Dear Members of the Research Community,
Further to my previous correspondence regarding the federal government’s Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) Policy, which was released on January 16, 2024, I’m pleased to provide some updates.
Our research administration and security teams have further reviewed the policy and consulted with our academic and government partners to develop concise and effective guidance for our community.
The new information, which is outlined on our Research Security website, includes:
Please explore the new content for general awareness and instructions related to new research protocols.
As noted by the Government of Canada, the policy may be subject to change as the research security landscape continues to evolve. We will notify you of any major changes to the policy, but I encourage you to check back to the site frequently for updates.
We appreciate that adapting to these requirements is new territory for everyone. While the website provides clarity on this new directive, we understand that you may have unique questions related to your research. If so, please contact ressec@mcmaster.ca for advice.
Again, we welcome the government’s guidance in identifying high-risk partners to help safeguard our research and minimize the potential of emerging threats.
Sincerely,
Andy Knights Vice-President, Research (Acting)