University of Toronto renews Elsevier contract; Open Access discounts for researchers now available

The University of Toronto (U of T) has renewed its contract with Elsevier for 2021-2023 through the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN). Driven by a bold negotiation strategy, this deal includes:   

  • Significant cost savings: A 12.5% reduction for 2021, followed by a 0% increase for 2022, and a 2% increase for 2023, without loss of perpetual access rights. This results in a cost savings of US$17.4 million over this three-year period for all CRKN Members, with significant savings for U of T. This costs savings will be redirected to initiatives that support efforts towards equity, diversity, and inclusion in our library collections.   
  • Support of open access publishing: A 20% discount on Article Processing Charges (APCs) for both hybrid and gold open access journals. Cell Press, Lancet, and some other society-owned journals are excluded from this deal. 
  • Transparency: No confidentiality or non-disclosure clause, which ensures that the terms of this agreement can be shared.

The results of this negotiation were driven by CRKN’s Licensing Principles and collaboration across Canadian institutions. U of T President, Meric Gertler, participated in CRKN’s Stakeholder Alignment Group, alongside representatives from the Tri-Agency, U15 and Canada Research Chairs, which helped to inform the negotiation process with Elsevier.   

This deal is part of the ongoing strategy by the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) to support initiatives that work towards barrier-free access to research. We continue to work closely with our Canadian partners and peer institutions to support initiatives that eliminate paywalls and develop sustainable publishing models, and we are pleased to be a member of this agreement that serves to continue to drive open research forward.   

For more information explaining how this agreement works:  

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