Important Changes: Implementation of the Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern

Funding news

2024-04-26

In accordance with the Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) Policy, grant applications submitted by a university or affiliated research institution to the federal granting agencies and the Canada Foundation for Innovation involving research that aims to advance a Sensitive Technology Research Area will not be funded if any of the researchers involved in activities supported by the grant are currently affiliated with, or in receipt of funding or in-kind support, from a Named Research Organization.

The federal granting agencies are implementing the STRAC Policy in a harmonized manner, to funding opportunities that launch as of May 1, 2024. Further guidance, including detailed procedures and a list of funding opportunities that will apply this Policy, have been published through the Tri-agency Guidance on the STRAC Policy webpage.

Please consult the appropriate funding opportunity literature to determine whether the STRAC Policy applies and, where applicable, for any additional information on procedures to be followed.

What does this mean for rolling intake funding opportunities, such as Alliance? As of May 1, 2024, new requirements will apply to all Alliance grant applications aiming to advance a listed sensitive technology research area. Further information on these new requirements, including new responsibilities of researchers and responsibilities of institutions, are provided on the Tri-agency Guidance on the STRAC Policy webpage.

This includes, at the application phase, a requirement for researchers in named roles to complete the Attestation for Research Aiming to Advance Sensitive Technology Research Areas Form. Submission of Alliance applications is now temporarily paused to enable the necessary changes to the online system to support these updated requirements. Applicants will be able to submit their Alliance applications starting May 3, 2024.

Note that all applications currently being prepared in NSERC’s online system, but not yet submitted, will need to include the completed attestation form(s) if that application aims to advance a listed sensitive technology research area.

Information webinars and other resources

The federal granting agencies are committed to providing Canada’s research community with the most up to date information and best practices designed to reduce research security risks. We are offering webinars to help familiarize the research community with this new policy.

We also encourage you to consult the Safeguarding your Research portal, which provides additional resources and tools for the academic community to assess and mitigate security risks associated with their research.

To learn more about the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s implementation of research security measures, please consult its dedicated guidance page.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact:

NSERC: researchsecurity@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
CIHR: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
SSHRC: researchsecurity-securiterecherche@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca