Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) Open Access Policy

What is the FRQ's open access policy?

The goal of the policy is to "promote open access to the outcomes of FRQ-funded research and to ensure their quick dissemination and free access (for the reader) to the scientific community, potential users, policy-makers and the general public." (Source)

What are the chief requirements of the policy?

• Applies to:
  • Peer-reviewed journal publications
  • Theses 
    • Does NOT apply to data or monographs (although making these open is encouraged)

Grants awarded after July 2022

• Peer-reviewed publications and theses must be freely accessible immediately
• Articles must be licensed under a Creative Commons CC-BY or CC-BY-ND open license (or equivalent)
• See the Journal Checker Tool to confirm journal compliance
  • Note: This tool doesn't capture any McGill OA agreements.  
• See also  decision tree

Grants awarded between April 2019 - June 2022

• Peer-reviewed publications must be freely accessible within 12 months of publication.
• Does not apply to theses

How can I make my publications open access?

1.  Deposit the final, peer-reviewed version of your article in an open access repository such as McGill's eScholarship or one related to your discipline.
   • Note: Researchers must ensure that their author agreements permit depositing their work openly within the accepted timeframe.  Contact us with a list of journals and we will review their policies. 

2. Publish in an open access journal.

   • For journals that use Article Processing Charges (APCs), these APCs are allowable FRQ grant expenses. McGill also has a limited set of APC discounts available. 

3. Publish in a subscription journal and pay an OA fee 

   • Note: The OA fee in this case is NOT an eligible grant expense unless the journal is on this list of transformative journals.

   • Journal must permit a Creative Commons CC-BY or CC-BY-ND open license

Theses are automatically made open access in McGill's eScholarship. 

Does posting a copy on my website or on ResearchGate/Academia.edu count as open access? 

No. To meet the definition of repository the site must "must be open to all and aim for long-term preservation." (FRQ policy)

How can I pay for article processing charges?

These are grant eligible expenses (note: for grants awarded after July 2022, APCs are only permitted for fully OA journals or transformative journals, i.e. not hybrid journals). McGill Library has agreements with a number of publishers as well. 

How can I embargo my thesis? 

Students can write directly to the FRQ to request withholding their thesis for open access (emmanuelle.levesque [at] frq.gouv.qc.ca). They also need to write separately to McGill's Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office. 

Are there any exceptions? 

The 2022 policy notes some exceptions for "prix, aux subventions de mobilité et aux bourses de carrière (ces bourses sont octroyées par les FRQS)".  Check the rules of each program to confirm ( FRQ FAQ 2.10.)

Questions?

robin.desmeules [at] mcgill.ca (Robin Desmeules)

Coordinator, Scholarly Communications

Further reading

Full policy (2019, 2022)

FAQ  (available in French)