Editorial Ethics & Standards

Independence

Capital Daily is independent and member-funded. Members and advertisers have no say over what we cover or what we conclude. Editorial decisions are made by the newsroom, full stop.

Accuracy

We verify before we publish and source our reporting. When facts are still developing, we say so. Our daily audio brief and AI-readable summaries are generated from our own reported issues and held to the same accuracy bar as the text.

Automation & human accountability

Newsroom tools help us collect sources, compare coverage, prepare drafts, check claims, and format the daily issue. They do not make the final editorial decision. A named editor reviews the exact edition readers will receive, checks it for accuracy, fairness, privacy, and harm, and personally approves publication. Website articles also require a human editor to publish them.

We do not present generated images as documentary photographs. AI-generated illustrations are identified as illustrations. Forward photographs require a permission record, and reader-facing credit whenever the licence or source calls for attribution.

Minimizing harm

A fact can be true and still be unnecessary to publish. We take extra care with minors, survivors, grieving families, vulnerable people, private identifying details, allegations, trauma, health, and safety. We use precise legal status, avoid gratuitous detail and stigma, and weigh the public value of sensitive information before including it.

Corrections

When we get something wrong, we fix it promptly and transparently, noting what changed. See our corrections page for how to send one in, or email editor@capitaldaily.ca.

Advertising & sponsorship

Sponsored content and local business placements are always clearly labelled as such and kept visually and editorially separate from journalism. A sponsor never gets favourable coverage, and a label like “Sponsored” or “From a local business” means exactly that.

Conflicts of interest

Our journalists disclose and recuse from stories where they have a personal or financial interest. Ownership and funding are disclosed on our about page.

Contact

Editorial questions, tips, or concerns: editor@capitaldaily.ca.