The Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) has responded to the release of Canada’s Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications (2026), describing it as a step toward developing a sustainable open science ecosystem in the country. CRKN participated in consultations with the Tri-Agency during the policy’s development.
Under the updated policy, journal articles resulting from research supported by Tri-Agency grants and chairholder awards issued on or after January 1, 2027, must be made immediately and freely available at the time of publication through a Canadian institutional repository or a trusted Canadian platform.
The policy emphasizes the importance of author rights retention to enable immediate open access to research. CRKN supports this approach and has aligned its position with its 2026 licensing negotiations with scholarly publishers. Through these negotiations, the organization is working to ensure that authors affiliated with its member institutions retain rights to their work and control over publication decisions. It is also seeking greater clarity from publishers regarding open access options, licensing choices, repository deposits, and compliance with funder requirements.
CRKN also acknowledged the policy’s recognition of Scholars Portal Journals, its member-owned digital repository service for licensed scholarly resources, as a trusted Canadian platform for policy compliance. The recognition is included in the Tri-Agency’s guidance and frequently asked questions accompanying the 2026 policy.
The organization also highlighted the policy’s recognition of diamond open access, community-led publishing, and open infrastructure. Érudit, a partner in the Partnership for Open Access, is also identified as a trusted Canadian platform under the policy.
In addition, the policy recognizes persistent identifiers (PIDs) as a mechanism for acknowledging research funders’ contributions. CRKN stated that it would continue working with its members, the Tri-Agency, and other stakeholders to support policy implementation and help researchers comply with the updated open access requirements.
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