Policies Public-facing policies
No Paid Placement Policy
Map.ca does not sell visibility. Ranking, search position, and category placement are not for sale at any price.
- Version
- 0.1.0
- Effective
- May 20, 2026
- Last reviewed
- May 20, 2026
- Review cycle
- every 12 months
- Master Policy Index entry
- §4 #52
Policy text
The No Paid Placement Policy is the operational expression of Constitution §2 principle 3 (Visibility is not for sale). It defines the surfaces where ranking is determined by relevance, proximity, accuracy, and community signals only — never by money. It also defines what is allowed: clearly labelled sponsorships under the Advertising and Sponsorship Policy, civic partnerships under the Municipal Partner Policy, and category-neutral premium features that do not change anyone’s ranking.
It applies to Map.ca’s product, partnerships, sales, and search teams, and to any external entity attempting to influence ranking. The line is bright: no money for position, no money for visibility, no exceptions for partners.
Principles this policy enforces
- Visibility is not for sale
- Pricing must be simple and honest
- Community benefit must survive scale
What it requires
- Rank search, discovery, and category results by relevance, proximity, accuracy, and community signal only.
- Disclose every surface where sponsorship appears, with a clear sponsorship label.
- Route promotion requests to the allowed mechanisms (sponsorship, civic partnership, category-neutral premium).
- Publish ranking criteria in plain language.
What it forbids
- Do not accept money in exchange for higher ranking.
- Do not accept money in exchange for category placement.
- Do not accept money in exchange for search position.
- Do not let sponsorship blur into ranking.
How it applies
- Map.ca product teams
- Map.ca partnerships and sales
- Advertisers and sponsors
- Businesses and partners
References
- Map.ca Policy Constitution §2 principle 3 — Visibility is not for sale
- Map.ca Policy Constitution §6 — Draft pledge ("We do not sell visibility")
Related policies
Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
What sponsorship and advertising Map.ca permits, how it is labelled, and how it stays separate from ranking.
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.
Map.ca's Policy Pledge
The public version of how Map.ca behaves: short, plain, and built so the platform can be held to it.