UPDATE: The Portal to Online Licensing Applications for Research (POLAR) is being updated. The current system will be down on July 4th and the new one available on July 8th. During this period of time, you will not have access to the system. All of your in progress and previous applications will be retained.
Our online research license application system is called the Portal to Online Licensing Applications for Research (POLAR since 2005). This system allows you to register, input your contact information and detailed project description, and make changes where necessary before submitting an application. Once issued, a copy of the licence document package will be sent to the registered email address for your reference from the system. For more information on the online system see our POLAR guide for researchers and POLAR guide for community organizations.
Scientific Research Licence application steps:
- Start your online application after logging into your POLAR account;
- If you already have an electronic copy of your application or of documents that you will be using to construct your application, it will be easy for you to copy and paste the relevant information into the online form;
- The online form has a section for including attachments such as maps; ethical review applications, community consultation records, or other supporting documents (Note that map files should be contained to 2 MB in size or smaller);
- Please keep the text sections as relatively brief summaries (approximately 200 words or less) and keep the “objectives” and “methods and activities” sections as plain-language as possible; you can add detailed project information as attachments. This keeps the application itself streamlined for an easier review by the communities. For tips on writing in plain language please refer to our Plain Language Resources;
- Submit the $200.00 application processing fee to Aurora Research Institute (payments are in Canadian funds). Payment can be made within the online system, by credit or debit card. Please notify the Manager of Scientific Services or Licensing Coordinator if you need to pay by check;
- Once submitted, the application is reviewed. If there are questions that need answering or other clarification required before it can be accepted, those questions are sent to you and the application is returned to an edit mode within the online system; and
- Once it is accepted, the application is distributed to associated NWT Community Organizations for review and feedback. If there are any concerns or comments submitted to ARI, these are promptly forwarded to you so that you may follow up with the organization to address the concern or comment. Records of communication should be submitted to the Manager of Scientific Service or the Licensing Coordinator for addition to the application file as these are an important part of the licensing decision.
For further information, please refer to the Researchers Guide to Doing Research with the Northwest Territories.