Ethics Review Services

How to prepare and submit a new ethics review board application

1. Confirm that your public health unit (PHU) has a board of record agreement with Public Health Ontario (PHO)

PHUs must have a board of record agreement (BOR) with PHO before accessing ethics review services.

If your PHU does not have a BOR agreement with us contact ethics@oahpp.ca.

Multi-site PHU Projects

A multi-site/multi-jurisdictional project involving more than one PHU may be eligible to use PHO as a single, centralized ethics review board. For more information, see PHO's Centralized Ethics Review Process FAQs or contact ethics@oahpp.ca. 

2. Determine whether your project is an evidence-generating activity involving humans, their information or biological materials

PHO’s approach to ethics review applies to research as well other types of evidence-generating projects involving humans (e.g., evaluation, quality improvement and enhanced surveillance). Applicants should refer to their internal policies and procedures to determine whether a project is an evidence-generating activity that warrants ethics review. Contact your PHU’s ethics designate for additional information. 

3. Complete the TCPS 2 CORE on-line tutorial

Completion of the TCPS 2: CORE (Course on Research Ethics) online tutorial is mandatory for the lead applicant. Submission of the CORE completion certificate document is not required if it has previously been submitted to PHO Ethics Services. The online tutorial is an introduction to the 2nd edition of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2) and provides  fundamental guidance on the ethics of research involving human participants.  

4. Complete the Risk Screening Tool (RST) Questionnaire 

A completed RST questionnaire is required for all project submissions to assess the appropriate level of ethics review. PHO’s Ethics Services will validate the RST score and determine the final level of review. 

Our ethics review service applies to projects with a validated RST score of 2 (delegated review) or 3 (full board review). For low risk projects, Levels 0 and 1, we provide consultation services to support capacity development in the review and assessment of ethical risks. Please contact ethics@oahpp.ca to book a consultation. 

5. Complete  the ERB application form 

PHO’s ERB Application Form is the key source of information used by the Board to assess the ethical acceptability of a project.

If you require assistance completing your ERB application and supporting material, contact your PHU’s ethics designate.

6. Submit your application

The following documents must be included in your application:

• completed Risk Screening Tool questionnaire
• completed Ethics Review Board Application form
• additional supporting material, such as consent forms, questionnaires, recruitment material, data collection tools, privacy assessments, etc. For assistance with consent forms, please refer to PHO’s ERB Consent Form Guidelines and ERB Information Letter and Consent Form Template.

What happens after an application is submitted?

RST score validation

PHO’s Ethics Services will validate the RST score and determine the final level of review.  Projects with level 2 or 3 RST scores will be considered for review. 

For low risk projects, Levels 1 and 0, we provide consultation services to support capacity development in the review and assessment of ethical risks. Please contact ethics@oahpp.ca to book a consultation.

Pre-screening of application package

Applications will not be accepted for review until all relevant information is provided. Ethics Services will pre-screen each submission. Applicants may be asked to re-submit their application if relevant material is missing or incomplete.

For more information about submission deadlines, please go to Submission Deadlines and ERB Meetings.

Confirmation of successful submission

Ethics Services will send the lead applicant an email acknowledging the successful submission of their application.  If you have any questions contact ethics@oahpp.ca.

Continuing Review

Projects approved by our Ethics Review Board are subject to continuing ethics review throughout the life-cycle of the project. Continuing review may involve project renewals, review and approval of changes to the originally approved application, and project completion or termination. 

To access continuing review forms, refer to the Forms, Guidelines and Tools section

Submission deadlines and Ethics Review Board meetings

The ethics review process begins once a project is successfully submitted. Ethics Services will send the lead applicant an email acknowledging the successful submission of their application. For information on submission deadlines, refer to the level of review below.

Level 2 Delegated Review

Level 2 delegated review applies to minimal risk projects and is conducted by two members of the ERB. There is no deadline for submitting a level 2 delegated review project.

Level 3 Full Board Review

Level 3 full board review applies to projects with greater than minimal risk and is completed at a scheduled ERB meeting.

The deadline for submission is four weeks prior to the full board meeting date. For more information contact ethics@oahpp.ca.

Our Ethics Services team provides:

• training on using the Risk Screening Tool 
• ethics designate forums 
• education on emerging ethics topics 

The TCPS 2 CORE on-line tutorial is an introduction to the 2nd edition of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS2) and provides fundamental guidance on the ethics of research involving human participants.

This page includes a list of public health units (PHU) that have a Board of Record Agreement with Public Health Ontario. This list allows for:

• PHU staff to determine whether their unit has a BOR agreement and access to PHO’s Ethics Review Board Services.
• PHUs to know the BOR status of other PHUs when planning the ethics review submission of multi-site projects. Projects involving more than one PHU may be eligible to use PHO as a single, centralized Ethics Review Board, thereby eliminating the need for multiple ethics reviews. For more information, see PHO's Centralized Ethics Review Process FAQs.

Public Health Units with Board of Record Agreements

• Algoma Public Health Unit
• Brant County Health Unit
• Chatham-Kent Health Unit
• Durham Region Health Department
• Grey Bruce Health Unit
• Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
• Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
• Hamilton Public Health Services
• Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit
• Huron Perth District Health Unit
• Lambton Public Health
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
• Middlesex-London Health Unit
• Niagara Region Public Health Department
• North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
• Ottawa Public Health
• Peel Public Health
• Peterborough Public Health
• Porcupine Health Unit
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit
• Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
• Southwestern Public Health
• Sudbury & Districts, Public Health
• Thunder Bay District Health Unit
• Timiskaming Health Unit
• Toronto Public Health
• Waterloo, Region of, Public Health
• York Region Public Health Services