Overview

Sustainable Biz Canada (SustainableBiz.ca) is an online business news publication owned by Squall Inc. (Squall).

Squall is in the process of preparing a comprehensive editorial policy. Aspects of the policy that have been formulated and agreed to by the Squall newsroom and management are referenced below. 

As a small news organization, it is a significant undertaking for Squall to write its own policy from scratch although this is our goal. To fully understand the scope and content of an editorial policy, Squall has referred to the documentation prepared by several of the largest and most respected news publications including The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and The Canadian Press. 

Squall differs from the mainstream media because it is a business to business news publisher rather than being a community news service, nor does it report broadly about politics, or publish editorial commentary or opinions from its staff.  

References for developing Squall’s editorial policy

Canadian Press - Our news principles

Globe and Mail - Editorial code of conduct

TorStar – Journalistic standards guide

Squall’s mandate

Squall is a Canadian National service that publishes business news with the highest achievable degree of integrity and accuracy.  This mandate has earned Squall the trust of its readers and secured a place for the organization as a primary source of business news in Canada.

The delivery of Squall’s editorial policy is determined by the day-to day-conduct of Squall’s staff and regular freelancers.

Guiding practices

1. Investigate and make all reasonable efforts to verify facts, information and individuals which are included in any article. If doubt remains about the veracity of any elements of an article, it should be clearly identified within the article, or removed prior to publication.

2. Cite competent authorities and sources as the origin of information or concepts open to question. Have proof available for publication by both recording interviews and, where relevant, simultaneously keeping written notes.

3. Take scrupulous care for confirming facts and publish fact-based reports that do not incorporate editorial opinion or comment. Provide real observations, accurate background and authoritative information that would enhance the reader’s understanding of complicated issues.

4. Admit errors promptly, clearly and, for any significant mistake, add an Editor’s Note at the earliest possible time to the relevant content which describes and corrects the error. Every story that is proven to have errors and requires a correction must be drawn to the attention of management.

5. Accepting criticism and complaints is a requirement of high quality news organizations and must be responded to in a balanced, polite and sensitive manner. Editors, reporters and freelancers are required to refer such issues to supervisors and management for a reply as soon as possible after their receipt.

6. Squall staff must be aware of the power of news stories to injure both the ordinary citizen as well as companies and organizations and remain vigilant to this possibility in our reporting. This is a critical reason information published in news articles must be accurate, and verified where possible.

7. Any news report, excerpt or information published by Squall that is derived directly from another publisher's copyrighted content must be clearly referenced and linked to a new browser window where the referenced material resides.

8. Squall does not permit the sharing of its articles in advance of publication, a practice commonly referred to as "previewing." However, in certain circumstances it is acceptable for Squall editors or writers to share limited passages, or a quote(s), with a source or their representative in advance to verify accuracy or to assist with the understanding of complex concepts or information.

Ethical behaviour

It is impossible to raise all potential ethical challenges in this policy. The following guiding principles, however, provide a framework for advancing and not restraining the work of Squall’s news staff.  

Central to all actions of Squall editorial staff is the premise that we not do anything that demeans the profession or undermines its credibility.

Squall staff and freelancers should:
-  Always identify themselves as news reporters and not misrepresent themselves in the pursuit of a story or at any other time.
-  Not pay newsmakers for interviews, to take pictures and record them or suggest that payment or advertising benefits would be available in return for a story.
-  Not accept material items such as gifts, travel or entertainment opportunities and money or non-material ‘favours’ in exchange for a story or more favourable coverage.

Squall business news reporting policy

The purpose of this policy is to protect Squall, its staff and regular freelancers from real or perceived conflicts of interest that would damage the reputation, credibility and integrity of the organization and its reporting.

Squall staff and regular freelancers should not benefit financially or materially from privileged information gained through their role as a journalist until it becomes part of the public domain.

Implementation of this policy requires that Squall staff and regular freelancers disclose relevant investments, not trade on information acquired as a journalist and when in doubt discuss the issue with their editor or manager.

A breach of this policy may result in a disciplinary response from Squall. 

Guiding practices pertaining to business reporting 

Squall staff and freelancers are not permitted to make significant personal investments in companies they are likely to write about as part of their usual assignments. This policy includes such practices as short selling, hedging, initial public offerings, secondary offerings, private placements and other types of securities that the staff member may be aware of prior to them being publicly disclosed, or trading on the markets.

Similarly, they are not permitted to use advance knowledge of specific investment news or forthcoming articles to make securities transactions or advise people outside the Squall newsroom. 

Squall staff and freelancers are permitted to invest in diversified mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds, money-market funds, treasury bills and government debt securities of all kinds, as well as investment accounts in which all trading decisions are made by an independent money manager. 

Squall staff, freelancers and columnists are required to clearly disclose their ownership in securities and if in doubt about a potential conflict of interest discuss it with a managing editor. Managing editors and other newsroom staff should communicate their investments to Squall management.

Impartiality

Squall writers and freelancers recognize that parties in controversy or conflicts, whether in business, politics, law or otherwise, should all receive fair consideration.  

While acknowledging this vitally important principle, Squall publishes factually based business stories which are often based on one interview or source. These stories, whenever possible and relevant, are enhanced with additional factual detail and other information, and provided with references to existing published content. 

Squall Guidelines for Guest Submissions and Columns
Prepared on December 30, 2024

While Squall is still at the early stages of putting its editorial practices and code of ethics in writing; it prepared the following guideline on December 30, 2024 to inform our newsroom team and industry contributors regarding guest submissions and featured columns.

All Squall Inc. media publications welcome submissions from executives and subject matter experts on topics of interest to our B2B readership. We thank you in advance for your interest in having an article published on one of our websites. 

To provide clarity on what types of articles are accepted as a Guest Submission or as a Column, we encourage you to read the Editorial Policy which follows:

1. Guest submissions are an opportunity to share your expertise, data, observations and opinions on issues or topics which are of relevance to our readers - your industry peers.

2. These types of articles are a great way to get your name out in the public realm and to share your knowledge with others in your industry.

3. It is completely acceptable, and indeed expected, for guest writers/columnists to write about topics in which their company has a vested interest. But, the content must have value or offer insights to other readers: Remember we are a B2B publication. Thus (using RENX as an example), these are your peers in CRE, real estate, proptech, development and/or sustainability. 

4. A website visitor who reads the submission should find it offers perspectives, insights or information of which they might not have previously been aware, or which offers value for their time. This is the standard our editors use when considering whether an item will be published as editorial content - or whether it might be best suited to Sponsored or Advertorial content.

5. Offering interesting, informative and/or compelling expertise and insights can raise your profile within your industry. It also ensures that, next time you submit a column, site visitors will spend valuable minutes of their day reading it.

6. Guest columns / submissions are part of Squall’s Editorial Content. Thus, we do not permit marketing pitches in these articles. It is generally acceptable to mention your company, proprietary data or information, a report, or perhaps an event, but direct marketing is not permitted. (Such content falls under the realm of Sponsored Content or Advertorials. If marketing a service, product or event is the intent, we encourage you to speak with our Account Executives re. paid content options)

7. Squall strongly prefers to publish exclusive articles which have not been previously published, and which will not appear in other media. However, in certain situations we do accept items which are being re-published. As the author, you do also retain rights to your work.

8. Squall reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, style, accuracy and consistency with our other content.

9. Squall reserves the right to refuse to publish any submission which we determine does not meet our editorial standards, which we deem unsuitable for our audience, or which does not reflect the aims expressed within these guidelines.

Published on January 14, 2026