Publicly-funded information belongs with the public. Canadian citizens pay taxes to support institutions such as Carleton, and so they should be able to access the results of research conducted by these institutions.
The proposed Tri-Agency Open Access Policy, drafted by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, would allow free public access to peer-reviewed journals published by the agency.
Currently, much of this information is only available to those who subscribe to these journals. If enacted, the policy would ensure that information from peer-reviewed journals would be available on a public database a year after the research is published.
It’s possible that a public database would detract revenue from peer-reviewed journals. But people who already subscribe to these journals will still want the information as soon as it’s published.
Having already paid for the research through taxes, giving the public access to the information after a year only seems fair.
A broader audience might also influence researchers to present information in a more universally understandable, accessible way.
This could also enhance research opportunities for students and academics outside of the post-secondary system. People in all fields could benefit, especially teachers and students in the primary and secondary school systems.
Greater access to publicly-funded research would result in a well-informed and a more educated Canadian public. Ultimately, a more knowledgeable public will contribute to better policies and more engaged civil life in the future.
