Open Access

Frequently asked questions about the Tri-Council Agencies' Open Access policy on publications.

As of January 1, 2013, researchers who are awarded funding from CIHR since January 2008 are required to adhere to the following requirements:
- ensure that all research papers generated from CIHR funded projects are freely accessible through the Publisher's website or an online repository within 12 months of publication
- deposit bioinformatics, atomic, and molecular coordinate data into the appropriate public database (e.g. gene sequences deposited in GenBank) immediately upon publication of research results
- retain original data sets for a minimum of five years (or longer if other policies apply)
- acknowledge CIHR support by quoting the funding reference number in journal publications.

The Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications requires that peer-reviewed journal publications resulting from Tri-Agency (NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR) grants be freely accessible online within 12 months of publication.

Grant recipients may comply with the policy through one of the following routes:
- Grant recipients archive the final peer-reviewed full-text manuscript in an online repository where it will be freely accessible within 12 months (e.g., institutional repository or discipline-based repository). It is the responsibility of the grant recipient to determine which publishers allow authors to retain copyright and/or allow authors to archive journal publications in accordance with funding agency policies.
- Grant recipients can publish in a journal that offers open access or that offers open access on its website within 12 months.

The Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications requires that peer-reviewed journal publications resulting from Tri-Agency (NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR) grants be freely accessible online within 12 months of publication.

Grant recipients may comply with the policy through one of the following routes:
- Grant recipients archive the final peer-reviewed full-text manuscript in an online repository where it will be freely accessible within 12 months (e.g., institutional repository or discipline-based repository). It is the responsibility of the grant recipient to determine which publishers allow authors to retain copyright and/or allow authors to archive journal publications in accordance with funding agency policies.
- Grant recipients can publish in a journal that offers open access or that offers open access on its website within 12 months.

Sept 18, 2008 policy: Genome Canada recommends that its grantees make their work openly accessible 6 months after publication at the latest.

This policy applies to all publications which report work and findings obtained with the support, in whole or in part, of any type of grant awarded June 1 2010 and onward from the Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSF). HSF also encourages immediate compliance with this policy by researchers publishing work supported by HSF grants received before June 1 2010.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation requires that all researchers supported in whole or in part through the Heart and Stroke Foundation make their research outputs publicly available as soon as possible, but no later than twelve months after the final publication or availability of final results.

In this policy, HSF defines research outputs as peer-reviewed journal publications, research data, and the results of clinical trials that will not be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Additionally, grant recipients are required to deposit bioinformatic, atomic, and molecular coordinate data, as already required by most journals, into the appropriate public database immediately upon publication of research results.