Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Volunteer North York platform ("Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform. We may update these terms at any time; continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

2. Eligibility

This platform is for Ontario high school students, so most people using it are between 14 and 18. You must be at least 14 to create an account.

We do not currently ask for your age and we do not collect a parent or guardian's permission before you sign up. We used to say on this page that we required "verifiable consent from a parent or legal guardian". We did not, and describing a check we do not perform is worse than admitting we do not perform it.

If you are under 18, we strongly encourage you to tell a parent or guardian before you apply to a placement and before you attend one. If you are a parent or guardian and want an account and its data removed, email us and we will do it, no reason needed.

3. Accounts

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity under your account. You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized access. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that we reasonably believe are being misused, contain fraudulent information, or violate these terms.

4. Platform Roles and Content

The Platform connects two types of users: Students seeking volunteer opportunities and Organizations posting them. Each user is solely responsible for the accuracy, legality, and appropriateness of the content they submit. Organizations must ensure their postings are truthful, non-discriminatory, and comply with all applicable Ontario and Canadian law. We may remove any content that violates these terms without notice.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to: post hateful, harassing, defamatory, or illegal content; impersonate another person or entity; attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Platform or other users' accounts; scrape, crawl, or otherwise extract data from the Platform by automated means; use the Platform for any commercial purpose unrelated to volunteer coordination; or interfere with the Platform's operation or security. Violation may result in immediate suspension or termination.

6. Messaging and Communication

The Platform provides in-app messaging between organizations and students. Messages are not actively moderated in real time. Users communicate at their own risk and must not share passwords, financial information, or other sensitive personal data through the messaging system. Users may report concerning messages using the in-app reporting feature. We reserve the right to review and act on reported content.

7. Intellectual Property

You retain ownership of content you submit. By posting content on the Platform, you grant Volunteer North York a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, display, and distribute that content solely for the purpose of operating the Platform. The Platform's design, code, branding, and original content are owned by Volunteer North York and protected by applicable intellectual property law.

7a. Child protection and our duty to report

Ontario's Child, Youth and Family Services Act places a duty on every person. Not only teachers, doctors or social workers, to report immediately to a children's aid society if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is being abused, exploited or is at risk of it. The Act says this duty applies "despite the provisions of any other Act", which means nothing in these Terms can remove it, and it cannot be passed to someone else to do on our behalf.

So, plainly: if something you tell us gives us reasonable grounds to suspect a child is being harmed or is at risk, we will report it to a children's aid society. We may do that without telling you first, and we will do it whether or not you ask us to. This applies to anything reported through the "Report a safety concern" button, to messages, and to anything else we see.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. To reach a children's aid society directly in Toronto, call the Children's Aid Society of Toronto at 416-924-4640, at any hour.

7b. What "verified" means here

When we show that an organisation is verified, it means one narrow thing: we confirmed that a Canada Revenue Agency charity registration exists and that the person who signed up controls that organisation.

It does not mean we have checked the people you will be working with. We do not carry out police record checks or vulnerable sector checks, we do not receive their results, and we do not supervise placements. Screening the adults who supervise volunteers is the responsibility of the organisation running the placement, and any legal requirement to do so falls on them.

Ask the organisation directly what screening they do. If an answer worries you, tell us and tell a parent or guardian before you go.

8. Privacy

Your use of the Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that data. By using the Platform, you consent to the practices described in the Privacy Policy.

9. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Platform is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not guarantee uninterrupted access, that the Platform will be error-free, or that any particular volunteer opportunity will be available or suitable. Volunteer North York is a coordination platform only and is not an employer, staffing agency, or background-check provider.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Volunteer North York and its operators shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Platform. Our total aggregate liability for any claim arising from or related to the Platform shall not exceed $100 CAD.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Volunteer North York, its operators, and affiliates from any claims, losses, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Platform, your content, or your violation of these terms.

12. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately. Sections 7, 9, 10, 11, and 13 survive termination.

13. Governing Law

These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ontario.