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The Policy explains who can approve and sign Contracts for the University and how those decisions must be made. It helps protect the University by making sure every Contract is reviewed at the right level, aligns with University priorities, and follows proper legal and financial controls. In short, it promotes consistency, accountability, and risk awareness in how 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ does business.

A Signing Officer is a member of 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ’s senior administration authorized to approve and sign Contracts under the University Signing Policy. They include the President, Provost, Vice-Presidents, Deputy Provost, Secretary-General, General Counsel, Associate and Assistant Vice-Presidents, Associate Provosts, Chief Information Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Treasurer, Deans, and Executive Directors.

• General Authority means the power to approve and sign Contracts within a senior administrator’s area of responsibility.
• Specific Authority applies to certain types of Contracts listed in Table A that must be approved and signed by the particular roles named there, regardless of value.

• President: up to $6,000,000, covering all areas of the University
• Provost and Vice-Presidents: up to $4,000,000 within their respective portfolios
• Deputy Provost; General Counsel; Secretary-General: up to $2,000,000 within their respective portfolios
• Associate/Assistant Vice-Presidents, Chief Information Officer & Treasurer, Associate Provosts, Deans, Executive Directors: up to $1,000,000 within their respective portfolios

A Signing Officer may delegate their General Authority to a qualified employee up to two levels below them, using the official delegation templates (Template 1 – Delegation).

The Delegation must serve a legitimate operational need, and the Signing Officer remains accountable for all Contracts approved under it.

• Specific Authority cannot be delegated. This ensures that Contracts in sensitive or high-risk categories—those listed in Table A—are always approved and signed by the designated role.
• Sub-delegation is not permitted under any circumstance.

No. It is prohibited to divide or segment a Contract to bypass the approval or signing thresholds set out in the Policy.

• Absence longer than four business days: a temporary Delegation of General Authority may be put in place using Template 3 – Temporary Delegation.
• Specific Authority items: during an absence, approval or signature automatically moves to the next higher authority listed in Table A.
• Role changes: when a Signing Officer or Delegate leaves a role, Delegations end. If the person remains at 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, authority must be re-assessed.

A Contract is any written or electronic agreement between 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ and a third party—for example, an individual, company, government body, or institution—that creates an obligation for the University. A Contract is legally binding on the University, relates to its affairs, and requires a signature on behalf of or in the name of 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, whether or not it involves expenses or revenue.

The Contract Value used to determine approval and signing authority is the total value of a Contract over its term in Canadian currency, excluding all taxes, but including the potential value of any renewal or extension options known at the time of approval and signing

In cases where 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ is not the lead institution in an agreement, such as in research collaborations, the portion of the Contract Value corresponding to 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ’s financial or in-kind obligations is used to determine the applicable approval and signing authority, regardless of the total value of the agreement.

The following are not considered Contracts under this Policy:

• Routine financial transactions processed through 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ’s financial systems, such as purchase requisitions, purchase orders, advances, expense reports, and sales of goods and services invoiced by Finance Accounts Receivable, provided they are issued under an existing approved Contract or institutional process.
• Employment-related agreements, including academic appointment letters, collective agreements, and other employment or union negotiation documents.

Signing Officers, Delegates, or any other positions authorized to execute a Contract on behalf of 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ must understand that, in doing so, they are binding the University and not just their unit, department, or faculty. Before signing, they must be satisfied and prepared to take responsibility that:

• Authority and approvals have been verified and all required consultations and endorsements are complete.
• Risks have been reviewed and addressed through an appropriate assessment of financial, legal, operational, reputational, and other relevant factors.
• The Signing Checklist (Article 43) has been completed to confirm that all procedural steps and due-diligence requirements have been met.

A second signature is required for Contracts with a total value exceeding $1,000,000, to ensure appropriate oversight and risk management.

 Exceptions apply in the following cases:

• The Board of Governors (or standing committee thereof) has approved the Contract.
• The Contract is processed through Procurement Services
• The Contract is processed through the University Research sector
• The transaction concerns a Minor Amendment to an existing Contract that is valued over $1 million and does not materially change its obligations, value, or risk.

Contracts valued at over $6 million normally require approval by the Board of Governors or a standing committee thereof, unless Specific Authority has been delegated under Tables A or B  or Appendix A of the Policy. Regardless of value, any Contract involving Material Risk or significant strategic or governance implications must be brought forward for Board approval.

• Minor Amendments do not materially change obligations and involve limited financial adjustments (≤ 10 % of the original Contract Value). They can be approved at the original level or by a Delegate where permitted.
• Major Amendments exceed 1 % or materially alter scope, obligations, or risks. They require the same or higher approval level and cannot be delegated.

All amendments must be reviewed with the same diligence as new Contracts.

Executed Contracts and supporting documentation must be retained in accordance with the 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Records Retention Schedule. Copies of Contracts approved by the Board or a Board Committee must be sent to the Secretariat after execution

Legal Review by 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Legal Services is mandatory for any any Non-Standard Contract with a total value exceeding $500,000.

Exemptions include: 

• Standard 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Templates used without substantive modifications, and
• Renewals or Minor Amendments to Contracts that have already undergone Legal Review.

´¡ÌýNon-Standard Contract is a Contract that: 

• has been drafted or proposed by another party, or
• is a 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Template that includes substantive modifications not yet reviewed and approved by the appropriate authority, or
• has been specially drafted for particular circumstances and is not based on a pre-approved institutional template.

Non-Standard Contracts must undergo legal review.

Under the University Signing Policy, the Signing Officer or Delegate responsible for approving and signing a Contract must identify and assess risks associated with it.

If a Material Risk is identified, the Contract must be escalated to the appropriate higher authority for review and approval, in accordance with Article 42 of the Policy.

Using Template 2 – Quarterly Reporting, Delegates must submit a quarterly report to their Signing Officer on all Contracts valued at $10,000 or above executed under their delegated authority, and all Contracts, regardless of value, that required Legal Review or were escalated for Material Risk. The University quarters are:

• Q1: May 1 – July 31
• Q2: August 1 – October 31
• Q3: November 1 – January 31
• Q4: February 1 – April 30

Each Signing Officer must submit an annual report on Policy non-compliance to the Secretary-General. The report is presented to the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board of Governors.

Routine financial transactions processed through the University’s regular financial systems for normal operations—such as purchase requisitions and orders, advances, expense reports, or invoiced sales—are not considered Contracts under the Policy and are therefore excluded from reporting requirements.

The Policy is reviewed at least every five years. Table A is reviewed annually by the Secretary-General in consultation with Signing Officers.