Open access is a set of principles and a range of practices through which nominally copyrightable publications are delivered to readers free of access charges or other barriers. In Canada, open access policy has developed and expanded for nearly 20 years. The Institutes of Health Research effected a policy of open access in 2008, which in 2015 expanded to include the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. In 2025, the Tri-Agency (comprising the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) released a draft, revised open access policy.

There are also established Canadian organizations that pursue or support open access activities. The Public Knowledge Project began in 1998 at University of British Columbia. The Canadian Research Knowledge Network was launched in 1999 (as the Canadian National Site Licensing Project), and facilitates open access to research via licensing agreements with publishers and the Partnership for Open Access (with Érudit). Érudit, a Canadian scholarly journal platform, has been operating since 1998. Together, Érudit and the Public Knowledge Project formed Coalition Publica in 2017. In 2023, the Canadian Research Knowledge Network and Canadian Association of Research Libraries released a library action plan in support of open scholarship in Canada. Notable Canadian advocates for open access include Leslie Chan, Jean-Claude Guédon, Stevan Harnad, Heather Morrison, and John Willinsky.

Repositories

There are some 88 collections of scholarship in Canada housed in digital open access repositories.

Timeline

  • 1994 27 June: Stevan Harnad posts a Subversive Proposal calling on authors to archive their articles for free online.
  • 1998: Public Knowledge Project (PKP) established by John Willinsky. French-language Érudit online publishing platform launched, as a university-based initiative with the ambition to create digital tools and offer services to scholarly journals
  • 2000: PKP releases first open source software package, Open Conference Systems (OCS), which it supports until 2014
  • 2002: PKP launched Open Journals Systems (OJS) as an open source journal publishing platform
  • 2003: 12 Canadian universities host OA journals on their IRs (Institutional Repositories)
  • 2005: SFU Dean of Libraries Lynn Copeland initiates PKP partnership with Simon Fraser University Library and the Canadian Institute for Studies in Publishing, led by Rowly Lorimer.
  • 2006: November: Athabasca University begins policy encouraging deposits in its institutional repository.
  • 2009 October: York University begins open access policy.
  • 2017: Coalition Publica founded to support publishing in social sciences and humanities fields.

Journals

  • Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal issued one of the world's first open access journals, Surfaces (ISSN ) in 1991.
  • is Canada's first multidisciplinary open access journal in Canada.
  • , is a multidisciplinary international open access journal jointly published by Canadian Science Publishing and East China Normal University.
  • is a quarterly open-access peer-reviewed journal.

In addition, Canadian universities and research institutions support and / or host the following journals:

Acadia University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2009

Athabasca University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2000
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2005

Brock University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 1999
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • launched in 2020
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2022
  • launched in 2018
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2022
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2007
  • launched in 2002
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2012
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2004

Carleton University

  • launched in 2014
  • launched in 2009
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1967
  • launched in 2008
  • launched in 2005

Concordia University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2001
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011

Dalhousie University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1987
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2002
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2005
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1973
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1997
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2021
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1981
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2002
  • launched in 2013
  • launched in 2009
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2005

Institut national de la recherche scientifique

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2004
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2019
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1979

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016

Lakehead University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 1996
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016

Laurentian University/Université Laurentienne

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2017

MacEwan University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008

McGill University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1969
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1992
  • launched in 1980
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2019
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1988
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2020
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1995
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011

McMaster University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2013
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2010
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2017
  • launched in 2018
  • launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • launched in 2004
  • launched in 2017
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2019
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2002
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1980
  • launched in 2017
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2018
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1991

Memorial University of Newfoundland

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2010
  • launched in 2019
  • launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2012
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2001
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2018
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2009
  • launched in 1997
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1993
  • launched in 2013
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2013
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1996
  • launched in 2017

Mount Royal University

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2013
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2017
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2013

Queen's University

  • launched in 2007
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2000
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2004
  • launched in 2004
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2013
  • launched in 1989
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2012
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2006
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2012
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2010
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016
  • launched in 2004
  • launched in 2016
  • launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2002

Simon Fraser University

  • launched in 1906
  • launched in 1982
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1977
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2021
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2013
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2009
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2000
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • launched in 2018
  • (ISSN )) launched in 1906
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2001
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1984
  • launched in 2009
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2002
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1990
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2012
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2000
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1987
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2010
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2007
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1984
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2018
  • (ISSN launched in 2001
  • launched in 2014

Toronto Metropolitan University

  • launched in 2021
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2021
  • launched in 2017

University of Alberta

  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2018
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2018
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2006
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2022
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2020
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2010
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1972
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2009
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1974
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2000
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1974
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2004
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2001
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2020
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2009
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2022
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2009
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2004
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2010
  • launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2017
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2010
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1996
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1977
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2021
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1997
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2013
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2022
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2020
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2002
  • launched in 1973
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2018
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2012
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1991
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2005
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2018
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1998
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2023
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2004
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1999
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1993
  • launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2003
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2021
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2012
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1992
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1992
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2020
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2020
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1983
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2015
  • launched in 1993
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2022
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1995
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2005
  • launched in 2013
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2018
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2004
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2017
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2005

University of British Columbia

  • launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2010
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1997
  • launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2006
  • launched in 2005
  • launched in 2015
  • launched in 2012
  • launched in 2019
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2006
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2004
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • launched in 2013
  • launched in 2001
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2012
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1998

University of Calgary

  • launched in 2017
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1955
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1948
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1970
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2007
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1967
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1995
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1986
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2007
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2018
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2006
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2005
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2013
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2017
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2017
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2001
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2014
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2024
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2010
  • (ISSN ) launched in 1998
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2011
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2016
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2013
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2023
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2008
  • (ISSN ) launched in 2023

See also

Further reading

  • Devon Greyson; et al. (2010). "Open Access in Canada: A Strong Beginning". Feliciter. 56. Canadian Library Association. hdl:. ISSN .
  • Andrea Kwan (2011), , MPub Project Reports, Simon Fraser University
  • John Dupuis, ed. (2013). . Confessions of a Science Librarian.
  • Taylor Price (2016). (Master of Arts thesis). Lakehead University.

External links