TERMS & CONTITIONS

---

 Made in Ontario Cultural Heritage Organization
Effective date: October 23, 2026

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Made in Ontario Cultural Heritage Organization website, communications, directories, recognition programs, label applications, nominations, events, publications, and related services (“Services”).

By accessing the website, submitting information, applying for recognition, using an approved Made in Ontario designation or label, or otherwise using the Services, you agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, you must not use the Services.

If you use the Services for a business, organization, farm, studio, institution, or another person, you confirm that you have authority to accept these Terms on their behalf.

Made in Ontario is an independent cultural heritage initiative that recognizes and promotes Ontario’s historical figures, local craftsmanship, agricultural excellence, industrial innovation, and creative industries.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, Made in Ontario is not a department or agency of the Government of Ontario or the Government of Canada, is not affiliated with UNESCO, and does not exercise governmental or regulatory authority.

A Made in Ontario recognition, listing, award, designation, or label is a private cultural recognition. It is not a government certification, legal opinion, warranty of origin, product-safety approval, professional license, or guarantee of quality, commercial success, authenticity, regulatory compliance, or consumer satisfaction.

You must be legally capable of entering into these Terms. If you are under the age of majority in your province or territory, a parent or legal guardian must act on your behalf.

You may use the Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You are responsible for complying with all laws, regulations, professional rules, permits, licenses, labeling standards, advertising requirements, and industry obligations applicable to you and your activities.

When you submit an application, nomination, story, profile, image, document, or other material, you confirm that:

• The information is accurate, current, complete, and not misleading.
• You have authority to submit it and represent the person or organization identified.
• You have all required permissions for personal information, photographs, creative works, trademarks, and third-party materials.
• The submission does not infringe another person’s copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, moral, contractual, or other rights.
• The submission does not contain unlawful, defamatory, fraudulent, discriminatory, threatening, or malicious content.
• You will promptly inform us of any material change affecting the submission’s accuracy or eligibility.

We may request supporting evidence, references, production records, sourcing information, permissions, or clarifications. Failure to provide reasonably requested information may delay or end the review.

Submitting an application or nomination does not guarantee acceptance, publication, recognition, or the right to use a Made in Ontario name, emblem, designation, award, or label.

We may establish and update program criteria, submission requirements, review procedures, and recognition periods. Applications may be reviewed by staff, advisers, specialists, historians, selection committees, or program partners.

To the extent permitted by law, Made in Ontario retains discretion to approve, decline, defer, request changes to, suspend, or revoke a recognition or listing.

Decisions may consider eligibility criteria, evidence, accuracy, cultural relevance, legal compliance, reputational concerns, conflicts of interest, available resources, and the integrity of the program.

We are not required to publish confidential deliberations, reviewer identities, legally privileged advice, or information concerning another applicant. Where practical, we may provide an applicant with a general explanation of a decision.

No person may use a Made in Ontario logo, seal, label, award, certificate, designation, or program identifier without written approval.

Approval grants a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, and revocable license to use the approved identifier:

• Only for the approved person, organization, product, service, project, location, or activity.
• Only during the approved recognition period.
• Only in the form, colors, proportions, placement, and context authorized by our brand and label standards.
• Without alteration or use suggesting a broader approval than was granted.
• In a truthful and respectful manner consistent with Made in Ontario’s cultural mission.

Approval for one product or activity does not extend to an applicant’s entire business, product line, affiliates, suppliers, successors, or future products.

Recipients must keep reasonable records supporting their eligibility and notify us promptly if sourcing, ownership, manufacturing, production, location, ingredients, materials, or other relevant circumstances materially change.

We may require correction or removal of an identifier that is inaccurate, outdated, altered, unauthorized, likely to mislead, or inconsistent with our standards. Upon expiry, suspension, or revocation, all use must stop within the period specified in our notice.

Applicants and recipients are responsible for ensuring that every express or implied claim about where a product was designed, grown, harvested, produced, manufactured, assembled, transformed, or packaged is truthful, properly qualified, adequately supported, and compliant with applicable Canadian laws and sector-specific requirements.

The words “Made in Ontario,” an Ontario symbol, a maple leaf, or another geographic image may contribute to the overall impression conveyed to consumers. You must not use our identifiers in a manner that falsely suggests that a product is entirely of Ontario or Canadian origin.

Where imported ingredients, materials, components, labor, or production stages are involved, you must use any qualification required to prevent a false or misleading impression.

Made in Ontario approval does not replace legal advice or an applicant’s obligation to comply with the Competition Act, consumer packaging and labeling rules, food and textile requirements, or other applicable standards.

Unless otherwise identified, the website, its design, text, graphics, photographs, videos, databases, program materials, selection systems, logos, and other content are owned by or licensed to Made in Ontario and are protected by intellectual-property laws.

We grant you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive license to access and use the website for personal, informational, or authorized organizational purposes.

Without prior written permission, you may not:

• Reproduce, republish, sell, license, distribute, or commercially exploit substantial website content.
• Remove copyright, trademark, attribution, or rights notices.
• Use our names or marks in a domain name, social-media identity, advertising campaign, or product branding.
• Imply sponsorship, endorsement, partnership, or approval that has not been granted.
• Scrape, harvest, systematically download, or build a database from the website.
• Use website content to train an artificial-intelligence system or create a competing directory, recognition program, or dataset.

Reasonable links to publicly accessible pages are permitted if they are accurate and do not imply unauthorized affiliation or endorsement.

You retain ownership of original content that you submit.

You grant Made in Ontario a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to review, store, reproduce, format, translate, edit for clarity or length, publish, display, distribute, archive, and promote submitted content for administering the Services and advancing our cultural and educational mission.

This license includes use on our website, directories, social media, exhibitions, presentations, press materials, educational resources, and printed or digital publications.

We will not knowingly alter submitted content in a way that materially misrepresents the person, organization, work, or history presented.

If you ask us to remove published content, we will consider the request reasonably, taking account of legal obligations, archival integrity, prior publications, public-interest considerations, and materials already distributed.

You must not:

• Interfere with the security, availability, or operation of the Services.
• Introduce malware, malicious code, automated attacks, or unauthorized tracking.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to accounts, systems, or information.
• Impersonate another person or misrepresent your identity or authority.
• Submit false reviews, fabricated history, forged documents, or deceptive evidence.
• Harass, threaten, discriminate against, or unlawfully target another person.
• Use the Services or our identifiers to promote illegal activity.
• Help another person perform an activity prohibited by these Terms.

We may investigate suspected misuse and cooperate with lawful authorities when appropriate.

The Services may refer or link to artisans, farms, manufacturers, businesses, archives, museums, marketplaces, sponsors, social-media platforms, or other third parties.

These references are provided for cultural, educational, or informational purposes and do not necessarily constitute an endorsement.

Made in Ontario is not a party to transactions between visitors and listed third parties unless expressly stated. We do not control and are not responsible for third-party products, services, pricing, availability, conduct, security, policies, or website content.

Any purchase, contract, donation, application fee, event registration, or marketplace transaction may be governed by additional terms presented at the time of the transaction.

Our collection, use, disclosure, retention, and protection of personal information are described in our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms.

We may add, modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Services. We do not guarantee that the website or any program will always be available, uninterrupted, secure, complete, or error-free.

We may correct errors, update historical or program information, remove outdated material, and change eligibility criteria or label standards.

Where a change materially affects an active approval, we will make reasonable efforts to provide notice.

The Services and website content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis.

Although we aim for accuracy and integrity, historical records, third-party submissions, public sources, and professional opinions may be incomplete, disputed, or later corrected.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Made in Ontario disclaims implied warranties and conditions, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement, uninterrupted availability, and accuracy.

Nothing on the website constitutes legal, regulatory, financial, investment, tax, historical-authentication, product-safety, or professional advice.

Nothing in these Terms excludes a warranty, condition, right, or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded or waived.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Made in Ontario and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, advisers, reviewers, contractors, and program partners will not be liable for:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages.
• Lost profits, revenue, opportunities, goodwill, or data.
• Losses resulting from reliance on website content or a recognition decision.
• Third-party conduct or transactions.
• Unauthorized label use.
• Interruptions affecting the Services.

Where liability cannot be excluded, our total aggregate liability arising from the Services will not exceed the greater of:

• The amount paid directly to Made in Ontario for the specific Service during the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim; and
• CAD $100.

This section does not limit liability for fraud, willful misconduct, gross negligence where it cannot lawfully be limited, or any statutory right that cannot be waived.

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Made in Ontario and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, advisers, reviewers, contractors, and program partners from claims, losses, liabilities, costs, and reasonable legal fees arising from:

• Your breach of these Terms.
• False, incomplete, or misleading information you provide.
• Content you submit or rights you fail to obtain.
• Your product, service, business activity, advertising, or transaction.
• Unauthorized, altered, or misleading use of a Made in Ontario identifier.
• Your violation of a law or another person’s rights.

This obligation does not apply to the extent a claim results from Made in Ontario’s own unlawful conduct.

We may restrict or terminate access to the Services, remove content, or suspend or revoke an approval if we reasonably believe that these Terms, program standards, applicable law, or another person’s rights have been violated, or that continued association could materially harm the organization’s integrity or the public.

Provisions that should naturally continue—including intellectual-property rights, submitted-content licenses, disclaimers, limitations of liability, indemnification, and governing law—survive termination.

We may update these Terms to reflect changes in our programs, technology, operations, or legal obligations. Updated Terms will be posted with a new effective date.

If a material change affects an active application, paid service, or label approval, we will provide reasonable notice where required.

Continued use of the Services after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms, subject to any consent required by law.

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable there, without regard to conflict-of-law rules.

Subject to any consumer right or other rule that cannot be waived, disputes relating to these Terms or the Services will be submitted to courts of competent jurisdiction in Ontario, Canada.

Before commencing a formal proceeding, the parties agree to make a reasonable good-faith effort to resolve the concern through written communication.

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, it will be limited or removed only to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will continue in effect.

Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver.

You may not transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our written consent. We may transfer these Terms as part of a lawful restructuring or continuation of our activities.

These Terms, the Privacy Policy, applicable program standards, and any written approval issued to you constitute the agreement concerning your use of the Services.

If a written label or program agreement conflicts with these general Terms, the more specific written agreement controls for that program.

Questions about these Terms may be directed to:

Made in Ontario Cultural Heritage Organization
Email: [LAKE@MADEINONTARION.CA]
Mailing address: [LAKE@MADEINONTARION.CA]