Over 5,000 researchers oppose order to share 25 years of federal grant applicant data

TORONTO — More than 5,000 researchers have signed an open letter pushing back against a parliamentary committee order that they say draws parallels with the U.S. government's crackdown on equity, diversity and inclusion funding in health and science research.

The Standing Committee on Science and Research adopted a motion on Oct. 1 requiring health and science grant institutions to share disaggregated data on all student and faculty grant applications submitted between 2020 and 2025.

The span of data requested was later expanded by the committee from five years to the last 25 years.

The information requested includes applicant demographics and equity, diversity and inclusion questionnaire responses, which the committee says is needed for its study into federal funding criteria.

Abiding