On October 5, Canada’s Tri-Agencies released their revised Open Access Policy on Publications (2026), which contains some significant differences from their previous policy (2015) and will require further action from TMU researchers who receive Tri-Agency grants and Chairholder awards awarded on or after January 1, 2027. 

In short, the revised policy requires that funded authors retain sufficient rights to immediately deposit a copy of their article to Canadian scholarly infrastructure, such as TMU’s institutional repository, TMUshare. 

For all grants awarded between May 1, 2015 and December 31, 2026, the previous Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications (2015) will remain in effect.

TMU Libraries are dedicated to supporting our researchers through this transition. 

Note: The Tri-Agencies refer to: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Brief Overview

Full Tri-Agency OA Policy Text (2026)

Policy Guidance and FAQs

Tri-Agency Letter to Publishers

• Scope:
  • The Policy applies to all peer-reviewed research articles resulting from the Agencies’ grants and Chair awards awarded as of January 1, 2027. 
  • The Policy does not apply to articles that are not peer reviewed and other forms of scholarly communication (for example, blogs, book chapters, infographics, monographs, podcasts, etc.). 
  • The Policy also does not apply to student and postdoctoral awards and fellowships. 
• Agency Grantees and Chairholders Requirements: 
  • Acknowledge Agency contributions in the peer-reviewed research article. 
  • Retain sufficient rights and apply an open license to either of the following versions: 
    • Accepted Manuscript (AM): The version of a scholarly research paper that has been peer-reviewed and formally accepted for publication, but has not yet undergone the publisher’s copyediting, typesetting, layout design, or proofing.
    • Version of Record (VoR): The final, formally published, copyedited, typeset, and paginated form of a scholarly work or article as issued by a publisher. 
  • Inform the publisher of the author’s obligations and rights when submitting an article for publication. 
  • Ensure the peer-reviewed research article is immediately and freely available in a Canadian institutional repository, even where the article is freely available on the publisher’s website. AM or VoR, no embargo, open license.
• Policy Effective Date: 
  • This Policy applies to all grants and Chairholder awards awarded on or after January 1, 2027.
  • The Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications (2015) will remain in effect on all grants awarded between May 1, 2015 and December 31, 2026.

Support from TMU Libraries 

• Open Access Literacy 
  • Helping researchers understand their open access options (Diamond OA, Gold/Hybrid immediate OA options either via APC, or waived APC or other negotiated discount)
  • Helping researchers understand what to deposit (AM or VoR), when to deposit (immediately on publication) and where to deposit (Canadian institutional repository or trusted Canadian platform).
• Repository Deposit 
  • Support for depositing in TMUshare, the institutional repository
• Copyright Support
  • Education and training on open licenses
• Information Sessions
  • Forthcoming: information sessions will be held in January 2027