A formal contract between parties that defines the terms, scope, and conditions under which a dataset may be shared and used.
A data sharing agreement (DSA) protects both the data provider and the data recipient. It specifies what data is being shared, who can access it, how it may be used, how it must be protected, how long it can be retained, and what happens when the agreement ends.
DSAs are common in research, healthcare, government, and any context where sensitive or proprietary data is shared between organizations. They are distinct from public open data licences, which apply to data shared with the general public.
Example: Two provincial health authorities agree to share patient outcome data for a joint research study. Their data sharing agreement specifies that the data will be de-identified before transfer, used only for the named study, stored on approved secure servers, and destroyed within two years of the study's completion.
In Canada, data sharing agreements involving personal information must comply with applicable privacy legislation, including PIPEDA or provincial equivalents.