The Research Services Office (RSO) would like to remind researchers of certification requirements for new and ongoing Tri-Agency awards, in particular, certification requirements for any research project involving animals, biohazards or human participants.

Upon release of the award notifications, the RSO must confirm all appropriate certifications are valid prior to setting up new accounts for new grants or prior to authorizing the release of the next instalment of existing grants.

If you are awarded a new Tri-Agency grant this spring, or you expect an instalment of an existing grant, RSO will need to hear from you. To discuss current or new certifications requirements with the RSO, please contact one of the following staff members:

• Ariah Easley for SSHRC (aeasley@uoguelph.ca [1])
• Laurie Gallinger for CIHR (lgalling@uoguelph.ca [2])
• Vanessa Knox for NSERC Discovery (knoxva@uoguelph.ca [3])
• Rachel Lee for all Tri-Agency Partnership Grants (i.e. NSERC Alliance) (rachell@uoguelph.ca [4])

Instructions for Researchers

• If you are currently using or will immediately use animals, biohazards and/or human participants in your research for your grant’s fiscal year beginning April 1
  • e-mail the RSO staff member with the certification number and expiry date.
• If you will use animals, humans and/or biohazards in the future (sometime after April 1 of this year but before March 31 of the following year):
  • e-mail the RSO staff member with the date by which certifications will be required.
• If your application indicated use of animals, biohazards and/or humans but you do not plan on using these in the current fiscal year:
  • e-mail the RSO staff member that the certification(s) will not be required.
• If there is a change in your research methodology such that new certifications are required:
  • e-mail the RSO staff member, and specify what new certifications are required and provide the certification number(s) and expiry date(s).

Notes

• RSO staff will communicate any certification changes to the Tri-Agencies.
• We will make every effort for all new accounts to be authorized for set up, and all installments for ongoing grants authorized. However, we will not be able to do so if certification is required but not yet valid.
• Please note that Research Financial Services will release funding to accounts after it is received from the granting agency, and after the Tri-Agency signing delegation is received (if applicable, for new grants only).
• Please note that funding for the 2024-25 fiscal year will not be released if certifications are outstanding.

Please refer to the chart below to determine how certification requirements might affect you.

Resources
Ethics and Regulatory Compliance – Animals [5]
Ethics and Regulatory Compliance – Biohazards [6]
Ethics and Regulatory Compliance – Human Participants [7]

Attachment(s)

Attachment	Size
Tri-Agency Certification Requirements Flowchart [8]	632.78 KB