Terms of use

1. Acceptance of these terms

By using heysimone.ca, you accept these terms. If you do not accept them, you may not use the platform.

2. Description of the service

heysimone.ca is a platform that connects families with home care and support providers. heysimone.ca is not an employer, a placement agency or a care provider. heysimone.ca is a tool for information, matching and administrative management (visits, scheduling, payments) only.

3. Provider responsibilities

To register and offer services on heysimone.ca, every provider must be at least 18 years old.

Providers registered on heysimone.ca are self-employed workers or businesses acting on their own account. heysimone.ca does not direct their work, does not set their rates and is not a party to the visits carried out between providers and clients. Facilitating the matching, scheduling and follow-up of visits gives heysimone.ca no status as employer, principal or placement agency within the meaning of the applicable Quebec and Canadian laws.

Providers are responsible for the quality and safety of the services they offer. heysimone.ca does not guarantee the quality of the services delivered.

4. The “Verified heysimone.ca” program

Trust is at the heart of heysimone.ca’s mission. “Verified heysimone.ca” is a mark placed on the profile of a provider who has completed our verification process, which is carried out by a specialized and accredited outside firm. The process covers confirmation of identity, a check of the criminal record and of any pending criminal charges, a review of references and supporting documents, and validation of the qualifications declared.

heysimone.ca retains a specialized outside company to run official checks on the documents and background submitted by providers, as far as the available official sources allow. This process makes profiles more reliable, but the accuracy of the information rests in large part on the documents supplied by the provider, who attests to them under their sole and entire responsibility. heysimone.ca cannot guarantee that every document is authentic, nor that no risk remains.

The “Verified heysimone.ca” mark records that the verification was carried out. It is not an absolute guarantee of competence, integrity or the absence of risk. Responsibility for the accuracy of the documents and declarations rests solely with the provider, who undertakes to indemnify heysimone.ca and hold it harmless against any claim arising from false, falsified, expired or misleading documents.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, heysimone.ca disclaims all liability, direct or indirect, contractual or extracontractual, toward families, providers or third parties, in respect of (i) the accuracy of the documents and declarations submitted, (ii) the acts, omissions, negligence or fault of providers and (iii) any material, bodily, moral or financial damage resulting from the delivery of the services.

The “Verified heysimone.ca” mark may be withdrawn or suspended at any time, without notice, following a report, a reasonable doubt, non-compliance or the expiry of documents. Every provider who does not hold this mark, or no longer holds it, is clearly identified as such on their profile.

5. Cancellation and change of provider

Under article 2125 of the Civil Code of Québec and the Consumer Protection Act (CQLR c P-40.1), the family may, at its sole discretion and without having to give a reason, cancel a scheduled visit or ask for a change of provider at any time.

Cancellation with sufficient notice: the family may cancel a visit at no charge if the cancellation is given through the platform (the “My visits” section) a reasonable time before the scheduled start.

Late cancellation (less than 24 hours before the scheduled start): the visit has already been charged, so a cancellation fee equal to 50% of the total amount of the visit is retained. That amount compensates the provider for the lost slot (the provider receives their usual share, calculated on that portion) and includes the corresponding portion of the heysimone.ca platform fee; the GST (5%) and the QST (9.975%) that apply to the platform fee remain payable on the portion retained. The balance (about 50%) is refunded to the family on the original card through Stripe. The exact amount is shown to the family at the moment the cancellation is confirmed, and a detailed receipt for the cancellation fee is sent to them.

The family is invited, though not required, to contact heysimone.ca when something unforeseen comes up, so that a workable solution can be found.

Any clause that would restrict the rights provided by the Consumer Protection Act would be without effect (ss. 261 and 262 CPA).

6. Criminal records of providers

When they register, all providers must attest that they have no criminal record incompatible with the services they offer.

Under the “Verified heysimone.ca” program, the check of the criminal record and of any pending criminal charges is carried out by a specialized and accredited outside firm. It is a prerequisite for obtaining the “Verified” mark.

heysimone.ca reserves the right to require this attestation to be renewed periodically, to ask for additional documents, or to suspend or withdraw the “Verified” status in the event of a doubt, a report, information to the contrary or non-compliance.

Despite the checks carried out, heysimone.ca cannot guarantee the complete absence of a criminal record that was not disclosed or that arose after the check. heysimone.ca cannot be held responsible for inaccurate or incomplete information supplied by a provider.

7. Payments, platform fees and taxes

heysimone.ca is a technology platform that connects people. It is neither the provider’s employer nor the supplier of the home-support services. Invoicing the services for tax purposes therefore falls to the independent provider alone.

After each visit the provider confirms and completes, payment is taken automatically from the card the family registered, through our payment provider (Stripe Connect). No credit, package or prepayment is required: the family pays only for the visits actually delivered, for the time actually spent.

The provider’s hourly rate is paid to them in full (100%), directly into their Stripe Connect account, for the time actually worked. heysimone.ca never holds the funds beyond the time the transfer technically takes.

On top of the provider’s rate, heysimone.ca charges a platform fee whose percentage varies according to the provider’s level of activity. The GST (5%) and the QST (9.975%) apply to that platform fee only, and appear on the invoice heysimone.ca issues to the family.

The provider is entirely responsible for their own tax obligations (GST, QST, income tax and the applicable returns). A provider registered for the tax files may activate that option in their dashboard. The applicable taxes are then added to their rates and appear on the invoices issued through heysimone.ca.

Some home-support or home-care services may be exempt from GST and QST, depending on their nature and on the applicable tax rules. It is up to the provider to determine whether their services are taxable or exempt, and to make sure they meet all of their tax obligations.

In the event of a late cancellation (less than 24 hours) or of a dispute, the terms of sections 5 and 11 apply. The cancellation fee retained (50% of the total amount) is covered by a separate receipt issued to the family. Refunds are made to the original card through Stripe.

8. Communication between the parties

Full personal contact details (phone number, street address) are disclosed only once a visit is confirmed. Before that point, exchanges take place through the secure messaging on the platform.

The only external video-call links allowed in the platform’s messaging are Google Meet (meet.google.com) and Daily.co.

9. Non-circumvention clause (providers only)

Every provider registered on heysimone.ca undertakes to carry out on the platform all visits with families met through heysimone.ca, for a period of 24 months from first contact. Any service arranged off the platform with a heysimone.ca family is subject to the commissions provided for. Failure to respect this clause may lead to the suspension of the account and to a financial penalty. This clause does not apply to the family and in no way restricts the right of cancellation set out in section 5.

10. Use of profile information for promotion

By creating a profile on heysimone.ca, the provider expressly consents to heysimone.ca using the public information on that profile, including their first name, city, services, hourly rate and profile photo, in promotion, advertising and marketing activities for the platform, in particular on social media, in digital advertising campaigns and in communications addressed to families.

That use is limited to presenting the provider as a member of the heysimone.ca community, and may in no case misrepresent their statements, opinions or affiliations.

The provider may withdraw this consent at any time by sending a written request to info@heysimone.ca. heysimone.ca will stop using their information for promotional purposes within a reasonable time after receiving the request, without this affecting material already published.

11. Limitation of liability

heysimone.ca is not responsible for damage arising from the use of the services of a provider. heysimone.ca is not a health professional, and its advice, including the advice of the heysimone.ca virtual assistant, does not replace professional medical, legal or financial advice.

12. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of Quebec and of Canada. Any dispute will be brought before the courts of competent jurisdiction in Quebec.