Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms and Eligibility

By creating an account, accessing the Novala website, or using our Services, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be legally bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, you must not use our Services.

You must be at least 18 years old and legally capable of entering into binding contracts to use Novala. By using our Services, you represent and warrant that you meet these requirements. If you are using Novala on behalf of a business or organization, you represent that you have the authority to bind that business to these Terms, and the term "you" refers to both you personally and the business.

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through a prominent notice in the platform at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of Novala after the changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

2. Description of Services

Novala is a modern business management platform built to simplify the way businesses operate. Bringing essential business operations together in one seamless platform, Novala gives businesses greater control, clarity, and flexibility to manage their day-to-day operations and grow with confidence. The Services are offered through a web browser and mobile applications.

We offer various subscription plans with different features and usage limits. Details of current plans, features, and pricing are available on our website and are subject to change. We may add, modify, or discontinue features at our discretion, though we will provide reasonable notice for material changes that affect your ability to use the Services.

The Services currently support Canadian federal and provincial tax laws, employment regulations, and business requirements, with additional jurisdictions being added as Novala expands internationally. While we strive for accuracy, you remain responsible for verifying that our Services meet your specific business, tax, and compliance needs.

3. Account Registration and Security

To use most features of Novala, you must create an account. When registering, you must provide accurate, complete, and current information about yourself and your business. You are responsible for keeping this information updated, particularly your business address, tax registration numbers, and payment information.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials (username, password, two-factor authentication codes) and for all activities that occur under your account, whether authorized by you or not. You must notify us immediately at security@getnovala.com if you suspect any unauthorized access to your account or any other security breach.

Each account is intended for use by one business entity. Sharing account credentials among multiple businesses is prohibited. However, within your business, you may create multiple user accounts for team members with appropriate role-based access controls. You are responsible for the conduct of all users you invite to your account.

4. Subscription Plans, Billing, and Payment

Novala offers subscription plans billed on a monthly or annual basis, depending on the plan you select. Subscription fees are charged in advance for each billing period and are non-refundable except as expressly required by applicable law or as specifically provided in these Terms.

By providing a payment method, you authorize us to charge your payment method for all applicable fees, taxes, and other charges as they become due. If we cannot successfully charge your payment method, we may suspend or terminate your access to the Services after providing reasonable notice. You are responsible for keeping your payment method information current.

All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes (including GST, HST, and provincial sales taxes), which will be added to your invoice as required by law. Prices are quoted in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified. We may change our subscription prices from time to time. Any price increases will be communicated to you at least 30 days in advance and will take effect at your next billing cycle.

5. Cancellation and Termination

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings or by contacting our support team at support@getnovala.com. Cancellations take effect at the end of your current billing period, and you will retain access to the Services until that time. We do not provide refunds for partial billing periods except as required by applicable consumer protection laws.

After cancellation, your account will be marked for deletion. You will have 30 days to export your business data. After this period, we will delete your data in accordance with our data retention policy, though certain records (financial transactions, tax filings) may be retained longer as required by Canadian law.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to the Services if you violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent or illegal activity, fail to pay fees when due, or if we believe that continued access poses a security or legal risk. In the event of termination for cause, no refund will be provided.

6. Your Content and Data

You retain all ownership rights to the business data, financial records, employee information, invoices, and other content you upload to or generate within Novala ("Your Content"). We do not claim ownership of Your Content. You grant Novala a limited license to use, process, store, and display Your Content solely as necessary to provide the Services to you.

We will not sell your business data to third parties. We will not use Your Content for advertising purposes. We will not share Your Content with third parties except: (a) with your explicit consent, (b) with our service providers who need access to help us provide the Services (bound by confidentiality obligations), (c) as required by law or valid legal process, or (d) to protect our rights or the safety of others.

You are responsible for the accuracy and legality of Your Content. You represent that you have all necessary rights to upload Your Content to Novala and that Your Content does not violate any laws or third-party rights.

7. Intellectual Property Rights

The Novala platform, including all software code, designs, user interfaces, trademarks, logos, documentation, content, and other materials created by us ("Novala IP"), is the exclusive property of Novala and its licensors. Novala IP is protected by copyright, trademark, patent, and other intellectual property laws of Canada and other jurisdictions.

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use Novala IP solely as necessary to use the Services in accordance with these Terms. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, lease, reverse engineer, decompile, or create derivative works of Novala IP, except as expressly permitted by law or with our prior written consent.

Any feedback, suggestions, or ideas you provide to us about the Services may be used by us without restriction or compensation to you, though we will not identify you as the source without your permission.

8. Acceptable Use

You agree to use Novala only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to: (a) violate any applicable federal, provincial, or local laws or regulations; (b) transmit any harmful code, viruses, or malware; (c) attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Services or related systems; (d) interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Services; (e) use the Services to send spam or unsolicited commercial communications; or (f) impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.

You are specifically responsible for compliance with all applicable payroll, tax, and employment laws when using Novala. This includes but is not limited to: proper classification of employees vs. contractors, accurate reporting of wages and deductions, timely remittance of payroll taxes, compliance with employment standards laws in your province, and accurate representation of business income and expenses for tax purposes.

We reserve the right to investigate and take appropriate action, including removing content, suspending accounts, and cooperating with law enforcement, for any suspected violation of these Terms or applicable law.

9. Third-Party Services and Integrations

Novala integrates with various third-party services, including banks and financial institutions (for account connectivity), tax authorities (for direct filings), payment processors (for direct deposit and payments), and other business tools. Your use of these third-party services is subject to their respective terms of service and privacy policies.

While we carefully select our integration partners and require appropriate security measures, we are not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or security of third-party services, nor for any errors or issues that arise from their use. If a third-party service becomes unavailable, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to notify affected customers and, where possible, provide alternatives.

Some third-party services may charge additional fees. We will clearly disclose any such fees before you activate the relevant integration.

10. Disclaimers and Warranties

The Services are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or accuracy of information. We do not warrant that the Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free from viruses or other harmful components.

While we strive for accuracy in tax calculations, payroll processing, and compliance features, you acknowledge that tax laws and regulations are complex and subject to interpretation. You remain solely responsible for reviewing and verifying all calculations, filings, and reports generated by Novala. Novala is not a substitute for professional accounting, tax, or legal advice. We recommend consulting with qualified professionals for significant financial or legal decisions.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties. In those jurisdictions, the disclaimers above apply to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Novala and its officers, directors, employees, contractors, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, revenue, data, use, goodwill, or business opportunity, arising out of or related to your use of the Services, whether based in contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or otherwise, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Our total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising out of or related to these Terms or the Services shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim, or one hundred Canadian dollars ($100 CAD), whichever is greater.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability for certain types of damages. In those jurisdictions, our liability shall be limited to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Novala and its officers, directors, employees, contractors, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your access to or use of the Services; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any third-party rights; (d) your violation of any applicable laws or regulations; or (e) Your Content.

We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you, in which case you will fully cooperate with us in asserting any available defenses.

13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms and any dispute arising out of or related to these Terms or the Services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of laws principles. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply.

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services shall be resolved through the courts of the Province of Alberta, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts. You waive any objection to the venue and any right to a jury trial to the extent permitted by law.

Before initiating any formal legal proceeding, you agree to attempt to resolve any dispute informally by contacting us at legal@getnovala.com. We will make reasonable efforts to resolve the matter through good-faith negotiations within 60 days.

14. General Provisions and Contact Information

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Novala regarding your use of the Services, superseding any prior agreements. If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of those rights.

You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights or obligations without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms to any successor or affiliate without restriction. These Terms are binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

Questions about these Terms? Contact us at legal@getnovala.com or by mail: Novala, attention: Legal Department, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.