Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Piknik ("the Platform", "the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using this Platform.

Piknik is a community platform operated in Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada, designed to connect local food producers with consumers.

2. User Accounts

Account Creation

• You must be at least 13 years old to create an account
• You must provide a valid email address
• You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account
• You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account
• You must immediately notify us of any unauthorized use of your account

Business Accounts

If you represent a business (farm, restaurant, food hub, etc.):

• You warrant that you have the authority to bind the business to these terms
• You must provide accurate and complete information about your business
• You must maintain up-to-date contact information
• You are responsible for all content posted under your business account

3. Platform Usage

Permitted Use

Piknik provides a platform to:

• Discover local food producers and businesses
• View products, services, and operating information
• Read and write reviews
• Connect with local food community
• Participate in surveys and community feedback
• Register your business for visibility in the community

Platform Facilitator Only

4. User Content and Conduct

Content You Post

By posting content on Piknik (reviews, comments, business listings, product descriptions, photos), you:

• Grant Piknik a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute your content
• Represent that you own or have rights to the content
• Agree that your content will be publicly visible
• Understand that content may be indexed by search engines
• Accept responsibility for the accuracy of your content

Prohibited Conduct

You may not:

• Post false, misleading, or deceptive information
• Impersonate another person or business
• Post illegal, harmful, threatening, or harassing content
• Post spam, advertisements, or promotional content (except in designated business listings)
• Violate intellectual property rights
• Attempt to manipulate ratings or reviews
• Scrape or harvest data from the platform
• Interfere with the platform's operation
• Use automated systems (bots) without permission
• Post private information about others

5. Business Listings

Eligibility

Local Food System Connection Required: Businesses listed on Piknik must be connected to the local food system. This includes farms, farmers markets, food hubs, restaurants sourcing locally, community gardens, food processors, and similar entities that support local food production and distribution.

Exceptions to this requirement may be granted at the sole discretion of Piknik operators for businesses that support the local food community in other meaningful ways.

Listing Requirements

• Businesses must be legitimate, operating entities
• All information must be accurate and current
• You must have authority to list the business
• Contact information must be functional
• Operating hours should be kept up to date
• Product/service descriptions must be truthful

Listing Removal

We reserve the right to remove any business listing at any time, for any reason, at our sole discretion. This includes but is not limited to listings that:

• Violate these terms
• Appear fraudulent or misleading
• Are no longer operating
• Are not connected to the local food system
• Receive negative community feedback
• Do not meet our quality or community standards

We are not required to provide advance notice or explanation for listing removal, though we will make reasonable efforts to communicate with business owners when appropriate.

6. Transactions and Interactions

When interacting with businesses or other users:

• Exercise caution and common sense
• Verify business credentials independently
• Inspect products before purchasing
• Keep records of your transactions
• Report any suspicious activity to us

7. Intellectual Property

The Platform and its content (excluding user-generated content) are owned by Piknik and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

Our Rights

• The Piknik name, logo, and branding are our trademarks
• Platform design, code, and features are our property
• You may not copy, modify, or distribute our intellectual property

Your Rights

You retain all rights to content you post. By posting, you grant us a license to use it on the platform, but you maintain ownership.

8. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

• We do not warrant that the platform will be uninterrupted or error-free
• We do not guarantee the accuracy of information posted by users
• We do not verify the identity or credentials of businesses
• We are not responsible for user-generated content
• We are not liable for any interactions between users and businesses
• We do not endorse any businesses, products, or services

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Piknik and its operators shall not be liable for:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages
• Loss of profits, data, or goodwill
• Service interruptions or data loss
• Any transactions or interactions between users
• Any content posted by users

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Piknik, its operators, and affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the platform
• Your violation of these terms
• Your content
• Your interactions with other users or businesses
• Your violation of any laws or third-party rights

10. Privacy

Your use of Piknik is also governed by our Privacy Policy. Please review it to understand how we collect, use, and protect your information.

11. Account Termination

Your Right to Terminate

You may delete your account at any time through your account settings. Upon deletion, your personal information will be anonymized.

Our Right to Terminate

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account or any business listing at any time, for any reason, including but not limited to:

• Violation of these terms
• Fraudulent or compromised accounts
• Prohibited conduct
• Legal requests or court orders
• Service discontinuation
• At our sole discretion for operational or safety reasons

We are not required to provide advance notice or explanation for account or listing termination, though we will make reasonable efforts to do so when appropriate.

12. Dispute Resolution

Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of Ontario, Canada, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Dispute Process

Before initiating any legal action, please contact us at [email protected] to attempt to resolve the dispute informally.

Jurisdiction

Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Ontario, Canada, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of these courts.

13. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. When we make changes:

• We will update the "Last updated" date
• Significant changes will be communicated through the platform or email
• Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance
• If you disagree with changes, you should stop using the platform

14. General Provisions

• Severability: If any provision is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect
• No Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right doesn't waive that right
• Assignment: You may not transfer your rights; we may assign ours
• Entire Agreement: These terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Piknik
• Third-Party Beneficiaries: No third parties have rights under these terms

15. Contact Information