Verification Standards
"100CK Verified" is a documented evaluation, not a formality and not something that can be purchased. This page lists exactly what's checked, so nobody — a visitor or a business owner — is misled about what the badge does and doesn't represent.
The evaluation
A business earns Verified status only when every criterion below that applies to it has been checked and recorded, with the date, on file:
Operating history
The business has a confirmed, ongoing operating history in Chatham-Kent — evidenced by public records, a consistent web/social presence over time, or direct owner confirmation.
Licensing (where legally required)
For trades and professions that Ontario law requires to be licensed (e.g. electrical work with the ESA, HVAC with the TSSA, real estate with RECO, law with the LSO), we confirm an active licence or registration with the relevant regulator. Businesses in unregulated categories don't have this checked, since there's nothing to check.
Insurance
The business attests to carrying liability insurance (and WSIB coverage where applicable). We record the attestation and its date — we do not independently audit insurance certificates, and the profile is explicit that this is a self-attestation, not an audit.
Complaint history
A basic check of public complaint sources (e.g. BBB, Consumer Protection Ontario) for material, unresolved issues at the time of review. This is a point-in-time check, not a continuous monitor.
Community reference
At least one specific reference — a customer, community member, or an affiliation like Chamber membership — that we could reasonably follow up on.
Public review presence
We confirm the business has a public review presence (e.g. Google) and link to it. We do not copy, aggregate, or republish those reviews as 100CK's own rating — see why in our note on review data below.
Owner confirmation
The business owner or an authorized representative — typically through our claim process — has confirmed the listed information is accurate as of the verified date.
What Verified still does not mean
- It is not a star rating or a review — we don't publish our own aggregate rating for any business.
- It cannot be purchased. Sponsored placement and Business Partner membership are completely separate from Verified status — see our advertising disclosure. A Partner membership can move a business up the review queue; it cannot make it pass.
- It does not guarantee the business's future work, pricing, or conduct — it reflects what was checked as of the verified date shown on the profile.
- Insurance and reference checks are attestations and point-in-time checks, not ongoing audits.
Re-verification
We aim to re-run this evaluation at least once a year and whenever a correction is reported against a Verified listing. If a listing hasn't been reviewed within the last twelve months, we treat it as due for re-verification rather than assuming it's still accurate.
Where verification currently stands
This evaluation process is real but new, and applying it across the directory is ongoing work — it is not applied retroactively or assumed. A Listed business without the Verified badge simply hasn't been through this evaluation yet; that is not a negative signal about it. See our selection methodology for how Listed and Verified relate to each other.
Report an issue
If you believe a Verified listing is inaccurate, please submit a correction — we take reports against Verified listings seriously and review them promptly.