To use CTO Stream, a site must have a Participation Agreement in place with CTO. The Participation Agreement provides the framework for allowing sites to delegate ethical review and oversight for research conducted under its auspices, to a CTO Qualified board. This delegation occurs on a study-by-study basis, meaning that a site can choose whether to use CTO Stream for each individual study.

A site does not need to have their own Research Ethics Board (REB) to become a participating site, but if they do, they have the option of participating in the CTO REB Qualification program, which allows them to be an official REB of Record.
If you are planning to submit an application through CTO Stream, you will need the following administration forms before you begin working on your initial application:

• Streamlined Research Ethics Review System Administration (SRERS) form
• Documented Institutional Ethics Requirements (DIER) form (if applicable)

Some institutions have policies that impact research ethics review and must be addressed within the Participating Site Initial Application and/or the Site-specific consent form. These will be documented on the DIER form. If applicable, please ensure that these requirements are reflected within the site application and consent form, where applicable.

The SRERS Administration form contains details about a site’s research administration processes, the name and contact information for the Primary and/or Secondary Institution Representative (required for initial application) and lists collaborators who must have access to the applications in CTO Stream.