Is the initial consultation really free?

Yes, it is completely free with no commitment. The first consultation lasts about 30 minutes and helps assess your situation and determine if our services truly match your needs.

Do I need AI knowledge to get started?

No prerequisites are needed. We start from where you are. Our training programs are designed for professionals, executives, and anyone looking to get up to speed, regardless of your industry.

Will AI replace our employees?

No. Our approach aims to empower your team, not replace it. AI reduces repetitive, time-consuming tasks to free up time for what matters: higher-value work, creativity, stress reduction, better job satisfaction, and improved work-life balance. It’s also a real advantage for staying competitive in your industry.

How long does the Horizon 360° Program take?

The program unfolds in three complementary stages: a diagnosis of your current situation, a personalized 3-hour training session in person or by video conference, and ongoing support over 2+ months (extendable based on your needs), with biweekly meetings to embed best practices within your team.

Do you only serve the Mauricie region?

No. We are based in Shawinigan, but we support organizations across Quebec. Our in-person training is also available online, and on-site visits are possible across all regions.

How much does AI training for SMBs cost?

Our open enrollment training starts at $36 per participant. Corporate training and the Horizon 360° Program are priced based on group size and level of support needed, and custom services are available upon request. A free consultation helps identify the best option for your situation.

Do you work with businesses of all sizes?

Yes. From solopreneurs to businesses with 100+ employees. Our programs adapt to your size, budget, and industry.

What is the N.O.R.D.™ Method?

The N.O.R.D.™ Method is a quick-reference method developed by Horizon Secure to structure AI prompts. In four parts (Nature of the role, Objective, expected Reasoning, available Data), it helps provide the right information to get relevant results from the very first interactions. It’s a solid foundation for beginners that evolves naturally with practice.

How do I integrate AI into my business in Quebec?

AI adoption should be progressive and organized. Start with a diagnosis of your current situation to identify real opportunities. Involve your team from the start: listen to their needs, concerns, and ideas. Work with professionals for guidance rather than going it alone. And above all, don’t bury your head in the sand: letting every employee use AI without structure exposes your organization to real security, privacy, and quality risks. A structured adoption is the difference between a successful transformation and a source of problems.

Is AI safe for my SMB’s data?

Yes, provided its use is properly managed. At Horizon Secure, security is built into every step of our support process. We train your team on best practices: never sharing confidential data with unapproved tools, respecting Quebec’s Law 25 on personal information protection, and favoring solutions hosted in Quebec when data sovereignty matters. We also offer sovereign AI options on Quebec-based servers, with no dependence on American tech giants.

What is an AI maturity diagnosis?

It’s an on-site assessment of your organization’s current state when it comes to AI. We analyze your processes, tools, team skills, and business goals to identify where AI can genuinely save you time and money. The diagnosis also helps spot adoption barriers and prioritize actions. At Horizon Secure, the diagnosis is the first step of the Horizon 360° Program and can also be performed independently.

Privacy Policy | Horizon Secure

1. Company information and privacy officer

This policy applies to the Horizon Secure website, operated by:

Horizon Secure

Legal name registered with the REQ: Horizon Secure

1250 Av. de la Station, Shawinigan (Quebec) G9N 8K9

NEQ: 2281276966

Privacy Officer (RPRP)

Samuel Bellemare, Founder and CEO

Email: info@horizonsecure.ca

Phone: (819) 489-0828

The Privacy Officer is designated in accordance with Law 25. All requests relating to your personal information should be directed to them.

2. Personal information collected

Horizon Secure collects only the personal information necessary for the purposes declared below. No user account is created on this website.

Data	Source	Required
First and last name	Contact form, discovery call booking, blog comment	Yes
Email address	All forms	Yes
Phone number	Discovery call booking (if phone call)	Depends on meeting format
Subject and message	Contact form	Yes
Date, time and meeting format	Discovery call booking	Yes
Training preferences (workshops, formats, periods, city)	Training pre-registration form	Varies by field
Comment content	Blog comment section	Yes
Navigation data (pseudonymized IP address, browser, pages visited)	Automatic (server logs)	Technical
Interaction data (clicks on the “Google review” and “share a photo” buttons)	Feedback form thank-you screen	No: solely to improve our forms
Feedback form data (satisfaction ratings, recommendation score, strengths, areas for improvement, comments, and, only if you consent, first name, profession, title or role, optional email)	Feedback form (/avis)	No: anonymous by default, unless express consent

We do not collect sensitive information (health data, biometrics, ethnic origin, political opinions, detailed financial information). When your IP address is logged via a form submission, it is pseudonymized by cryptographic hashing before storage. It cannot be used to directly identify you.

3. Purposes of processing

Your information is used exclusively for the following purposes:

✓ Responding to your contact requests: Handling your consultation or information request. Basis: consent (form submission).
✓ Scheduling a discovery call: Creating an appointment at your request, including a confirmation email and a calendar invitation. Basis: pre-contractual measures.
✓ Preparing a quote or commercial proposal: Your contact information is used to prepare and send a proposal. Basis: pre-contractual measures.
✓ Managing training registrations and preferences: Collecting your preferences (workshops, formats, periods) to organize training sessions that match demand. Basis: consent.
✓ Publishing and moderating blog comments: Your name and comment are displayed publicly after moderation. Your email is not displayed and is used for internal management only. Basis: consent.
✓ Collecting and publishing testimonials: The feedback form (/avis) collects your feedback (satisfaction ratings, recommendation score, strengths, areas for improvement, comments) to help us improve our services. Without consent, you remain entirely anonymous. With your express consent (checkbox), your responses (comments, strengths), your first name and your profession may be published on our website as a testimonial to showcase our services. If you provide an optional email, it is used to subscribe you to the newsletter (with double confirmation) or to send you a photo-sharing link. Basis: consent. You may withdraw this consent at any time.
✓ Delivering the N.O.R.D.™ Quick Reference and follow-up communications: Your email address is used to send the requested document and, with your consent, to keep you informed of Horizon Secure updates. Our emails may contain technical indicators (tracking pixel) to measure open and click rates for improvement purposes. This data is aggregated. Compliant with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL, C-28). Basis: express consent.
✓ Website security and operation: Server logs and anti-abuse mechanisms protect the site against technical threats. No behavioral or advertising tracking tools are deployed beyond the audience analytics tool described below (section 5). Basis: legitimate interest (security).

Your information is not used for profiling, resale, or behavioral analysis. Marketing communications are only sent with your express consent.

4. Consent and double confirmation

In accordance with Law 25, your consent must be explicit, freely given, informed, and specific to particular purposes. On this site:

✓ Submitting a form constitutes your consent to the collection of data necessary to process your request.
✓ Subscribing to our newsletter or receiving marketing communications requires express consent (checkbox), followed by double confirmation by email. You receive an email containing a confirmation link. Your subscription is only effective after clicking this link.
✓ You may withdraw your consent to marketing communications at any time via the unsubscribe link in each email.

5. Cookies and third-party services

This website uses cookies and third-party services for its operation.

Consent preference (hs-cookie-consent)

When you interact with the consent banner, your choice is stored in your browser's local storage (localStorage). This mechanism does not transmit any data to Horizon Secure or any third party. It only serves to remember your preference locally. This consent automatically expires after 12 months.

Google Analytics 4 (audience analytics)

This site uses Google Analytics 4 to measure traffic and understand how visitors navigate. GA4 collects anonymized data (pages visited, session duration, device type). No personally identifiable information is collected by this tool.

GA4 is only enabled if you accept analytics cookies through our consent banner. If you decline, no Google Analytics script is loaded. Google Privacy Policy

Google Fonts (typefaces)

The DM Sans, Poppins and JetBrains Mono fonts are loaded from Google's servers. When loading, Google may receive your IP address. Google Fonts does not set advertising tracking cookies. Google Privacy Policy

Google Maps (interactive map)

The contact section embeds a Google Maps map. When the map loads, Google may receive your IP address and navigation data. Google Privacy Policy

YouTube (embedded videos)

Some pages may embed YouTube videos in enhanced privacy mode (youtube-nocookie.com). YouTube may collect technical data when a video is played. Google Privacy Policy

Le Point de Vente (ticketing)

Ticket sales for training sessions are handled by Le Point de Vente (lepointdevente.com), a Quebec-based online ticketing service. Data collected during ticket purchase (name, email, payment information) is processed directly by Le Point de Vente under their own terms. Le Point de Vente Terms

No advertising cookies, no data resale. The audience analytics tool (Google Analytics) is only enabled with your explicit consent. Declining analytics cookies does not affect any website functionality.

6. Retention and destruction of data

Personal information is only retained for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

Category	Retention period
Contact request or booking with no commercial follow-up	12 months after last exchange
Data related to a contract, mandate or training	7 years (tax and legal obligations)
Newsletter or N.O.R.D.™ quick reference subscription	Until consent is withdrawn
Training preferences (pre-registration)	24 months after last activity
Approved blog comments	Duration of article publication
Audience analytics data (aggregated)	14 months (analytics standard)
Server logs	90 days

Upon expiry of the retention period, data will be securely deleted or anonymized.

7. Sharing and disclosure to third parties

Horizon Secure does not sell, rent or transfer your personal information to third parties for commercial purposes.

Your information may be transmitted only in the following situations:

✓ Hosting provider: servers located in Canada, providing secure storage of website data.
✓ Email service provider: used to send confirmations, notifications and authorized communications.
✓ Calendar service: when booking a call, your contact information is transmitted to a calendar service to create the appointment and, where applicable, generate a video conferencing link.
✓ Technical services embedded in the site: Google Analytics, Google Fonts, Google Maps and YouTube, as described in section 5.
✓ Legal obligation: if required by law, regulation or court order.

These providers act as authorized service providers and are bound by contractual confidentiality obligations. Some of these services are hosted in the United States. In accordance with Law 25, Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) have been conducted for these transfers. They have been deemed proportional and necessary for the operation of the site.

8. Your rights

Quebec Law 25 grants you several rights regarding your personal information, including the right to access, rectification, erasure, portability and withdrawal of consent. You may exercise these rights at any time by contacting our Privacy Officer.

To exercise your rights: email us at info@horizonsecure.ca. We will respond within a maximum of 30 days.

9. Security measures and incidents

Horizon Secure implements technical and organizational security measures proportional to the sensitivity of the information processed:

✓ Encrypted HTTPS connection (TLS) across the entire site
✓ Hosting on secure servers in Canada
✓ Access to personal information restricted on a need-to-know basis
✓ Pseudonymization of IP addresses (cryptographic hashing)
✓ Anti-abuse protection on all forms
✓ Advanced HTTP security headers (CSP, HSTS, etc.)

Confidentiality incidents

Horizon Secure maintains a confidentiality incident register in accordance with Law 25. In the event of an incident presenting a serious risk of harm, we commit to notifying the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec and affected individuals as promptly as possible.

10. Contact us

For any questions about this policy or to exercise your rights:

Samuel Bellemare, Privacy Officer, Horizon Secure

1250 Av. de la Station, Shawinigan (Quebec) G9N 8K9

Email: info@horizonsecure.ca

Phone: (819) 489-0828