Is it legal in Canada for my staff or family to review my business?

This page is general information, not legal advice. If you face a specific dispute or a notice from a regulator, talk to a lawyer.

Is there a law that says staff or family cannot review my business?

No Canadian law names “staff” or “family” as a banned group of reviewers. The risk comes from what the review says and how it was produced. A review that describes a real experience is one thing. A review written to make the public believe something untrue is another.

In Canada, misleading advertising is a concern for the Competition Bureau. A review that pretends to come from an independent customer, when it does not, can mislead buyers. That is where owners get into trouble, not from the reviewer’s surname.

What does Google say about reviews?

Google’s help pages say reviews and other contributions to Google Maps must reflect a genuine experience. They also say that offering incentives, such as free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for posting reviews, changing reviews, or removing negative reviews is fake and misleading content, and is strictly prohibited.

So a gift, a discount, or a paid shift in return for a five-star review breaks Google’s rules. This applies to staff, family and strangers alike.

When is a review from someone close to me a problem?

Use these tests:

• Did they really use your service or buy your product? A family member who was a customer can describe that visit honestly. A relative who never used you cannot.
• Is the review honest? A glowing review that exaggerates is a problem even if the person was a real customer.
• Does the reader know about the tie? A review that sounds like an independent stranger, when it is from your employee or spouse, gives readers a false picture.
• Did you pay or reward them for it? This is the clearest breach of Google’s rules.

In practice, a pile of reviews from people who all know the owner tends to look odd to readers. Google also uses automated spam detection, and its help pages say that system can remove reviews it identifies as spam. Reviews that look coordinated are the kind of thing that can disappear.

What should I do instead?

Follow these steps.

1. Ask real customers after a real job or visit. Google says you can share a review link or a QR code for this.
2. Ask everyone the same way. Do not offer a discount, gift or favour for a review.
3. Tell staff and family not to post reviews about work they did not experience as customers. If they were genuine customers, they may post an honest review, and it is wise to say so in the text.
4. Reply to every review you receive, good or bad. Google’s tips say honest and balanced reviews help potential customers decide.
5. Keep a simple record of how you asked, in case you need to explain it later.

Does CASL apply when I ask for reviews?

It can. Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL) requires consent before you send commercial electronic messages, such as emails or texts. The federal government’s guidance says you must be able to show proof of consent if asked. It also says every message must carry your business name and contact details and a working way to unsubscribe.

A review request is not always a sales message, but if it also promotes your business, treat it as one. Asking a person who has just bought from you may fall under implied consent from an existing business relationship, though that consent is time-limited. Check the rules before you send a bulk request.

What if someone posts a fake review about me?

You can report a review that violates Google’s policies. Open your Business Profile, choose Read reviews, select Report next to the review, and pick a reason. Google will not remove a review just because you disagree with it or dislike it. You can check the status in the Reviews Management Tool and submit a one-time appeal if the review is not removed.

Never retaliate with fake reviews of your own. That puts you on the wrong side of the same rules.