How to Join DataCite Canada
Who can join
We support all Canadian institutions registering DataCite digital object identifier (DOIs) for a wide variety of scholarly outputs, though only non-profits and public organizations can join the consortium. Membership in the DataCite Canada Consortium is open to all Canadian postsecondary institutions, non-profit organizations, and government research and funding agencies. DCAN currently has 99 members.
Membership Fees
DCAN is sustained through institutional membership, as well as funding from the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (DRAC) to offset member fees. There are two fees associated with a DataCite Canada membership: 1) an annual membership fee of 2,000€ charged to the Consortium (covered in full by funds from DRAC); and 2) an annual shared infrastructure fee charged per member, adjusted for different socioeconomic contexts. In Canada, the latter amount is 600€ per member, though this fee is additionally offset by funding from DRAC. Please note that DRAC funding is not guaranteed beyond 2026, so member fees could change in future years.
For all new members of DCAN, the amount of funds used to offset member fees are tiered based on a member's previous year’s DOI registration. We ask new members to estimate which tier would best correspond to their institutional needs. This estimate does not include a retroactive backlog. We recommend a conservative estimate to new members to keep the fee tier lower.
Please see the DataCite Canada Participation and Financial Agreement form for 2026 for more information on membership fees and tiers.
DOI Stewardship and DataCite Canada
For all new and returning DCAN members, we want to highlight the terms and conditions of DataCite Canada membership, and, more specifically, the importance of long-term metadata stewardship for DOIs. To support a healthy consortium and broader persistent Identifier (PID) ecosystem, it is important to develop a stewardship plan for DOIs as well as a contingency for transferring your DOIs to another institution should you no longer be able to sustain a membership.
Next Steps
Although the DataCite Canada Consortium license year follows the calendar year, new members are invited to join at any time, and membership fees will be pro-rated accordingly. To join the DataCite Canada Consortium, all members must submit a completed and signed copy of the Participation and Financial Commitment Agreement (sample agreement provided for reference only).
To receive a version of the agreement tailored to your organization and membership start date, or for any questions about membership, please contact us at datacite@crkn.ca.