International partnerships enhance our research capacity and benefit the broader global community.
However, with the geopolitical landscape constantly changing, certain partnerships may have risks associated with them, primarily the acquisition and misuse of research to undermine Canadian national security and critical infrastructure.
On January 16, 2024, the federal government responded to these risks with a new policy, clarifying that funding applications submitted to the federal granting councils or the Canada Foundation for Innovation with the aim of engaging in a sensitive research area will not be funded if any of the researchers involved are affiliated with a university, institute, or laboratory connected to military, national defense, or state security entities that could pose a threat to Canada’s national security.
Please visit the Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships webpage for a full breakdown of this new policy, including a list of the sensitive research areas and named research organizations.
The following resources are also available to assist with understanding and mitigating these risks: