lender, or legal or trade advisor. You remain solely responsible for the accuracy, legality, and completeness of the documents you submit and for compliance with all laws applicable to your shipment.

A3. Eligibility and authority

You represent that you (i) are at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts; (ii) where you submit documents on behalf of a business or another person, are authorized to act for that business or person; and (iii) are authorized to submit the relevant documents and to direct their delivery to the designated Client.

A4. Acceptable use

You agree not to:

• use the Site or Service in violation of any applicable law, including customs, trade, sanctions, and export-control laws;
• submit any document that you are not authorized to submit, or that is false, altered, fraudulent, or unlawful;
• reverse engineer, decompile, scrape, or extract data or content by automated means, except for ordinary search-engine indexing;
• interfere with or disrupt the integrity, security, or performance of the Site or Service, including by introducing malware or attempting unauthorized access;
• misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person;
• harvest personal information of third parties; or
• use the Site or Service for the benefit of any sanctioned person or prohibited destination.

A5. Fees and payment

The Service is offered on a flat per-shipment basis. The current fee is USD 150 per shipment, payable at the time of submission, unless a different fee is displayed to you before you submit. Fees are stated exclusive of applicable taxes, which will be added where required by law. By submitting a shipment, you authorize us and our payment-processing service provider to charge the applicable fee to your selected payment method. Except as required by law or as otherwise stated at the point of sale, fees are non-refundable once a submission has been processed and delivered to the Client. We may change our fees prospectively, with the change applying to submissions made after it takes effect.

A6. Your documents and content

As between you and Hatch, you retain all rights in the documents, images, signatures, and other content you submit (“User Content”). You grant Hatch a limited, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to host, store, process, reproduce, transmit, and deliver your User Content solely as necessary to provide the Service — including delivering it to your designated Client, performing identity verification and signing, maintaining audit trails, and complying with law. You represent and warrant that you have all rights and authorizations necessary to submit your User Content and to direct its delivery to the Client.

A7. Intellectual property

All content on the Site — including text, design, graphics, logos, the names “Hatch” and “Hatch Labs”, and the underlying software — is owned by or licensed to Hatch and protected by applicable intellectual-property laws. You are granted a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use the Site and Service for their intended purpose. This section does not affect your rights in your own User Content under Section A6.

A8. Third-party service providers

The Service relies on, and the Site may link to or integrate with, third parties (each a “Service Provider”), including identity-verification and KYC providers, electronic-signature providers, payment processors, and cloud-hosting providers. We are not responsible for the content, practices, or privacy policies of Service Providers, and your use of them is subject to their own terms.

A9. Disclaimer of warranties

THE SITE AND SERVICE ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HATCH DISCLAIMS ALL REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, AND CONDITIONS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. We do not warrant that the Site or Service will be uninterrupted or error-free, or that any document will be accepted by any Client, authority, or counterparty.

Nothing in these Terms limits any non-excludable rights you may have under the Consumer Protection Act (Québec), CQLR c. P-40.1, or comparable consumer-protection legislation that applies to you.

A10. Limitation of liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HATCH AND ITS AFFILIATES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES — INCLUDING LOST PROFITS OR THE DELAY, REFUSAL, OR DETENTION OF ANY SHIPMENT — ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE SITE OR SERVICE. OUR AGGREGATE LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (i) THE TOTAL FEES YOU PAID FOR THE SHIPMENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM AND (ii) ONE HUNDRED CANADIAN DOLLARS (CA$100), EXCEPT WHERE SUCH LIMITATION IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.

This limitation does not apply to (i) damages resulting from our gross or intentional fault as interpreted under article 1474 of the Civil Code of Québec, or (ii) any liability that cannot be excluded under applicable consumer-protection legislation.

A11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Hatch and its affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any claim, loss, damage, liability, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of your breach of these Terms, your misuse of the Service, the content or accuracy of any document you submit, your lack of authority to submit a document or direct its delivery, or your violation of any law or third-party right.

A12. Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Québec and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. The courts of the judicial district of Montréal shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute, except where exclusive jurisdiction is conferred elsewhere by law (including under article 3149 of the Civil Code of Québec for consumer matters). The parties shall first attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute by negotiation before commencing proceedings.

A13. Changes to the Service and these Terms

We may modify the Service and these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date and post the revised Terms on the Site. Your continued use of the Site or Service after the changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the modifications.

A14. General

• Entire agreement. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any order or fee terms presented at submission, constitute the entire agreement between you and Hatch regarding the Site and Service.
• Severability. If any provision is held invalid or unenforceable, the remainder shall remain in full force.
• Assignment. You may not assign these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign or transfer them in connection with a merger, financing, or sale of all or substantially all of our business or assets.
• Notices. Notices to us may be sent to legal@hatchlabs.tech or to our head office; notices to you may be sent to the email or address you provide.
• Force majeure. We are not liable for any failure or delay caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including government or customs action, port closure, or third-party service interruption.
• No waiver. No failure or delay in exercising any right operates as a waiver of it.

Part B — Privacy Policy

B1. Overview and scope

This Privacy Policy describes how Hatch collects, uses, communicates, and protects personal information in the course of providing the Service. “Personal information” has the meaning given in the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, CQLR c. P-39.1 (as modernized by Law 25, the “Québec Privacy Act”), and means any information that relates to a natural person and directly or indirectly allows that person to be identified. This Policy is also intended to comply with the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”).

This Policy applies to Users who submit documents through the Service and to natural persons whose personal information appears in submitted documents. It applies to personal information of natural persons and not to information about businesses, except where such information also identifies a natural person.

B2. Person in charge of personal information (Privacy Officer)

In accordance with section 3.1 of the Québec Privacy Act, Hatch has designated a person in charge of the protection of personal information (the “Privacy Officer”), whose title and contact information are published below. The Privacy Officer oversees compliance with this Policy and applicable privacy law and handles access, rectification, and complaint requests.

B3. Personal information we collect

We collect only the personal information necessary for the purposes identified in this Policy.

(a) Information you provide.

• Identification: your full name and, for identity verification, your date of birth and the details shown on your identity document;
• Contact: business or personal address, email, and telephone numbers;
• Identity documents: images of government-issued photo ID (driver’s licence, passport, provincial ID) captured for identity verification;
• Submission data: the shipment documents you upload (which may contain personal information of consignors, consignees, agents, or others), the identity of the Client you designate, and your electronic signature;
• Payment data: billing details and payment-method information (processed by our payment Service Provider; we do not store full card numbers).

(b) Information collected automatically (with consent where required).

• IP address and approximate location; device and browser type; operating system; language settings; pages viewed; links clicked; session duration; and referring URL.

(c) Information from third parties.

• Identity-verification / KYC providers; sanctions, watchlist, and politically-exposed-person screening providers; and payment processors.

(d) Biometric information (where applicable).

If your identity verification includes a facial check, we collect biometric information — a live image (or short video) of your face and a digital representation (template) extracted from it — for comparison against your identity document. The collection, use, and retention of biometric information is governed by sections 44 and 45 of the Act to establish a legal framework for information technology, CQLR c. C-1.1, and by your express consent.

B4. How we collect

We collect personal information by fair and lawful means and primarily from you, and from the identity-verification, screening, and payment providers described above. In accordance with section 8 of the Québec Privacy Act, when we collect personal information from you we inform you of the purposes and means of collection, your rights of access and rectification, your right to withdraw consent, and — where applicable — the possibility that the information may be communicated outside Québec.

B5. Why we collect it (purposes)

We collect, use, and communicate personal information for the following purposes:

• verifying the identity of the person submitting documents;
• receiving, processing, signing, storing, and delivering shipment documents to the Client you designate;
• processing your payment of the applicable fee;
• conducting fraud and sanctions/watchlist screening to keep submissions traceable and trusted;
• securing your account and maintaining the audit trail for each submission;
• communicating with you about your submissions or the Service, and (with consent) sending product updates;
• maintaining records and complying with legal obligations, including, where applicable, anti-money-laundering and trade-control requirements.

We use personal information only for these purposes or as otherwise permitted by law (section 12 of the Québec Privacy Act). We do not sell or rent your personal information.

B6. Consent and your choices

In accordance with section 14 of the Québec Privacy Act, consent must be clear, free, and informed, and given for specific purposes in clear and simple language. Sensitive information — including biometric information and identity-document images — requires express consent. Where identity verification includes a facial biometric check, the use of biometric technology is offered with a reasonable non-biometric alternative on request, in keeping with the Act to establish a legal framework for information technology.

If you submit documents that contain personal information about another individual, you confirm that you are authorized to do so and to direct their delivery to the Client. You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting the Privacy Officer; withdrawing consent may prevent us from providing certain features. In limited circumstances permitted or required by law, we may collect, use, or disclose personal information without consent (for example, to prevent or detect fraud or to comply with a legal requirement).

B7. Cookies and similar tracking technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies, managed through a consent-management platform, to operate and secure the Site, analyze its performance, and — with your consent — measure effectiveness. Strictly necessary cookies (session, security, and consent-state) are always active. Technologies that allow you to be identified, located, or profiled are deactivated by default and are activated only after you give affirmative consent through our cookie banner; you can change your choices at any time via the “Cookie Settings” link in the Site footer. Consistent with section 8.1 of the Québec Privacy Act, we inform you of the use of such technologies and the means available to activate or deactivate them.

A current list of cookies in use, their purposes, providers, and retention periods is available through the “Cookie Settings” link.

B8. Automated decision-making

We may use automated processing for identity-match scoring and fraud screening. Where a decision about you is based exclusively on automated processing, we will comply with section 12.1 of the Québec Privacy Act — informing you of the decision and, on request, of the personal information used, the principal factors and parameters involved, and your right to have that information corrected, and giving you the opportunity to submit observations to a member of our personnel able to review the decision.

B9. Disclosure of personal information and service providers

We may communicate personal information to:

• The Client you designate, who receives the documents and submission details you direct to them — this is the core purpose of the Service;
• Service providers (mandataries) acting on our behalf under written agreements requiring confidentiality and use limited to the mandate, in accordance with section 18.3 of the Québec Privacy Act — including identity verification / KYC, electronic signing, payment processing, hosting, and support;
• Public authorities, regulators, and law enforcement, where required or permitted by law; and
• Successors or assignees in connection with a merger, financing, or sale of all or part of our business or assets, subject to the safeguards in section 18.4 of the Québec Privacy Act.

We do not sell or rent personal information.

B10. Cross-border transfers

Hatch serves importers and exporters worldwide. Some of our service providers — and Clients to whom you direct documents — are located outside Québec, including elsewhere in Canada, in the United States, and in the European Union. Before communicating personal information outside Québec, we conduct a privacy impact assessment in accordance with section 17 of the Québec Privacy Act, considering the sensitivity of the information, the purposes of the communication, the contractual and other protections applied, and the legal framework of the destination jurisdiction. We rely on written agreements and recognized transfer mechanisms (such as Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy/equivalency findings). Information transferred abroad may be subject to lawful access by authorities in those jurisdictions.

B11. Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes identified, or as required by law, after which we destroy or anonymize it in accordance with section 23 of the Québec Privacy Act:

• Submission and delivery records (including the audit trail of uploads, verifications, and signatures): retained for [INSERT PERIOD — e.g., 7 years] following the submission, or longer where required by law;
• Identity-verification records: retained as necessary to evidence verification and comply with law;
• Biometric templates: destroyed promptly after successful identity verification, and in no case retained longer than necessary for that purpose (section 44 of the Act to establish a legal framework for information technology);
• Payment records: retained as required by tax and accounting law;
• Site analytics and cookie data: as set out in the Cookie Policy (Section B7).

B12. How we protect personal information

We implement reasonable physical, administrative, and technical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information (section 10 of the Québec Privacy Act), including TLS 1.3 encryption in transit, AES-256 encryption at rest, role-based access controls, logging, audit trails on each upload, verification, and signature, continuous monitoring, vendor due diligence, and confidentiality undertakings by personnel. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

B13. Confidentiality incidents

In accordance with sections 3.5 to 3.8 of the Québec Privacy Act, we maintain a register of confidentiality incidents and take reasonable measures to reduce the risk of injury and prevent recurrence. Where an incident presents a risk of serious injury, we promptly notify the Commission d’accès à l’information (the “CAI”) and the affected individuals, and we may notify any person or body able to reduce the risk.

B14. Your rights

Subject to applicable legal restrictions, you have the right to:

• Access your personal information held by us and obtain a copy (section 27);
• Rectification of inaccurate, incomplete, or equivocal information (section 28);
• Withdraw consent to the use or communication of your information (section 14);
• Data portability — to receive the computerized personal information you provided in a structured, commonly used technological format, and to have it communicated to a person or body authorized by law to collect it (section 27);
• De-indexation / cessation of dissemination in the circumstances set out in section 28.1; and
• Be informed about any decision based exclusively on automated processing (section 12.1).

To exercise these rights, send a written request to the Privacy Officer. We respond within 30 days of receipt (section 32). We may require verification of your identity. Access is free, although a reasonable charge may apply for transcription, reproduction, or transmission (section 33). If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may complain to the CAI (cai.gouv.qc.ca) if you are a Québec resident, to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (1-800-282-1376; priv.gc.ca) for other Canadian residents, or to your applicable provincial or foreign regulator.

B15. Minors

The Service is intended for business and trade users and is not directed to children. In accordance with section 4.1 of the Québec Privacy Act, we do not knowingly collect personal information from a minor under 14 years of age without the consent of the person having parental authority or the tutor. You must be at least 18 years of age to transact with us.

B16. International visitors (EU/EEA/UK)

For Users in the European Union, the European Economic Area, or the United Kingdom, we process personal information on lawful bases, including your consent, the performance of a contract (processing and delivering your submission), our legitimate interests (fraud prevention and Service security), and compliance with legal obligations. You have the rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, and objection under the EU/UK GDPR, and may lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority. International transfers are protected by Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent safeguards.

B17. Modifications

We may amend this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or the law. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date above. Material changes will be communicated by reasonable means, which may include a banner on the Site or in-application notice.

B18. Contact

This document has been reviewed against the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (CQLR c. P-39.1, “Law 25”), the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (S.C. 2000, c. 5), the Act to establish a legal framework for information technology (CQLR c. C-1.1, ss. 44–45, biometrics), the Charter of the French Language (CQLR c. C-11), Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (S.C. 2010, c. 23), and — for international visitors — the EU/UK GDPR, in each case as in force on the Effective Date. It is provided for general information and does not constitute legal advice.