Terms of Service

Effective Date: October 15, 2026

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the website scuadvsr.com ("Website") and the banking advisory services provided by SCU Advisor Inc. ("SCU Advisor," "we," "us," or "our"). By using our Website or engaging our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use our Website or services.

1. Definitions

1.1

"SCU Advisor," "we," "us," and "our" refer to SCU Advisor Inc., a registered Manitoba corporation with its principal office at 363 Broadway Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3N9.

1.2

"Services" refers to all banking advisory services offered by SCU Advisor, including but not limited to personal banking audits, business banking audits, fee benchmarking and negotiation, credit facility reviews, merchant processing optimization, new Canadian banking setup advisory, annual banking reviews, banking due diligence for business acquisitions, and multi-institutional relationship mapping.

1.3

"Client" refers to any individual, business, organization, or other entity that engages SCU Advisor's Services through a written scope of work and fee agreement.

1.4

"Website" refers to scuadvsr.com and all content, functionality, and services offered on or through the site.

1.5

"Deliverables" refers to all written reports, analyses, benchmarking documents, comparison matrices, and other materials produced by SCU Advisor in the course of providing Services to a Client.

2. Nature of Services

2.1

SCU Advisor provides banking advisory services only. We are not a bank, credit union, deposit-taking institution, or licensed investment advisor. We do not hold client funds, accept deposits, or issue credit products of any kind.

2.2

We do not provide investment advice, tax filing services, insurance products, or legal counsel. Our Services are limited to the analysis, benchmarking, and advisory of banking products, fee structures, credit facilities, and merchant processing arrangements.

2.3

All recommendations made by SCU Advisor are advisory in nature. Implementation decisions — including the decision to open, close, or modify any banking account, credit facility, or financial product — are made solely by the Client. SCU Advisor does not execute financial transactions on behalf of Clients.

2.4

SCU Advisor maintains no referral agreements, affiliate commissions, revenue-sharing arrangements, or preferred-lender agreements with any financial institution. This independence is verified quarterly and documented in our publicly available conflict-of-interest register.

3. Engagement Terms

3.1

All advisory engagements begin with a written scope of work and fee agreement ("Engagement Letter") signed by both SCU Advisor and the Client. No advisory work will commence, and no fees will accrue, prior to execution of the Engagement Letter.

3.2

Fees are flat-rate per engagement as published on our fee schedule (available at scuadvsr.com/rates). Business advisory fees scale with engagement complexity — specifically the number of accounts, credit facilities, and merchant processing agreements under review. A firm, binding quote is provided in every Engagement Letter. There is no hourly billing.

3.3

Payment is due upon delivery of the advisory report or Deliverables unless otherwise agreed in writing within the Engagement Letter. Accepted payment methods are specified in the Engagement Letter.

3.4

Either party may terminate an engagement with written notice. If SCU Advisor terminates an engagement prior to delivery of Deliverables, no fee is charged. If the Client terminates an engagement after SCU Advisor has commenced substantive work, the Client shall pay a pro-rated fee reflecting work completed, calculated at the sole discretion of SCU Advisor and not to exceed the original quoted fee.

3.5

The initial 30-minute consultation call is provided at no charge and without obligation. This call is for the purpose of understanding the Client's situation and determining whether SCU Advisor's Services are appropriate. No advisory recommendations are made during this call.

4. Limitation of Liability

4.1

SCU Advisor's total aggregate liability to any Client arising out of or in connection with any engagement shall not exceed the advisory fee paid by the Client for that specific engagement.

4.2

SCU Advisor is not liable for decisions made by financial institutions, changes in interest rates, modifications to fee schedules by third-party institutions, regulatory actions, or any other circumstances beyond our direct control that may affect the outcome of our recommendations.

4.3

Projected savings, rate reductions, and financial outcomes stated in our Deliverables are estimates based on available data and clearly stated assumptions. Actual results may vary due to changes in market conditions, institutional policies, client circumstances, or other factors. All assumptions underlying any projection are documented within the applicable Deliverable.

4.4

In no event shall SCU Advisor be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, loss of data, or business interruption, arising from the use of our Services or Website.

5. Intellectual Property

5.1

All advisory reports, analyses, comparison matrices, and other Deliverables produced for a specific Client engagement are provided for that Client's personal or business use only. Clients may share Deliverables with their own professional advisors (accountants, lawyers) and with financial institutions as part of implementing recommendations.

5.2

SCU Advisor's proprietary fee database, benchmarking methodology, internal analytical tools, process frameworks, and all content published on the Website remain the exclusive intellectual property of SCU Advisor Inc. No Client or Website user acquires any ownership interest in these materials through an engagement or use of the Website.

5.3

Clients may not reproduce, redistribute, sublicense, or commercially exploit Deliverables or any portion of SCU Advisor's proprietary materials without prior written permission from SCU Advisor Inc.

6. Confidentiality

6.1

SCU Advisor maintains strict confidentiality of all Client financial information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Manitoba privacy legislation. All financial documents, account details, and personal information received during an engagement are treated as confidential.

6.2

Client information is never shared with financial institutions, third parties, or any other entity without explicit written authorization from the Client. When SCU Advisor negotiates with a financial institution on a Client's behalf, a signed authorization form specifying the scope of permitted disclosure is required in advance.

6.3

Case studies, client outcomes, and testimonials published on our Website or in marketing materials are either anonymized (with identifying details removed or altered) or published with the express written consent of the Client. The Client retains the right to withdraw consent for testimonial use at any time upon written notice.

6.4

All Client documents are stored in encrypted, access-controlled systems with 256-bit encryption. Financial data is not stored on Website servers. Detailed information about our data handling practices is available in our Privacy Policy.

7. Website Use

7.1

The content published on scuadvsr.com — including blog articles, fee schedules, industry data, and educational materials — is maintained for informational and educational purposes.

7.2

Accuracy of Website content is maintained to the best of our ability and is regularly reviewed and updated. However, banking products, fee structures, and interest rates change frequently. We reserve the right to update, modify, or remove Website content at any time without prior notice. Published data reflects conditions at the time of publication unless otherwise stated.

7.3

Users agree not to reproduce, distribute, scrape, data-mine, or commercially exploit Website content — including but not limited to blog posts, benchmarking data, fee schedule comparisons, and analytical frameworks — without prior written permission from SCU Advisor Inc.

7.4

The Website uses cookies as described in our Privacy Policy. By using the Website, you acknowledge our cookie practices. You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or through our cookie consent mechanism.

7.5

SCU Advisor reserves the right to restrict or terminate access to the Website for any user who violates these Terms or engages in conduct that SCU Advisor deems harmful to the Website, its users, or SCU Advisor's reputation.

8. Regulatory Compliance

8.1

SCU Advisor Inc. is a registered Manitoba corporation operating in compliance with applicable Manitoba consumer protection legislation, including The Consumer Protection Act (C.C.S.M. c. C200) and associated regulations.

8.2

We adhere to PIPEDA requirements for all collection, use, storage, and disclosure of personal information. Our Privacy Officer (Sandra Fife, Operations & Compliance Coordinator) oversees compliance and is available for privacy-related inquiries at contact@scuadvsr.com.

8.3

SCU Advisor's conflict-of-interest register is maintained quarterly and is available for Client review upon request. The register documents that SCU Advisor maintains zero referral agreements, affiliate commissions, or revenue-sharing arrangements with any financial institution, in compliance with Gramm-Leach-Bliley privacy compliance standards applied to our client data handling practices.

8.4

Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) requirements and TRID integrated mortgage disclosure standards are referenced in our advisory methodology where applicable to engagements involving cross-border transactions or U.S.-connected real estate financing. SCU Advisor does not originate mortgages but ensures advisory recommendations account for applicable disclosure requirements.

8.5

Regulation E electronic fund transfer protections are addressed in our advisory reports for Clients with U.S. banking relationships or cross-border electronic transfer activity. Our recommendations incorporate awareness of applicable consumer protections under both Canadian and U.S. regulatory frameworks.

8.6

Truth in Savings Act disclosure requirements are referenced in our benchmarking methodology when comparing interest-bearing account products across institutions. Our proprietary database tracks both posted rates and effective rates to ensure Clients receive accurate comparisons.

9. Dispute Resolution

9.1

In the event of a dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms, an engagement, or any Deliverables, the parties agree to first attempt resolution through good-faith negotiation. If negotiation does not resolve the dispute within thirty (30) calendar days, the parties agree to submit the dispute to mediation in Winnipeg, Manitoba, conducted by a mutually agreed-upon mediator, prior to initiating any legal proceedings.

9.2

These Terms, and any disputes arising from them, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Manitoba and the applicable federal laws of Canada. The courts of Manitoba shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any legal proceedings arising from these Terms.

9.3

Nothing in this section shall prevent either party from seeking injunctive relief or other equitable remedies from a court of competent jurisdiction where necessary to prevent irreparable harm.

10. Amendments

10.1

SCU Advisor reserves the right to modify, update, or replace these Terms at any time. Changes take effect upon posting to this page. The "Effective Date" at the top of this document reflects the date of the most recent revision.

10.2

Continued use of our Website or Services after changes to these Terms constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage users and Clients to review this page periodically.

10.3

Material changes to these Terms — specifically changes affecting fees, liability, or confidentiality provisions — will be communicated to active Clients via email at least fourteen (14) calendar days before they take effect.

11. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable while preserving the original intent.

12. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any executed Engagement Letter, constitute the entire agreement between SCU Advisor and the Client or Website user with respect to the subject matter herein. These Terms supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and representations, whether written or oral.

13. Contact

For questions about these Terms of Service, contact us at:

SCU Advisor Inc.
363 Broadway Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3N9
Phone: (431) 348-5867
Email: contact@scuadvsr.com

Manitoba Business Registration No. MB-2022-0038741