This notice is a reminder of existing renewal requirements under N2 SOP 405 and the (TCPS2, 2022). Please note, these are not new policies; they reflect longstanding obligations that research teams must meet to maintain uninterrupted ethics approval. Tracking expiry dates and submitting renewals on time is the research team's responsibility.
Under TCPS2, 2022, Article 6.14, continuing research ethics review is required throughout the lifecycle of every approved project. This responsibility is explicitly reinforced in N2 SOP 405, which governs continuing review procedures for ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Research Ethics Boards. The SOP makes clear that the research team must identify when a renewal is due, determine the appropriate review pathway, and submit by the applicable deadline.
What research teams need to know:
- Not all renewals qualify for delegated review. If your study involves greater-than-minimal risk, it will require full board review. Do not assume your submission will be reviewed under the delegated pathway.
- Submit by the full board deadline to avoid a lapse.
- If a renewal requires full board review and misses the submission deadline, it will be held to the following full board meeting. This extended timeframe can result in a lapse in approval or, in some cases, termination of the study.
- To avoid interruption to your research, we strongly recommend that all renewals be submitted by the full board submission deadline, regardless of the anticipated review pathway.
- TRAQ reminders are a courtesy, not a compliance tool. Automated renewal notices generated by TRAQ are system-generated reminders only. They may not reflect the specific submission deadline required for full board review and should not be relied upon as your sole mechanism for tracking renewal timelines.
To consult full board meeting dates and submission deadlines and plan your renewal submission, visit the pages below:
- General Research Ethics Board (GREB)
- Health Sciences and Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Research Ethics Board (HSREB)
If you have any questions, please contact the Ethics team at researchethics@queensu.ca or attend a , held every Tuesday (1–2 pm) and Thursday (10–11 am) on Microsoft Teams.