Terms of Use

Effective date: July 15, 2026

1. Acceptance of these Terms

These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of TheMapleScore.ca.

The website is operated by MAPLE Score™, a privately developed initiative operated by Richard Leblanc (“MAPLE Score,” “we,” “us” or “our”).

By accessing or using the website, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the website.

2. Purpose of the website

The website provides information about MAPLE Score™, Canadian ingredient-origin transparency and the MAPLE Score™ Founding Producer Pilot.

Website content is provided for general informational and program-development purposes. It does not constitute legal, regulatory, accounting, certification or professional advice.

3. Private initiative and government status

MAPLE Score™ is a privately developed origin-transparency initiative.

It is not a government program, government endorsement or replacement for Canadian food-labelling laws, regulations, guidance or statutory origin definitions.

Nothing on the website represents approval by the Government of Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency or any other public authority.

4. Nature of MAPLE Score™

MAPLE Score™ measures Canadian ingredient origin using a defined, weight-based methodology.

Processing location and brand ownership may be displayed separately for context, but they do not determine the ingredient-origin percentage.

MAPLE Score™ is not a rating of nutrition, taste, safety or overall product quality.

5. Founding Producer Pilot submissions

Submitting an expression of interest:

• does not guarantee acceptance into the founding pilot;
• does not create a contract, partnership, agency, fiduciary relationship or certification;
• does not authorize use of the MAPLE Score™ name, logo, methodology or mark;
• does not constitute government approval or statutory origin qualification; and
• does not require MAPLE Score™ to review, respond to or accept the submission.

Participation is subject to qualification, further review and a separate written agreement.

Commercial terms, documentation requirements, approved uses and any fees will be addressed separately with qualifying participants.

6. Confidential and proprietary information

Do not submit confidential formulations, supplier identities, contracts, sourcing records, trade secrets or other proprietary information through the public website or its forms.

Information submitted through the website will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy, but a website submission does not create an attorney-client relationship, non-disclosure agreement or other special duty of confidentiality.

Detailed or sensitive information should be provided only after an appropriate confidential process has been established.

7. Intellectual property

The website and its content—including the MAPLE Score™ name, logo, mark, methodology descriptions, graphics, text, layouts and related materials—are owned by or licensed to the applicable MAPLE Score™ rights holder and are protected by applicable intellectual-property laws.

You may view and download website content solely for personal, internal business or informational use.

You may not, without prior written authorization:

• place or reproduce the MAPLE Score™ mark on any product, packaging, website or promotional material;
• represent that a product has received or qualified for a MAPLE Score™;
• copy, modify, publish, distribute, sell or commercially exploit website content;
• create confusingly similar marks, labels or scoring systems;
• imply endorsement, affiliation, authorization or participation; or
• use MAPLE Score™ materials in a misleading or unlawful manner.

All rights not expressly granted are reserved.

8. Illustrative materials and mockups

Product images, scores, packaging examples and mockups may be presented solely to illustrate how MAPLE Score™ could appear or function.

Unless expressly identified as an approved participant or scored product, illustrative materials do not represent actual producers, products, certifications, endorsements or commercial relationships.

9. Accuracy and changes

We seek to provide accurate and current information but do not guarantee that all website content is complete, current or error-free.

MAPLE Score™ remains under development. Methodology, pilot terms, participation criteria, website content and program materials may be revised, clarified or withdrawn without notice.

A displayed score or example should not be relied upon unless it is contained in current, formally authorized MAPLE Score™ documentation.

10. Acceptable use

You must not:

• use the website unlawfully or fraudulently;
• attempt to interfere with its operation or security;
• submit false, misleading, infringing or harmful material;
• impersonate another person or organization;
• scrape, extract or reproduce website content for unauthorized commercial use;
• attempt to gain unauthorized access to systems, submissions or information; or
• use MAPLE Score™ content to misrepresent a product’s Canadian ingredient origin.

We may restrict access or take other appropriate action where misuse is suspected.

11. Third-party links

The website may link to news reports, government resources, research or other third-party websites.

Links are provided for information and convenience. They do not necessarily constitute endorsement of the third party or all content appearing on the linked website.

We are not responsible for third-party content, availability, accuracy, security or privacy practices.

12. No warranties

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the website and its content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis.

We make no warranty that the website will always be available, secure, uninterrupted, complete or error-free, or that reliance on its content will produce a particular result.

Nothing in these Terms excludes any warranty or right that cannot lawfully be excluded.

13. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, MAPLE Score™, its operator, advisers, contractors and representatives will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive loss arising from:

• use of or inability to use the website;
• reliance on website content;
• third-party links or services;
• unauthorized use of MAPLE Score™ materials; or
• the submission, rejection or non-response to a pilot expression of interest.

Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot legally be limited.

14. Governing law

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

Subject to applicable law, disputes relating to the website or these Terms will be brought before the courts of Ontario.

15. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time.

The revised Terms will be posted on the website with an updated effective date. Continued use of the website after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

16. Contact

Questions concerning these Terms may be directed to:

MAPLE Score™
Cornwall, Ontario, Canada
Email: legal@themaplescore.ca