Research-related questions

Yes, at present, proposals are being submitted by the Office of Research Services in accordance with standard internal submission procedures.  The Office of Research Services has a business continuity plan to ensure proposals will be submitted by having staff work remotely. Our office we will make every effort to support the development of new grant applications, as per the normal internal grant development process.

Refer to the Travel information and advisories page for up-to-date travel information.

Office of Research Services staff are working remotely and will respond to emails as normal. Contact information can be found on the ORS website. 

All Tri-Agency updates in response to COVID-19 are found on our website: For a list of all recent agency updates refer to the ORS website: Funding agency COVID-19 updates.  Should you have any urgent questions or concerns, please contact ORS.

Please direct your questions to the appropriate contact for the Office of Research Services. Each case will be assessed and addressed based on the project's circumstances and needs.

It is the responsibility of all researchers, their personnel and students who are undertaking research off campus to follow any policies, protocols and procedures relating to COVID-19 belonging to the facility or location where they are undertaking research. This includes requirement and responsibilities of research personnel accessing and conducting research on the premises. Please continue to check for updates in the Information for researchers section of the university's Ready for you website.

During this time, we would like to emphasize prioritizing family and health. Graduate students who are able to conduct their business/research remotely should do so, as co-ordinated by their supervisors.

Please see Does the university have a plan to resume/expand on-campus research activities? for information regarding the framework to resume on-campus research activities. 

We encourage the Ontario Tech research community to consider the following should an escalation in the situation lead to a partial disruption to, or closure of, their lab or research program:

Key equipment and research materials: Can your work continue off campus with access to specific equipment or research materials?

Compliance/regulatory: Are there compliance or regulatory requirements certifications that may be impacted by a disruption in your program or by changing the location of your work?

Communications planning: Is the contact information for your lab members up-to-date?

Backing up data and records: Which processes are automated or can be initiated remotely? Which require physical presence on campus?

Alternate location/working from home: Are you able to continue the research program by working at another location or at home? Do you have everything in place to access email/voicemail/network drives/web conferencing remotely and in compliance with information security standards?

Knowledge/Skills: Would the absence of individual members of your team with specific skills or knowledge result in difficulties in your research program? Would cross-training, documentation or sharing of information mitigate this risk?

Sponsors: Do any sponsored research agreements have procedures for requesting exceptions in the event of disruption (deadline adjustments, budget adjustments etc.?)

Contractual requirements: Does your project or lab provide any services to external users that may be impacted? Is this documented in a contract and are there sufficient “out” clauses in the event your lab was not operational?

Monitoring of equipment: Does any of your equipment need in-person monitoring (e.g. to ensure constant temperature) or do any of your materials require transference between equipment? Can any monitoring be done remotely?

Supplies: Are there important supplies (consumables) that could lead to a disruption in your research program should their stock diminish? Are you able to maintain a greater stock of any important supplies to cover any disruption?

Hazardous waste: Are the appropriately trained members of your team available to handle hazardous waste?

The three federal granting agencies are aware that the rapidly changing situation involving COVID-19 may have an impact on researchers with plans to travel for meetings or other research-related activities. Individuals may decide to cancel trips as a result of various considerations and factors such as cancelled conferences, travel advisories (including those from Health Canada and Global Affairs Canada), or personal choice due to health or other concerns.

The agencies confirm that the reimbursement of non-refundable travel fees from agency funds is acceptable considering the impacts of COVID-19. This applies to the travel of both principal investigators and research personnel, when cancellation occurs as described above.

Note: Given the uncertainty of the situation with COVID-19, the agencies suggest that those travelling for agency-funded research consider purchasing either cancellation insurance, or tickets that are at least partially refundable. In this specific situation, some additional cost could still be viewed as economical if it allows for partial or full reimbursement/credit in the event of cancellation.

The university recognizes that the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation may have an impact on researchers, faculty and staff with plans to travel for meetings, or other research or business-related activities. Individuals may decide to cancel trips as a result of various considerations and factors such as cancelled conferences, travel notices (including those from the Government of Canada) or personal choice due to health or other concerns.

The three federal granting agencies have confirmed that the reimbursement of non-refundable travel fees from agency funds is acceptable considering the impacts of COVID-19. This applies to the travel of both principal investigators and research personnel, when cancellation occurs as described above. The university has adopted a similar approach for all non-research faculty and staff as well.

Given the uncertainty of the COVID-19 situation, the agencies suggest that those travelling for agency-funded research purchase either cancellation insurance, or tickets that are at least partially refundable. In this specific situation, some additional costs could still be viewed as economical if it allows for partial or full reimbursement/credit in the event of cancellation. This also applies to non-research related travel.

The university also encourages faculty and staff to avoid booking all non-essential travel until such time as there is better clarity around the impacts of COVID-19 on their travel plans.

Faculty and staff are reminded that travel insurance coverage provided by BMO Corporate MasterCard does not include travel insurance, ticket cancellation or reimbursement of travel-related costs.

When cancelling travel arrangements, all travellers should inquire about available refunds, credits or amounts covered through previously purchased travel insurance.

When seeking reimbursement for travel-related costs, including cancellation or change fees, please provide the Finance department with all documentation supporting these amounts including:

• Cancellation confirmations for conferences and airfare.
• Credits issued by hotels or airlines.
• Original receipts (if not previously submitted), invoices for change fees, etc.

Research Finance will continue to support the research community regarding post-award financial matters remotely. Please contact your research analyst via email to co-ordinate any reports or invoices. Also, please allow for a little more time than usual for the processing of any requests regarding Research Finance.

The collective agreement provides for a Professional Development Allowance (PD), noting that such funds expire after four years. Several faculty members have asked whether their PD funds will be extended given the situation with COVID-19. No PD funds will be ‘clawed back’ at this time. Subsequent to the resolution of COVID-19, this issue will be assessed, and there will be a minimum six-month extension.

The Research Partnerships team will continue to be accessible remotely via email. We will do our best to respond to you as quickly as possible. If you require assistance, please contact Aisha Greene, Manager, Research Partnerships and Innovation, or Julia Armstrong, Research Partnerships Officer.

In general, there are three ways to address the inability to meet your obligations under a research contract because of the pandemic:

Negotiation

Most, if not all, of the contract issues that arise during the pandemic will be addressed by negotiating alternative arrangements with the partner or funder. This is a business solution that affords the parties the most flexibility to continue the research in a way that works for both parties. Negotiation can mean amending items such as the term of the agreement, deliverables, due dates, etc. You should be aware of what your current research contract says about how to amend the terms of the contract. It may require a written document signed by authorized signatories of both parties.

Delay

You can also delay the performance of your obligations under the contract by relying on the “force majeure” clause, or if there is no such clause, the doctrine of frustration. Both of these relieve an affected party from performing certain contractual obligations when circumstances beyond his/her control arise, making performance impossible. However, relying on this clause depends on different factors such as: wording in the agreement, the nature of your obligation, and the actual impact of the pandemic. It is not an ideal solution because it may result in a dispute between the parties (they may not agree whether the pandemic actually prevents performance) and litigation. However, if you do want to rely on this solution, it’s important to note any notice requirements in the contract and that you take steps to avoid and mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on your performance. Usually, once circumstances return to normal, you will be required to continue the contract and perform your obligations (with a reasonable extension of time for performance).

Termination

Lastly, you may have the ability to terminate the agreement. This will bring the contract to an end and none of the parties will have any further obligations under the agreement, save those that survive termination (i.e. payment of non-cancellable expenses, if such language is included in your agreement). However, whether you have the right to terminate, and under what circumstances you can terminate, will depend on the wording in the agreement. If the research contract is silent as to termination, you can ask the partner or funder if they will agree to the termination of the research contract.  You will want to have a termination notice or agreement in place to evidence the termination.

Please contact Research Legal if you have any questions about the above solutions.

It’s important to go into any such discussion understanding your rights and obligations as they exist in your research contract. This will help you to strategize next steps with the partner, especially each party’s expectation of payments and deliverables. If you need assistance in developing a negotiation strategy or to understand the terms of your research contract, please contact a member of the Research Partnerships team or the Research Legal team.

It’s a good idea to take an inventory of your current research contracts and determine whether the ability to meet your obligations under any one of them will be impacted by the pandemic. If so, you will want to understand your rights and obligations and options under each research contract. It may be better to initiate discussions with the partner or funder before you miss any deadlines or deliverables.

The Office of Research Services team will continue to be accessible via email. The team will do its best to respond to you as quickly as possible. If you require assistance, contact Aisha Greene, Manager, Research Partnerships and Innovation.

All face-to-face courses have been postponed at this time. We are working with our partners at the City of Oshawa, Durham College and Trent University to identify a modified course schedule and will be reaching out to individual instructors. For additional information please contact Aisha Greene, Manager, Research Partnerships and Innovation.

Please forward these questions to Alla Darwish, Intellectual Property Officer in the Office of Research Services. We will do our best to respond in a timely fashion and to connect you with the outside patent attorney in a co-ordinated fashion.

Yes, the Office of Research Services will continue to work with you to identify the most appropriate protection measures for your intellectual property. Please forward questions to Alla Darwish, Intellectual Property Officer in the Office of Research Services.

In response to the provincial announcement, along with guidance from the Panel on Research Ethics, the REB is temporarily suspending all research involving in-person contact with human participants as of December 26 at 12:01 a.m.  Additionally, all on site research that is being conducted at hospitals or other in person facilities must adhere to the policies of those facilities.

Researchers must ensure that there is a plan in place to ramp down or discontinue in-person research activities without compromising the safety of study participants while maintaining the principles of the Tri-Council Policy Statement 2 (TCPS 2). As part of the ramp down/discontinuation of research, researchers must conduct the following:

1. Research protocols must be modified or delayed to limit unnecessary personal contacts;
2. Reduce in-person participant interactions and replace with telephone or online communication;
3. Postpones in-person study visits, focus groups, interviews, and/or conducted on-line/virtual format.
4. Ensure data and files are accessible remotely while respecting privacy legislations, requirements of the TCPS 2 and data management plan as outlined in the REB application. 
5. Arrange installation of any specific computer applications required to complete work remotely. 
6. Inform the REB of any changes that have been made to the protocol and revisions to the informed consent form that may impact a participant’s decision to continue with the research.  This must be submitted to the REB through a change request application.  The change request submission must include a completed copy of the University’s Ramp Down Closure checklist which can be accessed here.

Yes, the Integrated Research and Innovation System (IRIS) portal will remain accessible and all new submissions and post-approval events may be submitted as usual. 

Due to the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the REB has changed the criteria for rapid reviews related to COVID-19 projects. The REB will conduct rapid reviews for COVID-19-related studies with topics that are necessary and essential to prevent, reduce or mitigate serious harm resulting from the pandemic (e.g. patient care and/or diagnostics; equipment/devices related to personal protective equipment). The REB will review all other studies after the essential COVID-19-related studies. Also, depending upon availability of reviewers, turn-around-times may increase; therefore, researchers must plan accordingly.

The REB’s changes to research review procedures during the pandemic is described in the REB SOP 213 Review Procedures and Research Conduct During Publicly Declared Emergencies.

The Research Ethics Board (REB) is prepared for quick reviews for studies deemed essential and related to the COVID-19 crisis. If you are planning a submission to the REB for COVID-19, the following must occur:

1. Book a REB consultation with the REB Chair and/or REB Vice-Chair and Research Ethics Officer so they can guide you through the submission process and provide key ethical considerations that will inform your specific project. A REB consultation will facilitate with an expeditious review. Arrange a REB consult by contacting researchethics@ontariotechu.ca.
2. Use the new REB application form in the IRIS research rortal entitled NEW Application for Ethical Review (v.0.3) PILOT TEST.
3. Refer to the REB Standard Operating Procedure 213: REB Review Procedures and Research Conduct During Publicly Declared Emergencies.
4. Your safety and well-being are important; you should follow Health Canada requirements and recommendations, and refer to the university's COVID-19 website for updates.

For research that can feasibly and safely be conducted remotely without significantly compromising the ethical standards and maintenance of confidentiality, should continue to be done remotely.  If there are changes to your previously approved procedures, please submit a change request to the REB for review.  Additionally, all on-site research that is being conducted at hospitals or other in person facilities must adhere to the policies of those facilities.  

Please contact the REB office if you are considering revisions to the approved protocol. For more information, refer to REB SOP 213 Review Procedures and Research Conduct During Publicly Declared Emergencies.

Each animal facility has standard operating procedures, and is responsible for maintaining mechanisms for providing continued daily care to all animals housed on campus in the event of a natural disaster or other events that may interrupt normal business, including the COVID-19 situation. All animal facilities will continue to have on-call veterinarian care, assessment of animal health and well-being, provision of food, water and clean cages, and maintenance of appropriate environmental conditions.

If you have an animal in need of immediate attention, the quickest means to get in touch with the consulting veterinarian as per standard operating procedures. If you are unable to contact the veterinarian, please contact the Research Ethics Officer.

Principal investigators (PIs) should carefully plan upcoming animal activities, given the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation. For example, PIs may want to consider the timing associated with starting new experiments. They may also want to avoid initiating any long-term animal studies, keep animal breeding to a minimum, prioritize any precious/unique animal lines and cryopreserve these lines.

To minimize the number of animals requiring daily care, orders for acquiring additional animals are no longer being accepted effective March 15 and until further notice. We recommend that any study teams with orders currently pending consider canceling or postponing these orders, unless animal welfare will be compromised.

Ontario Tech University has established a staged approach to re-opening the physical campus. This includes a framework to resume on-campus research activities in alignment with both the letter and spirit of the Province’s document A Framework for Reopening our Province and public-health COVID-19 guidelines. Faculty may apply for access to campus for the purposes of resuming on-campus research activities. Applicants will be asked to complete all necessary components of the Application to Re-Open Laboratory and/or Resume On-Campus Research. Approval is subject to overall COVID-19 university operational considerations. On-campus research activities cannot commence without approval.

Yes. Before you proceed, you must adhere to the following requirements:

1. • Health Canada approval: May be required if the item is classified as a medical device (see next question).  
   • Waiver of liability: Required for all devices.

The Office of Research Services is eager to assist with ensuring the requirements are met. Please read further.

The term medical devices, as defined in the Food and Drugs Act, covers a wide range of health or medical instruments used in the treatment, mitigation, diagnosis or prevention of a disease or abnormal physical condition. There are four classes of medical devices. The most common are:

• Class I Medical Device: Personal protective equipment such as N95 masks and face shields.
• Class II Medical Device: Medical exam gloves, ventilator components, and Venturi oxygen masks.

To manufacture and/or distribute a medical device, you need either a MDEL (Class I License), an MDL (Class II-IV License), or approval under the interim order by the Minister of Health. More information can be found in our License Information Sheet.

The Office of Research Services is here to help. Please read our License Information Sheet for more information on the process. Health Canada is currently expediting the licensing process for the COVID-19 response. Please reach out to us at research@ontariotechu.ca to discuss your project further and immediately get the process started.

Yes. Please read the License Information Sheet and contact the Office of Research Services to discuss your project further.  In addition, if you are manufacturing a device, you must provide a warning indicating that the device was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. E.g. COVID-19 warning: This device was created for use only in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is provided AS IS.

There are a few projects on campus that may need capacity to manufacture. Please contact research@ontariotechu.ca to discuss further and begin the Health Canada licensing process. In addition, if you are manufacturing a device, you must provide a warning indicating that the device was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. E.g. COVID-19 warning: This device was created for use only in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is provided AS IS.

Yes. However, the Office of Research Services will need to work with you to determine any intellectual property licensing terms for use of your design and liability. Please contact research@ontariotechu.ca to discuss further. In addition, if you are manufacturing a device, you must provide a warning indicating that the device was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. E.g. COVID-19 warning: This device was created for use only in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is provided AS IS.

Yes. However, the Office of Research Services will need to work with you to review the company’s requirements for manufacturing the medical device based on your designs—Specifically, any obligations related to licensing of your intellectual property and liability. Please contact research@ontariotechu.ca to discuss further.

The Office of Research Services may be able to assist. Please contact research@ontariotechu.ca to discuss further.

Refer to the Proposal submission and award management FAQ section. There are many Ontario and federal government funding opportunities that have been recently released in response to COVID-19. Please contact research@ontariotechu.ca for more information.

Please see Does the university have a plan to resume/expand on-campus research activities? for information regarding the framework to resume on-campus research activities.

Certainly. Note that your project may involve multiple pathways and requirements.  Please read our License Information Sheet and contact research@ontariotechu.ca for more information: