Policies Public-facing policies
Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
What sponsorship and advertising Map.ca permits, how it is labelled, and how it stays separate from ranking.
- Version
- 0.1.0
- Effective
- May 20, 2026
- Last reviewed
- May 20, 2026
- Review cycle
- every 12 months
- Master Policy Index entry
- §4 #53
Policy text
Visibility is not for sale. Sponsorship is. The Advertising and Sponsorship Policy defines what kinds of sponsorship are permitted (clearly labelled, surface-specific, ranking-neutral), the labelling format, the editorial-independence boundary, and the appeals path for users who believe sponsorship has bled into ranking.
It applies to Map.ca’s commercial team, the product surfaces that host sponsorship, and the editorial reviewers who guard the ranking boundary.
Principles this policy enforces
- Visibility is not for sale
- Pricing must be simple and honest
- Community benefit must survive scale
What it requires
- Label every sponsored surface clearly and accessibly.
- Maintain editorial independence between sponsorship and ranking.
What it forbids
- Do not let sponsorship change search or category ranking.
- Do not use sponsorship to gate access to civic surfaces.
How it applies
- Map.ca commercial team
- Product surfaces hosting sponsorship
- Editorial reviewers
References
- Map.ca Policy Constitution §2 principle 3
Related policies
No Paid Placement Policy
Map.ca does not sell visibility. Ranking, search position, and category placement are not for sale at any price.
Marketplace Neutrality Policy
How Map.ca stays neutral among similar businesses on the platform and does not pick winners outside the doctrine.
Pricing Transparency Policy
How Map.ca presents prices, fees, and Mission Funds contributions so users always know what they will pay.