Office of Research and Ethics Services
recherche-research@ustpaul.ca
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Saint Paul University policies, Tri-Agency guidelines and exceptions

Saint Paul University established a series of policies and procedures to ensure:

  1. Compliance with the regulations of the research sponsor
  2. Proper management of such funds
  3. Accountability to the funding agencies and other University stakeholders
  4. Effective conduct of research activities in accordance with the highest standards of professionalism, safety and ethics

Researchers are employees of the University. The University delegates, to the researchers, overall responsibility for the pursuit and management of their research projects.

Researchers are supported by an organizational infrastructure provided by the University. This infrastructure allows researchers to meet requirements, manage funds and interact with sponsors.

Reminder: Principles governing the appropriate use of grant funds

These four basic principles govern the appropriate use of grant funds.

Grant expenditures must:

Employment and compensation

Saint-Paul University Policies:

Mandatory Directives on Employment & Compensation 

Individuals employed to work on funded research/activities are not considered employees of the Funder and can be compensated via salary or stipend from the grant funds. If employment includes the provision of compensation benefits, the administering institution’s share of the costs of mandated compensation benefits is eligible for reimbursement from grant funds. Only individuals employed and compensated from Agency grant funds to work on the funded research/activities are eligible for mandated severance pay for the period of time the individual worked on the current grant. 

Grant funds must not be used to pay compensation to:

  • grant recipients or individuals who conduct research independently as part of the terms and conditions of their employment, including but not limited to researchers in academia, hospitals and research institutes
  • individuals expected to work on the funded research/activities free of charge as a collaboration as per the program and funding opportunity literature and any relevant Agency agreements 

Subject to the restrictions above,

  • Individuals employed and compensated by another organization for the time spent on the funded research/activities cannot be compensated from grant funds.
  • However, grant funds can be used to reimburse the organization for costs incurred in compensating the individual for time spent on the grant activities. 

Source: Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration, 2020

 

Goods and services

Saint-Paul University Policies :

Tri Agency Policy - Mandatory Directives on Good and Services Expenditures 

The acquisition of goods and services for the funded research/activities must be undertaken in accordance with the administering institution’s relevant policies and processes. 

Agency grant funds must not be used to pay consulting fees to:

  • grant recipients or individuals who conduct research independently as part of the terms and conditions of their employment, including but not limited to researchers in academia, hospitals and research institutes
  • individuals expected to work on the funded research/activities free of charge as a collaboration as per the program and funding opportunity literature and any relevant agency agreement 

Source: Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration, 2020

 

Travel and travel-related subsistence 

Saint-Paul University Policy:

Mandatory Directives on Travel and Travel-Related Subsistence Expenditures 

All travel and travel-related subsistence expenditures (meals and accommodation) must be claimed in accordance with the administering institution’s relevant policies and processes. 

Such expenditures, including reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, can be claimed for the grant recipient and other individuals who contribute to the funded research/activities. For claimants other than the grant recipient, the affiliation with the funded research/activities must be specified. 

The cost of alcoholic beverages cannot be reimbursed from grant funds. 

Source: Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration, 2020

 

Hospitality

Saint-Paul University Policy:

Directives on Hospitality Expenditures 

The provision of hospitality must be in accordance with the administering institution's relevant policies and processes. 

Hospitality costs (non-alcoholic refreshments and/or meals) must be directly related to the funded research and be incurred for:

  • networking purposes provided in the context of a formal courtesy or as a form of cultural respect (for example, a grant recipient meeting with partners, stakeholders or guest researchers)
  • activities in the context of assemblies or gatherings that facilitate and contribute to achieving the research objectives (for example, a workshop or conference) where one or more of the individuals participating is not a member of the research team and not involved in the day-to-day funded research/activities 

Hospitality costs incurred for interactions between participants involved in day-to-day funded research/activities, such as regular interactions with colleagues from the institution, personnel meetings and staff recognition events, cannot be reimbursed from Agency grant funds. 

The cost of alcoholic beverages cannot be reimbursed from grant funds. 

Source: Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration, 2020

 

Gifts, honoraria and incentives 

Saint-Paul University Policy:

Mandatory Directives on Gifts, Honoraria and Incentives

The provision of gifts, honoraria and incentives must be in accordance with the administering institution’s policies and processes.

The provision of gifts and incentives to participants requires the prior approval of the administering institution’s Research Ethics Board. Grant recipients have an ethical duty to protect participants’ confidential information and provide documentation to justify the gifts and incentives. Please refer to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans - TCPS 2 (2018)

Gifts, honoraria and incentives can be offered to an individual or group whose involvement in the funded research/activities is voluntary (i.e. not part of a contractual obligation or professional service) and the individual is not a member of the grant team.

“Honoraria” refers to monetary payments made on a one-time or non-routine basis to an individual as a “thank you” for a service for which fees are not traditionally paid (i.e. speeches, lectures, seminars, etc. by a guest lecturer/speaker). Grant recipients cannot receive honoraria from grants.

“Gifts” are cash or in-kind items provided freely as a token of appreciation, respect and/or goodwill. Gifts can be offered to establish/facilitate relationships with individuals or groups who are involved in the research/activity as participants or as research partners/contributors (i.e. guest researchers, research partners or community stakeholders) under the following circumstances:

  • when prescribed by cultural heritage/established traditions
  • as a formal courtesy

In recognition of the cultures and traditions of First Nations, Métis and Inuit, Elders and other Knowledge Keepers who also fulfill another role (i.e. an independent researcher) are eligible to receive gifts in a ceremonial or other context.

“Incentives” refers to cash or in-kind items offered to human participants as a means to establish participant pools or to acknowledge their participation in the research/activity.

Source: Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration, 2020