Effective Date: February 18, 2026
1. Introduction
Welcome to The Hammer — Hamilton’s community newsletter and business directory (the “Services”), available at onlyinhamilton.ca and through our newsletter delivered via email. These Terms of Use (“Terms”) apply to everyone who uses the Services, including newsletter subscribers, business owners with listings, and general visitors.
By subscribing to our newsletter, creating a business listing, or using our website, you agree to these Terms. If you don’t agree, please don’t use our Services.
Questions? Reach us through the Contact page.
2. Who We Are
The Hammer is a Hamilton-based community media brand. We publish a weekly newsletter and operate a local business directory focused on connecting Hamiltonians with their city. We are not a news agency, and our content should not be treated as professional advice of any kind.
3. Using Our Services
3.1 Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, subscribe to a paid tier, or submit a business listing. By using the Services, you confirm that you meet this requirement.
3.2 Acceptable Use
You agree to use our Services for lawful purposes only. You may not:
- Post false, misleading, or inaccurate business information
- Submit reviews that are fake, incentivized, or defamatory
- Use our platform to send spam or unsolicited marketing
- Attempt to manipulate ratings, rankings, or search results
- Scrape, copy, or reproduce our directory content for competing purposes
- Impersonate another person or business
- Violate any applicable law or regulation
3.3 Account Responsibility
If you create an account, you are responsible for keeping your login credentials secure and for all activity that happens under your account. Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access.
4. Newsletter Subscriptions
4.1 Free Subscription
Our newsletter is available free of charge. By subscribing, you consent to receive The Hammer by email. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any newsletter issue.
4.2 Paid Subscription Tiers
We offer optional paid subscription tiers (Supporter, Insider, and Champion) with additional benefits as described on our website. Paid subscriptions are billed monthly or annually depending on the plan you choose.
4.3 Billing and Renewal
Paid subscriptions renew automatically at the end of each billing cycle. You authorize us to charge your payment method on file at the start of each renewal period. You can cancel your subscription at any time before the next renewal date through your account settings.
4.4 Subscriber Refund Policy
If you’re not satisfied with a paid newsletter subscription, you may request a full refund within 30 days of your initial payment or any renewal payment. After 30 days, payments are non-refundable. Refund requests can be submitted through our Contact page.
4.5 Price Changes
We may adjust subscription prices from time to time. We’ll give you at least 30 days’ notice before any price change takes effect on your account. Continued use after the change means you accept the new pricing.
5. Business Directory Listings
5.1 Listing Tiers
We offer several listing tiers including a free basic listing and paid plans (Starter, Featured, and Flagship). The features available at each tier are described on our pricing page and may be updated from time to time.
5.2 Accuracy of Business Information
By submitting a listing, you confirm that all information is accurate, current, and relates to a legitimate business you are authorized to represent. You are responsible for keeping your listing up to date. We reserve the right to remove or edit listings that contain false or misleading information.
5.3 Directory Listing Billing and Renewal
Paid listings are billed monthly or annually. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled before the renewal date. Monthly subscribers who no longer wish to continue can simply not renew—no cancellation fee applies.
5.4 Directory Listing Refund Policy
Refund requests for directory listings must be submitted within 7 days of your initial payment or any renewal payment. After 7 days, payments are non-refundable. Monthly subscribers who are unsatisfied are encouraged to cancel before the next billing date rather than seeking a refund. Refund requests can be submitted through our Contact page.
5.5 Our Right to Modify or Remove Listings
We reserve the right to edit, suspend, or remove any listing at our discretion, including listings that we determine are inaccurate, inappropriate, or do not reflect the quality standards of The Hammer directory. We will make reasonable efforts to notify you if your listing is removed.
5.6 Listings Are Not Endorsements
Inclusion in The Hammer directory is not an editorial endorsement of any business. Free and paid listings are both subject to community reviews, and we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any listing’s content beyond what is submitted by the business owner.
5.7 Featured and Flagship Benefits
Benefits associated with Featured and Flagship tiers (such as newsletter mentions, Facebook promotion, and in-person visits) are delivered on a reasonable schedule and subject to availability. These benefits are not guaranteed within any specific timeframe unless otherwise agreed in writing.
5.8 Verification Badges
Verification and trust badges displayed on listings indicate that The Hammer has made reasonable efforts to confirm certain information as described for each tier level. These badges do not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, or warranty of any business’s services, quality of work, or conduct. The Hammer assumes no liability for the actions, products, or services of any listed business. Users are encouraged to conduct their own due diligence before engaging with any business.
6. Reviews and User-Generated Content
6.1 Community Reviews
Registered users may submit reviews of businesses listed in our directory. Reviews must reflect genuine first-hand experiences. The following are not permitted:
- Reviews submitted by business owners about their own business
- Reviews submitted by competitors
- Reviews that are defamatory, harassing, or abusive
- Reviews containing false factual claims
- Reviews that were incentivized without disclosure
6.2 Photo and Content Submissions
By submitting photos, comments, or other content to The Hammer (including Photo of the Week submissions), you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, display, and publish that content in connection with our Services and promotional materials. You confirm that you own or have rights to any content you submit and that it does not infringe on third-party rights.
6.3 Content Moderation
We reserve the right to remove any user-generated content at our discretion, including reviews and photos that violate these Terms or that we determine are otherwise inappropriate for our community platform.
7. Our Content
All original content published by The Hammer—including newsletter copy, editorial features, and website content—is owned by us. You may share links to our content, but you may not reproduce or republish our original writing, photos, or graphics without our written permission.
Our content is produced for general community interest and does not constitute professional legal, financial, medical, or any other form of professional advice.
8. Privacy
Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. By using our Services, you agree to our data practices as described in that policy. The Privacy Policy is available on our website.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. Email addresses collected through newsletter subscriptions are used solely to deliver The Hammer and related communications.
9. Advertising and Sponsored Content
Some content in our newsletter and on our website is sponsored by local businesses. Sponsored content and paid placements will be identified as such (e.g., “Sponsored,” “Presented by,” or “Partner” labels). Our editorial content is independent of our advertising relationships.
Advertising relationships do not influence editorial coverage. A business paying for a directory listing or newsletter feature does not guarantee positive editorial treatment.
10. Disclaimers
THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. We make no guarantees about the accuracy or completeness of business listings, user reviews, or event information published through our Services.
Errors happen. If you spot something incorrect, please let us know through our Contact page and we’ll do our best to fix it promptly.
We are not responsible for the products, services, or conduct of any business listed in our directory. Your interactions with businesses you discover through The Hammer are entirely between you and that business.
11. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Hammer and its operators shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of our Services, including loss of business, reputation, or revenue related to any listing, review, or editorial content.
Our total liability for any claim related to these Services shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim.
12. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make significant changes, we’ll let you know via email or a notice on our website at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Continued use of our Services after the effective date means you accept the updated Terms.
13. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Ontario, Canada. Any disputes will first be addressed through informal resolution. If that doesn’t work, disputes will be resolved through binding arbitration in Ontario, Canada.
14. Contact Us
If you have questions about these Terms, a concern about a listing or review, or a request related to your account or data, please reach out through the Contact page. We’re a small local team and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
The Hammer — onlyinhamilton.ca 🔨