Last updated: July 2, 2025
At Dollarwise, we are committed to providing accurate, unbiased, and helpful financial information to Canadian consumers. This Editorial Policy outlines our standards for content creation, review processes, and commitment to editorial independence.
Our Editorial Mission
To empower Canadian consumers with accurate, transparent, and unbiased financial information that helps them make informed decisions about credit cards, bank accounts, mortgages, and other financial products.
We believe that informed consumers make better financial decisions, and our role is to provide the information and tools necessary to compare financial products fairly and objectively.
Editorial Independence
Our editorial content is independent from our business relationships and advertising partnerships. We maintain this independence through:
- Separation of Editorial and Business Operations: Our content team operates independently from sales and partnership teams
- No Pay-for-Play Rankings: Financial institutions cannot pay to improve their rankings or reviews
- Transparent Methodology: Our ranking criteria are public and consistently applied
- Honest Reviews: We highlight both positive and negative aspects of financial products
- Regular Audits: We regularly review our content for accuracy and bias
Content Creation Standards
✅ What We Do
- Research products thoroughly using official sources
- Test user experiences where possible
- Compare products using standardized criteria
- Update content regularly as products change
- Cite sources and provide references
- Use clear, jargon-free language
❌ What We Don't Do
- Accept payment for positive reviews
- Publish content without fact-checking
- Make recommendations based on commission rates
- Guarantee specific financial outcomes
- Provide personalized financial advice
- Copy content from other sources
Research and Fact-Checking Process
1. Primary Research
We gather information directly from:
- Official financial institution websites
- Product disclosure statements and terms
- Direct communication with institutions
- Regulatory filings and announcements
- Government and regulatory body publications
2. Verification Process
All financial data is verified through:
- Cross-referencing multiple official sources
- Direct confirmation with financial institutions
- Regular monitoring for changes and updates
- Automated data validation systems
- Manual review by our editorial team
3. Review and Updates
Content is maintained through:
- Regular scheduled reviews (monthly/quarterly)
- Immediate updates when institutions announce changes
- User feedback and correction reporting
- Periodic comprehensive content audits
- Performance monitoring and optimization
Ranking and Comparison Methodology
Our product rankings are based on objective, consumer-focused criteria:
| Product Type | Primary Ranking Factors | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Cards | Annual fee, rewards rate, welcome bonus, interest rates, benefits | Equal weighting adjusted for category |
| Bank Accounts | Monthly fees, interest rates, ATM access, features, minimums | Consumer cost/benefit focus |
| Mortgages | Interest rates, terms, prepayment options, qualification criteria | Rate-focused with feature consideration |
Content Types and Standards
🔍 Product Reviews
- Comprehensive analysis of features, benefits, and drawbacks
- Standardized scoring methodology
- Real-world usage scenarios and examples
- Clear pros and cons sections
- Regular updates when products change
📊 Comparison Tools
- Side-by-side product comparisons
- Interactive filtering and sorting
- Real-time data when possible
- Clear methodology explanations
- Regular data validation and updates
🧮 Calculators and Tools
- Accurate mathematical models
- Clear assumptions and limitations
- Regular testing and validation
- User-friendly interfaces
- Educational explanations of results
📚 Educational Content
- Clear, jargon-free explanations
- Practical examples and scenarios
- Links to authoritative sources
- Regular updates for accuracy
- Focus on Canadian financial context
Disclosure and Transparency
We maintain transparency through:
- Affiliate Relationship Disclosure: Clear labeling when we earn commission from links
- Sponsored Content Identification: Any paid content is clearly marked
- Methodology Publication: Our ranking and comparison methods are publicly available
- Source Attribution: We cite sources for all factual claims
- Update Notifications: Significant changes to content are noted with dates
- Correction Policy: Errors are corrected promptly and transparently
Expert Review Process
Our Content Review Team
Our content is reviewed by team members with expertise in:
- Canadian financial services and regulations
- Credit card rewards and benefits analysis
- Banking products and fee structures
- Mortgage lending and qualification criteria
- Consumer finance and debt management
- Data analysis and comparison methodologies
User Feedback and Corrections
We value feedback from our users and maintain a systematic approach to handling corrections:
How to Report Issues
- Email us at team@dollarwise.ca
- Use our contact form
- Include specific details about the error
- Provide sources for corrections when possible
Our Response Process
- Acknowledgment within 24 hours
- Investigation and verification
- Correction or clarification as needed
- Follow-up with the reporting user
Conflict of Interest Policy
To maintain editorial integrity, we have policies regarding conflicts of interest:
- Personal Financial Products: Team members disclose any personal relationships with reviewed institutions
- Gift and Entertainment: We do not accept gifts or entertainment from financial institutions
- Investment Interests: Team members with significant holdings in financial institutions recuse themselves from related content
- External Relationships: Any consulting or advisory relationships are disclosed
- Family Connections: Employment or significant relationships with financial institutions are disclosed
Data Accuracy and Updates
Our Commitment to Accuracy
- Real-time Monitoring: Automated systems track changes to financial products
- Regular Reviews: Manual verification of data accuracy on scheduled basis
- Source Verification: Multiple source confirmation for all data points
- Update Protocols: Systematic process for implementing changes
- Quality Assurance: Multi-stage review before publishing updates
Regulatory Compliance
Our editorial practices comply with:
- Competition Bureau Canada: Guidelines for advertising and comparative claims
- Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC): Requirements for financial product information
- Provincial Securities Regulations: Where applicable to investment content
- Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC): Digital advertising standards
- Privacy Legislation: PIPEDA and provincial privacy laws
Editorial Team Qualifications
Our editorial team includes professionals with:
Educational Background
- Finance and economics degrees
- Business administration credentials
- Professional financial certifications
- Journalism and communications training
Industry Experience
- Financial services industry experience
- Credit and lending expertise
- Consumer finance knowledge
- Regulatory and compliance understanding
Contact Our Editorial Team
For questions about our editorial policies, content accuracy, or to report issues:
- General Editorial Questions: team@dollarwise.ca
- Content Corrections: team@dollarwise.ca with subject "Content Correction"
- Methodology Questions: team@dollarwise.ca with subject "Methodology Inquiry"
- Partnership Disclosures: Information available in our Advertising Disclosure
Our Promise to You
We are committed to providing accurate, unbiased, and helpful financial information. While we earn revenue through affiliate partnerships, our editorial content is never influenced by these relationships. Our goal is to help you make informed financial decisions by providing transparent, well-researched information about Canadian financial products.