Terms of Service

Last updated: June 1, 2026

Dockhand is a marketplace that connects people in Ontario's cottage country — Muskoka, the Kawarthas, Haliburton Highlands, and Georgian Bay — with local taskers. Dockhand does not perform the services itself. By using the platform, you agree to the terms below.

1. Who we are

The Platform is owned and operated by Dockhand Inc., a corporation incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) ("Dockhand", the "Platform", "we", "us"). The Platform is accessible at dockhand.ca and via related apps. You can reach us at hello@dockhand.ca.

2. Who can use Dockhand

You must be at least 18 years old and able to enter into a binding contract under the laws of Ontario. You may use Dockhand as a "Customer" (posting tasks) or as a "Tasker" (performing tasks), or both. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials secure and for all activity on your account.

3. What Dockhand is — and is not

Dockhand is a venue. Customers and Taskers contract directly with each other for the services posted on the Platform. Dockhand is not a party to that contract. Dockhand does not employ Taskers, does not direct or supervise the work, and does not guarantee any specific outcome, quality, timing, or result.

Taskers are independent contractors. They are not employees, agents, partners, or representatives of Dockhand.

4. Posting and accepting tasks

Customers must describe tasks accurately, including location, scope, and any conditions that affect the work. Taskers must only accept tasks they are competent and equipped to perform safely. Both parties commit to communicating in good faith and showing up at the agreed time.

5. Fees and payments

Customers pay the agreed task price plus any applicable taxes through the Platform. Dockhand currently charges a service fee of 20%, deducted from the Tasker's payout. Payments are processed by Stripe; you authorize Stripe (and Dockhand through Stripe) to debit your payment method when you confirm a booking.

Funds for accepted tasks are held until the work is marked complete or a dispute is resolved. Tasker payouts are issued to the bank account on the Tasker's connected Stripe account, on Stripe's standard schedule.

We may change our fees from time to time. Changes apply to tasks posted after the change takes effect.

6. Taxes

Customers and Taskers are each responsible for their own taxes. Taskers are responsible for declaring income earned through Dockhand and for collecting and remitting HST/GST where applicable.

7. Cancellations and refunds

Cancellations and refunds are governed by our Refund & Cancellation Policy, which is part of these Terms.

8. Tasker verification

Taskers complete identity verification through Stripe Identity before they can be paid. Verification confirms that the person has the identity they claim to have. It is not a background check, a skills check, a licence check, or a guarantee of suitability for any specific task. Customers should make their own assessment before allowing a Tasker into their home or onto their property.

9. Your conduct

You agree not to use Dockhand to:

Post tasks that are illegal, harmful, or that require a licence you do not hold;
Harass, threaten, discriminate against, or solicit other users;
Circumvent the Platform's fees by transacting off-platform with someone you met through Dockhand;
Misrepresent yourself, your identity, or the task;
Post weapons, drugs, sexual services, or anything else that violates Canadian or Ontario law.

We may suspend or remove accounts that breach these rules.

10. Insurance — please read carefully

Dockhand does not provide insurance coverage to Customers or Taskers. The Platform is a venue; it does not carry a master liability, property damage, personal injury, theft, or workers' compensation policy that covers work arranged through the site.

Taskers: You are an independent contractor and are responsible for your own insurance, including any general liability, commercial vehicle, tools, professional liability, and personal injury or disability coverage appropriate to the work you perform. For higher-risk categories (including contractor projects, tree work, septic, boat lifts, dock installation, and full cottage open/close), we strongly recommend you carry general liability coverage of at least CAD $2,000,000.

Customers: You are responsible for confirming that your homeowner's, cottage, or commercial property insurance covers work performed by independent contractors on your property, including any consequential damage. For higher-value work, we strongly recommend you ask your Tasker to provide a Certificate of Insurance before the work begins and that you verify your own coverage in advance. Payments are processed by Stripe: when you accept an offer you are charged in full, Dockhand's platform fee is deducted, and the Tasker's share is routed to the Tasker's Stripe account and paid out on Stripe's standard payout schedule. This is a payment-processing arrangement, not an escrow service or an insurance product. If you flag an issue within 48 hours of scheduled completion, Dockhand may refund or reverse amounts in accordance with the Refund Policy.

The Dockhand Resolution Center provides mediation and refund handling, including full or partial refunds of task payments where warranted. It does not — and is not intended to — cover property damage, personal injury, theft, consequential loss, or any amount above the task price itself.

11. Liability — please read

Dockhand provides the Platform "as is" and to the maximum extent permitted by Ontario law disclaims all implied warranties. We are not responsible for the conduct, quality, safety, or legality of the services performed by Taskers, or for the accuracy of task descriptions posted by Customers.

You agree that, to the extent permitted by law, Dockhand's total liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the Platform will not exceed the greater of (a) the service fees Dockhand earned from your transactions in the 12 months before the claim, or (b) CAD $100. This cap applies regardless of the legal theory under which the claim is brought (contract, tort, statute, or otherwise).

To the extent permitted by law, Dockhand is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages — including but not limited to property damage, personal injury, lost income, loss of use, business interruption, or loss of data — arising from your use of the Platform or any task arranged through it.

Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law, including liability for fraud, gross negligence, or willful misconduct.

12. No off-platform transactions — protection void

Customers and Taskers must transact through Dockhand for any work introduced or coordinated through the Platform. This includes booking, accepting, paying, receiving payment, scheduling, and resolving the task.

Why this matters: any protection, mediation, insurance coverage, or guarantee that Dockhand provides or arranges — whether currently in place or introduced in the future — applies only to tasks transacted on the Platform. If a Customer pays a Tasker directly, in cash or by e-transfer, outside the Platform; or if a Tasker accepts a job outside the Platform after being introduced through it; or if either party invoices or pays around Dockhand for any part of an introduced task, then for that specific work:

any Dockhand-arranged insurance, coverage, or guarantee is void;
the Resolution Center will not mediate or issue refunds;
the Verified Pro badge and any Dockhand trust signal do not warrant the work performed;
Dockhand has no obligation to assist with disputes between the parties.

The Platform fee applies to all work introduced through Dockhand, including any continuation, expansion, or related follow-up work performed within twelve (12) months of the introduction. Customers and Taskers who suspect off-platform transactions are happening can report it confidentially at hello@dockhand.ca.

This section applies in addition to the Insurance and Liability sections above; nothing here gives anyone insurance coverage that does not otherwise exist.

13. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify Dockhand against claims brought by third parties that arise from your use of the Platform — including claims relating to a task you posted or performed, your interactions with other users, or your breach of these Terms.

14. Intellectual property

The Dockhand name, logo, site, and software are owned by Dockhand. You may use them only to use the Platform as intended. Content you post (photos, descriptions, messages) remains yours; you grant Dockhand a non-exclusive licence to display it on the Platform for the purpose of operating the service.

15. Account suspension and termination

You may close your account at any time by contacting us. We may suspend or close any account that breaches these Terms, that is the subject of a credible safety complaint, or that is required to be closed by law. Outstanding payment obligations survive account closure.

16. Privacy

How we handle personal information is described in our Privacy Policy.

17. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be communicated by email and posted on this page with an updated date. Continuing to use Dockhand after a change means you accept the new Terms.

18. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada that apply in Ontario. Disputes will be brought in the courts of Ontario, unless small claims jurisdiction applies. Before suing, please email hello@dockhand.ca so we can try to resolve the issue directly.

19. Contact

Questions about these Terms: hello@dockhand.ca.