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A research data centre must fulfill all legal requirements, including the authority to collect, share and hold data.

We are a research data centre under the authority of New Brunswick laws, including the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RTIPPA) and the Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act (PHIPAA). We also have an agreement with the province of New Brunswick to uphold policies and procedures to ensure that data in our custody is protected.

As a research data centre, we provide access to pseudonymous (i.e. de-identified) data sets and link personal information or personal health information for the purposes of research, analysis, and evidenced-informed decision-making.

• Stated purpose
• Transparency in activities - We offer transparency through our public website, where information on data holdings, data access, policies, approved research projects, publications and privacy principles we follow, can be found. Information on current research, news and events are shared through our DataNB blog and monthly DataNB newsletter.
• Accountable governing body - We report to the UNB VP Research office but also have a Strategic Directions Committee of stakeholders who provide strategic guidance. 
• Indigenous data sovereignty - NB-IRDT supports Indigenous-led research projects following OCAP principles, and is engaged in ongoing work with Indigenous communities to develop data sharing agreements that respect Indigenous data sovereignty. NB-IRDT staff participate in the Fundamentals of OCAP training. If a research project requests the use of data that identifies Indigenous communities, the Principal Investigator must provide proof that the project is being conducted in appropriate collaboration with the Indigenous communities who own the data before proceeding. 
• Adaptive and responsive governance - To ensure that our strategic plan remains current and is always looking to the future, NB-IRDT staff creates a five-year strategic plan every three years.

• Well-defined policies and processes
• Data protection safeguards
• Risk management process - NB-IRDT mitigates risk by having a Threat and Risk Assessment every 3 years and a Privacy Impact Assessment every 5 years.
• Data documentation - Available data documentation for each dataset is included in data holdings.

• Complete training prior to data access - NB-IRDT requires all data users to complete Privacy as well as Trusted Research Environment training before data access is granted. Users must also refresh their privacy training annually.

• Data user agreement includes consequences for non-compliance - All data users must agree to a data access agreement. The Data Access Agreement includes acknowledgment that data use will be monitored and the consequences for non-compliance.

NB-IRDT recognizes that public engagement has a tremendous role to play in research and can lead to significant benefits for everyone involved. Citizen partners have long been an untapped skillset vital to conducting relevant and impactful policy research. NB-IRDT encourages researchers to build projects that integrate public engagement in a way that involves representation from the populations involved from beginning to end.

Patient/citizen engagement resources for health-related research are available through the Maritime SPOR Support Unit (MSSU).

In addition to informing research, citizen partners play a vital role in our committees, such as the Data and Research Committee Working Group, a review committee for Data Access Requests and requests for dissemination of research results.