Linking Policy


Thank you for considering the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Linking to our Web site helps communicate valuable information to patients, caregivers, consumers, volunteers, and healthcare providers about reducing death and disability from heart disease and stroke.

Inbound links

How to link to the Heart and Stroke Foundation from your Web site: 

  • Text-only links using the Heart and Stroke Foundation name in an un-stylized format are allowed.  However, your site cannot use the Heart and Stroke Foundation name, logo, or other Heart and Stroke Foundation trademarks in stylized format without prior written permission.
  • Your site cannot state or imply that the Heart and Stroke Foundation endorses a company, product or service.  The Heart and Stroke Foundation is not responsible for the privacy practices or any information or materials on sites that link to the Heart and Stroke Foundation site.
  • When setting up a link to the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Web site(s), the Heart and Stroke site should open in a new Web browser window rather than displaying the pages in a frame of the linking site’s Web template, when frames are used in the site’s design.
  • You may use one of these lead-in sentences with your text link to the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Web site(s):
    • The Heart and Stroke Foundation is a leading funder of world-class heart and stroke research in Canada and actively supports scientific studies looking at causes, prevention and treatment of these diseases.
    • The Heart and Stroke Foundation plays a key role in health education by providing health professionals, government and consumers with the latest information on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of heart disease and stroke.
    • The Heart and Stroke Foundation is an authoritative voice on heart disease and stroke – providing millions of Canadians with current news, information, opinions and research from leading experts via our Web site, newsletters and other publications.
  • You are welcome to use the title or headline of an article to which you are linking, as long as you link directly to the article.
  • URL’s may change over time and it is your responsibility to ensure that any links from your Web site still point to the relevant content.
  • Storage of our PDF files on your Web site will not be allowed, but you may link to PDF content on our Web site.
Outbound links

Heart and Stroke Foundation receives frequent suggestions and requests for outbound links to be added to our health information pages.

We include links that provide relevant and valuable information to our readers, as part of our regularly scheduled content update process. Link suggestions are considered at that time.

Read about our process and criteria.

Our process involves a brief scan of the suggestion.

  • Suggestions that may meet our criteria are considered when the relevant page is next reviewed.
  • Suggestions that do not meet user needs or our criteria are not assessed further.

Our criteria for evaluating external links:

  • Link fulfills a relevant information gap.
  • Source is authoritative and trusted. They have sound editorial and quality assurance policies and practices such as: 
    • Uses experts to develop/vet information to ensure it is objective and accurate.
    • Being known for their expertise and credentials on a particular topic such as a major disease/condition. These could be hospitals, universities, government, researchers, NGOs, associations or private organizations.
    • Organizations that we has an existing “mission” relationship with. This includes funded researchers and their institutions, government partners and related disease organizations (e.g., Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Aphasia Institute and Hypertension Canada).
    • Aligning with Canadian Clinical Practice guidelines and latest evidence.
    • The website or resource is current and is maintained.
      • Page update information is identified.
      • Formal, ongoing review process in place. 
      • Sources are cited.
    • No real or perceived conflicts of interest. 
    • Easy to contact. Contact information is readily available on the website.
  • Information is available in English and French. It is relevant nationwide.

We limit the number of links on a page, for user experience reasons.

Note that occasionally Heart and Stroke links out to designated partner organizations with whom we have an established working and/or fundraising relationship and is typically part of a formal agreement.

Any link suggestions can be sent to contact us with the following information:

  • Contact information

Organization name, contact name, phone number, email and website URL.

  • Request

Outline specific request. 

  • Provide the link (URL) or resource.
  • Describe the link or resource.
  • Suggested location for the link (provide URL).
  • Rationale

Why should this be included? Consider:

  • Our focus is on user needs.
  • We want to include links that add value to our constituents (does not duplicate).
  • Provide any evidence you have to support your answer.
  • Requesting organization
  • What is your current relationship with us? Are we currently partnered with you in some capacity?
  • What is your editorial policy and standards? What is your process for maintaining content?
  • Tell us about your organization? What is your mandate and what is your funding source?