Skip to main content
Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

  • Home
  • Faculty

Office of Research Services – Covid 19 Services Update

Dear Faculty Members,

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to limit campus access, the Office of Research Services (ORS) team will continue to work remotely to support all faculty members with the following services: grants and award development, partnerships development, research contract negotiation and execution, intellectual property support, and research ethics (animal and human) and safety services (radiation and biosafety).

As we enter into the Fall, ORS is experiencing a significant increase in the volume of requests for support from the research community.  ORS staff is dedicated to providing quality support to the entire research community; however, we ask for your understanding if the processing of requests takes longer than normal.  To help guide your planning, Fall services expectations are outlined below:

Research Contracts

Time to first review or draft of a contract is 4-6 weeks once all information is received by the contract reviewer.  This includes relevant documents, information related to roles, expectations of rights, SOW, budgets, etc. 

Work is prioritized based on intake date and/or:

  • Fixed Deadline
  • Complexity
  • COVID-19 
Research Grants

Tri-Agency Grant Deadlines

For internal timelines and deadlines for the Fall NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR grant competitions, please refer to the funding bulletin for full details or contact your Grants Officer:

Services 

Comprehensive Review: Grants Officers can provide a comprehensive review of grant proposals when submitted at least one month before the agency deadline.  ORS review will be provided for applications received after the Comprehensive Review deadline and up until the agency deadline; however please note:

  • Ability to provide a full review might be limited if there is a high volume of applications being submitted for review.
  • At a minimum, ORS will review your application and flag any high level issues that need to be addressed prior to submission.

Engage Early:  We advise researchers to engage the Office of Research Services as early as possible in planning to submit any grant applications.

Internal Approvals: To ensure internal approvals, including required institutional signatures, can be provided in time, faculty members must provide their grant applications and the completed Research Grant Application Form a minimum of five business days before the agency deadline. 

Research Partnerships

Prioritization

Partnership activities will be prioritized as follows:

  • COVID-19 specific research activities
  • Time dependent requests to finalize an existing partnership agreement
  • Extension requests for existing agreements

Services

We will continue to support and foster research partnerships across the Institution and with external partners.  With the increased volume of requests our response time is delayed.  Emails will be answered within 24-48 hrs.  Please provide at least 5 business days to set-up and explore new partnership opportunities that are not COVID-19 related.

Intellectual property and commercialization support is available.  Please allow for at least two weeks to review new invention disclosures.

Research Involving Humans 

Prioritization

  • New studies and change requests directly related to COVID-19 and deemed as essential by the REB will be prioritized for review over other research submissions.  Essential research includes studies related to:
    • front line workers who have a high risk of exposure to COVID-19 given the nature of their profession, and individuals required to work to provide necessary services to protect the public and allow government mandated distancing and quarantine (e.g. health-care professionals, emergency responders, law enforcement, grocery store workers, waste management workers, postal/delivery workers);
    •  patient care and/or diagnostics;
    •  equipment/devices related to personal protective equipment, patient care/diagnostics; and/or
    •  supply chain management.
  • Any change requests that affect the safety of research participants for studies unrelated to COVID-19 will receive priority review. 
  • The REB will review all other COVID-19-related studies not related to essential research areas after the essential COVID-19-related studies.
  • Finally, all other studies will be reviewed.  Given the dynamic nature of this emergency, the REB may change the list (review schedules) as needed to address the requirements of the COVID-19 emergency.

Research involving human contact

Researchers are advised to refer to the REB’s new guidance document on Emerging Ethical Issues Related to Research Conduct During COVID-19 to assist with their submission involving human contact.  It is important to note that all submissions involving human contact will be reviewed at the REB’s monthly meeting.  Submissions are due 2 weeks prior to the meeting date.  Click here for the REB’s meeting dates. 

Services

The REB receives a high-volume of submissions during the months of July to November.  During peak submission periods, the review turnaround time will be extended due to high volumes.

In preparation for the upcoming peak submission period, researchers are strongly encouraged to submit their applications early or, if possible, during non-peak periods to minimize unforeseen delays.  If you require assistance with your submission or would like to receive an REB consultation, please contact the Research Ethics Office at researchethics@ontariotechu.ca.

Research Involving Animals

The Animal Care Committee, through the Research Ethics Officer, will continue to review submissions to the committee (e.g. protocols and protocol amendments).  Researchers should submit by following normal submission processes.  Note: On-campus research must be approved prior to commencement.  The process is available on the Health and Safety Website: COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness Plan Assistance for Research and Laboratory Activities. 

Research Involving Biological Safety

The Biosafety Program continues to operate in order to comply with regulatory requirements.  Please expect delays due to the current circumstances caused by COVID-19.  Please email the Biosafety Officer if you have any questions.

The Biosafety Training transition to Canvas is not yet complete.  To complete Biosafety Training, please email the Biosafety Officer: francis.arnaldo@ontariotechu.ca.

Research Involving Radiation

The Radiation Safety Program continues to operate in order to comply with regulatory requirements.  Please expect delays due to the current circumstances caused by COVID-19.  Please email the Radiation Safety Officer if you have any questions.

Radiation Safety Training is available by contacting the Radiation Safety Officer: francis.arnaldo@ontariotechu.ca.

Please refer to the research-related FAQ for further updates.

COVID-19 Research

The Office of Research services continues to support the staggered and phased expansion of research activities on campus.  Research activities that fall under Stage 3 of the Five stages to resume research on campus continue to be reviewed and considered in the On-Campus Research Framework.  For regular updates on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the university’s research operations, grant agency deadlines, considerations for active research projects, and funding opportunities for COVID-19 research, please refer to the  Vice-President, Research and Innovation’s COVID-19 Updates website.

ORS continues to communicate opportunities to support COVID-19 research via email and in the Office of Research Services funding bulletin.

On behalf of the ORS team, I would like to extend my sincerest wishes for everyone to stay safe and healthy this Fall.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Freeman 
Executive Director - Office of Research Services