Governance & Verification Standards

Yoruba.ca is a national platform operated as a public utility for the Yoruba community in Canada. This page explains how we discover organizations, what "Verified" means, and how we handle disputes.

Directory Coverage Standard

How We Discover Organizations

Our discovery pipeline combines multiple sources to build a credible national directory:

Primary self-published sources: Association websites, membership pages, and contact pages published by the organizations themselves.
Official registries: Cross-referencing with Corporations Canada (federal incorporations), provincial registries (BC Societies, Ontario corporations, Registraire des entreprises du Québec, etc.), and the CRA Charities Directorate where applicable.
Community submissions: Organizations and community members can submit listings through the claim form.
Partner referrals: Verified partner associations may refer organizations in their network.

What "Verified" Means

A "Verified" badge on Yoruba.ca means:

An authorized representative has claimed the profile and demonstrated proof of control (email verification, DNS verification, or signed letterhead).
Where the organization is incorporated, we have confirmed its existence through an official registry.
The profile information has been reviewed and approved by the organization's leadership.

Verification does not imply endorsement of the organization's activities, financial standing, or quality of services. It confirms identity only.

When Organizations Disagree

If multiple parties claim the same organization, or if there is a dispute about naming or legitimacy:

The profile is marked "Disputed" and temporarily frozen.
Yoruba.ca defers to official registry status as the primary authority.
If registry status is inconclusive, we require multi-signer confirmation from recognized leadership.
Disputes are resolved within 30 days. Both parties are notified of the outcome.

Verification Workflow

Profile Lifecycle

Every organization profile moves through these statuses:

Unlisted → Listed (unclaimed) → Claimed → Verified → Verified (expiring)

Verified profiles expire after 12 months and must be re-confirmed. If not renewed, the profile reverts to "Listed (unclaimed)."

Minimum Viable Verification

Verification requires two factors:

Proof of control: The claimant receives a verification code via an email published on the org's site, adds a DNS TXT record to the org's domain, or submits a signed letter on organizational letterhead.
Proof of existence: Registry confirmation (if incorporated) or a credible public footprint (active website, social media, press coverage, or event history).

Registry-Backed Checks

We use the following public registries where applicable:

Corporations Canada: Federal incorporations under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act
BC Registry Services: Societies registered under the BC Societies Act
OrgBook BC: Government-developed searchable directory of BC organizations (API available)
Registraire des entreprises du Québec: Québec-registered organizations
CRA Charities Directorate: Registered charities (relevant for donation flow representation)

Federation & Partnership Model

Yoruba.ca operates as a federated network, not a centralized hierarchy. The model:

Yoruba.ca = national platform + verification standard + directory/events infrastructure.
Partner associations = chapters/partners with full autonomy over their membership, programs, finances, and brand.
Partner Council = lightweight governance body with rotating seats by region (BC, Prairies, Ontario, Québec/Atlantic) providing input on platform standards.

Integration Ladder

Partners can engage at any level — there is no requirement to move beyond what's comfortable:

Directory Listing + Outbound Links

Yoruba.ca lists the organization and links to its own website for membership, events, and contact. No content is copied.

Event Ingestion

Yoruba.ca publishes event titles, dates, and locations with links back to the partner's ticketing or registration page.

Content Syndication (Canonical to Source)

Selected content (e.g., press releases) is republished on Yoruba.ca with a canonical tag pointing to the original, preserving the source's SEO authority.

Co-Branded Chapter Page

Partner receives a dedicated chapter page on Yoruba.ca (e.g., /chapters/bc) with custom branding, event feed, and member resources.

Full Integration

Optional: site migration into Yoruba.ca with permanent redirects, URL mapping, and maintained chapter branding. Requires mutual agreement and SEO coordination.

Editorial Policy

Yoruba.ca does not endorse, rank, or prioritize organizations based on financial contributions.
All verified organizations receive equal prominence in default directory ordering (alphabetical by province, then name).
Premium/promoted placements are clearly labeled as "Promoted" or "Featured."
Religious and spiritual organizations are listed with respectful representation. Profile visibility controls are available for groups that prefer limited public details.
Content from partner organizations is only republished with explicit permission or licence.

Privacy & Data

Yoruba.ca collects personal information (names, emails, roles) only for the purpose of claim verification and directory management.
We do not sell or share personal data with third parties.
Organizations can request profile removal or data deletion at any time by contacting privacy@yoruba.ca.
Full privacy policy: coming soon. Our practices are guided by PIPEDA requirements for meaningful consent and accountability.

Contact

For governance questions, partnership inquiries, or dispute submissions:

General: info@yoruba.ca
Partnerships: partners@yoruba.ca
Privacy: privacy@yoruba.ca
Disputes: disputes@yoruba.ca