Canada Scene, owned and operated by Northern Beacon Media Inc. (Ontario Business Registry number 1003194827), is a digital news and culture publisher funded through display advertising, affiliate links, commercial partnerships, sponsored content, newsletter sponsorships and content licensing. This page details how those funding streams work and affirms our commitment to editorial independence.
Who is responsible for Canada Scene’s advertising and commercial relationships?
Catherine Roy, Editor-in-Chief, oversees all editorial standards and publication decisions, while commercial partnerships are managed by a separate team reachable at advertising@canadascene.org and partnerships@canadascene.org. Northern Beacon Media Inc. owns and operates Canada Scene, maintains the registered office at Unit 12, 95 King Street East, Toronto, ON M5C 1G4, and ensures that advertising and partnership revenue never influence editorial conclusions. The Contact page provides further details on how to reach specific departments.
How is Canada Scene funded?
Canada Scene generates revenue from display advertising, affiliate links, commercial partnerships, sponsored content, newsletter sponsorships and content licensing agreements. A full breakdown of our ownership and funding structure is available on the Ownership & Funding page. Each revenue stream is clearly labelled in our content: sponsored articles are marked as such, affiliate links are disclosed, and display advertisements are distinguished from editorial material. No commercial arrangement determines the selection, reporting or placement of news.
What are affiliate links and how do we use them?
Affiliate links are hyperlinks that may earn Canada Scene a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. We use affiliate links in articles that review or recommend products, services or books, and each such link is accompanied by a short disclosure statement. Andrew Leblanc, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, ensures that all affiliate placements are reviewed for accuracy and that no commission arrangement affects the editorial assessment. Our Sponsored Content Policy explains how these links are separated from independent journalism.
How does display advertising work on Canada Scene?
Display advertisements appear in designated areas of the site, such as sidebars, between paragraphs and in the newsletter footer. These ads are served by third-party networks and are clearly labelled with “Advertisement” or a similar indicator. Canada Scene does not sell direct ad placements that would allow an advertiser to influence article topics, headlines or fact-checking decisions. Catherine Roy and the editorial team retain full authority over all published content, and any advertiser that attempts to pressure editorial staff is referred to the partnerships team.
How do we ensure editorial independence from commercial interests?
Every article at Canada Scene is drafted by a named writer, reviewed by an editor and fact-checked before publication. The editorial team, led by Catherine Roy, reports separately from the commercial team. Marc Tremblay, Managing Editor, oversees daily newsroom decisions without input from advertisers or sponsors. Commercial relationships are never used to justify altering a story, retracting a correction or delaying a fact check. Our Editorial Policy and Fact-Checking Policy codify these safeguards.
Our commitments
- We clearly label all advertising, sponsored content and affiliate links so readers can distinguish them from independent journalism.
- We never allow commercial relationships to determine editorial conclusions, story selection or the placement of corrections.
- We maintain a separate commercial team and do not share editorial decision-making authority with advertisers or sponsors.
- We publish and regularly update our ownership and funding disclosure to provide full transparency about our revenue sources.
- We promptly investigate and correct any inadvertent failure to disclose a commercial relationship, as outlined in our Corrections Policy.