Please Note
The University of Toronto Institutional Research Data Management Strategy is now published. You can read more about the requirements of the Tri-Agency Research Data Management policy below and by reviewing the Memo to the Community about the Tri-Agency DMP
This page provides information about the following.
- How to receive updates on Tri-Agency programs from the Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI)
- Common guidelines and policies that the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) have in place for those who apply for or hold Tri-Agency funding
- New and ongoing Tri-Agency initiatives
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) are referred to collectively as the Tri-Agencies. The New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) is managed by the Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS). Many of the policies governing the use of NFRF funds follow those of the Tri-Agencies.
Agency-specific and common policies for a funding opportunity are included on each agency’s website. Direct links are listed below.
U of T monitors changes initiated by the Tri-Agencies and communicates them through Research Alerts. Research Alerts is a VPRI email tool that shares customizable information with members of the U of T community. Sign up for Research Alerts.
Eligible Use of Funds & Other Administrative Matters
You can obtain information on eligible and ineligible expenses for Tri-Agency funds by referring to the Use of Grant Funds section of Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration.
Important: The new Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration took effect as of April 1, 2020. All expenses incurred on or after April 1, 2020 on Tri-Agency grants are subject to the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration. For more information and resources, visit Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration – Renewal.
The Guide also covers matters such as ownership of equipment, funds transfers to co-applicants at other institutions, and transferring a grant when an award-holder changes institutions.
Tri-Agency Open Access Publications Policy
Peer-reviewed journal publications resulting from Tri-Agency-funded research must be freely accessible within twelve months of publication. For more details, refer to the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications.
Open access can be achieved in one or both of the following ways.
- Publishing with journals that permit open access within twelve months on their websites
- Depositing the final, peer-reviewed manuscript into an institutional or disciplinary repository within twelve months of the publication. U of T’s institutional repository for openly accessible publications is TSpace.
Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans
Researchers and their respective institutions must comply with the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2).
U of T, in compliance with TCPS 2, does not provide access to research funds in the absence of a valid human ethics protocol. A partial-funding release can be requested for a portion of research funds covering research undertaken prior to research involving human participants. For more details, see Ethics in Human Research.
Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit & Métis Peoples of Canada
Researchers who undertake research in partnership with, or research about, the First Nations, Inuit or Métis Peoples of Canada should carefully read TCPS 2 – Chapter 9. The goal of Chapter 9 is to provide guidance to researchers and Research Ethics Boards; it is not meant to override or replace ethical guidance offered by Indigenous peoples themselves.
Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research
U of T receives and administers Tri-Agency funds on behalf of faculty members and is required to comply with the Framework for Responsible Conduct of Research. The Framework outlines the process to respond to allegations of research misconduct. The four objectives of the Framework are as follows.
- To ensure the Agencies make decisions based on accurate and reliable information
- To ensure that public funds are used responsibly for research and in accordance with all terms and conditions
- To promote and protect the quality, accuracy and reliability of research funded by the Agencies
- To promote fairness in the conduct of research and in addressing allegations of policy breaches in the responsible conduct of research
For more information, please see Research Integrity.
Research Data Management
The Tri-Agencies introduced the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy on March 15th, 2021. The new Policy is grounded in the Tri-Agencies’ belief that research data collected through the use of public funds should be responsibly and securely managed and be available for reuse by others where ethical, legal and commercial obligations permit. Institutions are required to develop a research data management strategy that is shared with the Tri-Agencies and is publicly available by March 1, 2023. The University of Toronto Institutional Research Data Management Strategy is now posted. The Policy also outlines requirements for applicants to include a data management plan (DMP) with their application for certain funding opportunities. For more details on the steps UofT is now undertaking, please see the Research Data Management Policy memo to the U of T community.
CIHR’s Publication-related Research Data requirements that have been in place under the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications (2015) remain in effect. The SSHRC Research Data Archiving Policy (1990) also remains in effect. More details are available at Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications.
The U of T Funding Opportunities Database summarizes many Tri-Agency programs, and includes U of T specific information, such as internal deadlines and specific U of T contacts.
The funding opportunity information on the respective SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR websites includes other guidelines and requirements for specific funding programs, as does TIPS for the NFRF program.
The Tri-Agency has embarked on an initiative to modernize their grants management system to better support applicants, administrators, and reviewers during the grants management lifecycle. Learn more on the Tri-Agency grants management solution (TGMS) initiative webpage.
- Provide institutional endorsement on applications for Tri-Agency funding opportunities
- Facilitate the establishment of restricted research funds for those who receive a Tri-Agency award
- Provide guidance and advice on the pre-award and post-award aspects of Tri-Agency funding
Find the appropriate VPRI staff member to assist you by checking our staff directory. You may search by discipline area (e.g. Social Sciences, Health & Life Sciences, Natural Sciences or Engineering, etc.) or funding agency name.
