Terms of Service

1. Scope and Applicability

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern all services provided by Auralis Associates Inc. ("Auralis Associates"), a federal corporation registered in Canada (Corporation No. 1284763-5), with its registered office at 287 Elgin Street, Suite 204, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L9, Canada. By engaging our services, you ("the Client") agree to be bound by these Terms. These Terms apply to all service types offered by Auralis Associates, including investigative reporting, editorial consulting, media training, content auditing, and documentary production.

2. Services

Auralis Associates provides journalism and media services as described on this website and in individual project proposals. Service descriptions on the website are general; specific deliverables, timelines, and terms for each engagement are defined in the project proposal, which, once accepted, forms part of the agreement between Auralis Associates and the Client. In the event of a conflict between the project proposal and these Terms, the project proposal shall prevail to the extent of the conflict.

3. Booking and Deposit

Engagements are confirmed upon the Client's acceptance of the project proposal and payment of a deposit equal to 30% of the total estimated project fee. The deposit is non-refundable except as provided in Section 4 (Cancellation). Work does not begin until the deposit has been received. Auralis Associates reserves the right to decline any engagement at its discretion.

4. Cancellation

The Client may cancel the engagement free of charge (with full deposit refund) up to 14 calendar days before the scheduled start date of work. Cancellations made fewer than 14 days before the start date may result in forfeiture of the deposit, at the discretion of Auralis Associates, taking into account work already completed or resources already committed. If Auralis Associates must cancel an engagement, the Client will receive a full refund of any deposit paid. Cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to hello@auralisassociates.com.

5. Delivery

Deliverables are provided in the formats specified in the project proposal. Delivery timelines are estimates and may be adjusted if the scope changes, if the Client delays in providing required materials or feedback, or due to force majeure (Section 10). Auralis Associates will communicate any expected delays promptly. Files are delivered by email, secure file transfer, or physical media as agreed. All project files are archived for 36 months from the date of final delivery, after which they are permanently deleted.

6. Revisions

Each engagement includes 2 rounds of revisions at no additional cost. A revision round consists of one set of consolidated feedback from the Client, followed by Auralis Associates's implementation of those changes. Additional revision rounds beyond the included 2 are billed at the applicable hourly rate for the service category. Revision requests must be submitted within 30 calendar days of delivery; after this period, changes are treated as new work.

7. Intellectual Property

All intellectual property rights in deliverables created by Auralis Associates for the Client transfer to the Client upon receipt of 100% payment of all fees and expenses related to the engagement. Until full payment is received, Auralis Associates retains ownership of all materials. Pre-existing intellectual property of Auralis Associates (including proprietary research methodologies, templates, and software tools) is licensed to the Client for use in connection with the deliverables but is not transferred. Third-party materials (licensed music, stock footage, stock images) are subject to their own license terms, which Auralis Associates will document and disclose.

8. Payment

All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD), exclusive of applicable taxes. HST at the prevailing rate (currently 13%) applies to all services. Auralis Associates's GST/HST registration number is 741825693RT0001. The remaining balance (after deposit) is due upon delivery of the final deliverables, unless alternative payment terms are agreed in writing. B2B clients may request net 30 payment terms, subject to Auralis Associates's approval. Late payments accrue interest at 1.5% per month. Auralis Associates reserves the right to suspend work if payments are overdue.

9. Liability

Auralis Associates's total liability to the Client for any claim arising from or related to the services shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client for the specific engagement giving rise to the claim. Auralis Associates is not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages, including lost profits or reputational harm. Auralis Associates is not liable for delays or failures caused by the Client's actions or inactions, including failure to provide timely materials, feedback, or access. The services provided by Auralis Associates do not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice in fields other than journalism and media.

10. Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for delays or failures in performance caused by events beyond their reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, strikes, utility failures, cyberattacks, or disruptions to transportation or communications infrastructure. The affected party shall notify the other party promptly and make reasonable efforts to mitigate the impact. If a force majeure event continues for more than 60 days, either party may terminate the engagement with a pro-rated refund for undelivered work.

11. Confidentiality

Both parties agree to treat as confidential all non-public information received from the other party in connection with the engagement. This obligation survives the termination of the engagement. Confidential information may be disclosed to the extent required by law, regulation, or court order, provided the disclosing party gives reasonable prior notice to the other party. Auralis Associates's confidentiality obligations with respect to journalistic sources are governed by established journalistic ethics and applicable Canadian law.

12. Amendments

Auralis Associates may update these Terms from time to time. The updated Terms will be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Material changes will be communicated to active clients by email. Continued engagement after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes acceptance. For engagements already in progress, the Terms in effect at the time of the project proposal acceptance shall apply.

13. Jurisdiction and Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein. Any dispute arising from or related to these Terms or the services provided by Auralis Associates shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

14. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the applicable project proposal, the Privacy Policy, and any written amendments agreed by both parties, constitute the entire agreement between Auralis Associates and the Client with respect to the services. These documents supersede all prior oral or written agreements, understandings, and representations.

For questions about these Terms, contact us at hello@auralisassociates.com or call (613) 555-0147.