Measurement Canada, an Agency of the federal Department of Industry, provides a variety of services, each designed to ensure that consumers and businesses alike can make measurement based transactions with confidence. Our mission is to ensure equity and accuracy where goods and services are bought and sold on the basis of measurement in order to contribute to a fair and competitive marketplace for Canadians.

We are located in two laboratories, five regional and 15 district offices across Canada. To find the Measurement Canada office nearest you, consult the federal blue pages of your telephone directory. We are listed under Industry Canada.

Service Pledge
We are committed to providing quality services to all our clients. To achieve this we pledge to:

treat every client with honesty, integrity, respect and fairness;
explain to our clients their legal rights and obligations with respect to accurate measurement, as well as our authorities and responsibilities;
respect the privacy and safety of our clients;
provide prompt, reliable, and efficient service at all times;
provide our clients with a clear and accurate description of the service we will provide and the anticipated time frames for service delivery; and
promptly communicate any delays which, due to unforeseen circumstances, directly impact service delivery.

Our Services
Services provided by Measurement Canada include:

Calibrating and/or certifying standards of mass, length, volume, pressure, temperature and electricity. This service provides for uniformity of measurement in domestic and international trade.

Our commitment: Time to calibrate and/or certify varies by standard. We commit that a certificate of calibration will be issued within 60 calendar days of receipt of the standard.

Testing prototype measuring instruments (e.g. scales, gas pumps and petroleum, electricity and natural gas meters) for compliance with legislated requirements and approving them for use in commerce. This service is intended to ensure a population of measuring instruments capable of measuring accurately under normal conditions of use and throughout their service life time.

Our commitment: A Notice of Approval will be issued within 90 calendar days of receipt of the instrument and all appropriate documentation if the instrument is found to be in compliance with the requirements.

Inspecting and certifying approved measuring instruments before use in commerce begins and throughout the course of their service life to ensure they measure accurately and are not used in a fraudulent manner. Goods and services traded on the basis of measure are also inspected to ensure they are measured and priced accurately.

Our commitment: Inspections will be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time within five days of your contacting the district office. We will strive to perform inspections within 10 calendar days of receipt of your request.

Investigating complaints from those who suspect they have not received the amount of product or service they paid for. This service provides an avenue of recourse for individuals if they feel inaccurate measurement has occurred.

Our commitment: You will be advised of the results of our investigation within 15 calendar days of our receiving your complaint.

Resolving measurement disputes between purchasers and sellers of electricity and natural gas. This service provides a redress mechanism if a party to the transaction suspects the natural gas or electricity meter is not measuring correctly.

Our commitment: We will acknowledge your request for an investigation into the accuracy of your electricity or natural gas meter within 5 calendar days. Our findings will be communicated to all affected parties within 5 calendar days of the conclusion of the investigation.

Accrediting members of the private sector to provide some types of legislated services that would otherwise be provided by Measurement Canada. An accreditation comprises a variety of activities. The two principal steps are the evaluation of the applicant’s proposal and an on-site audit.

Our commitment: Accreditation is an in-depth process, requiring time commitments from both parties. We will evaluate documented procedures and principles within 2 months; conduct an on-site audit within 2 months of accepting the documentation; and grant accreditation within 1 month of an audit which demonstrates that the applicant has met all applicable requirements.

Client Satisfaction
Our goal is to provide quality client services. If you have any comments about the service you receive, positive or negative, we would appreciate hearing them.

Please speak to the Measurement Canada employee who served you or to his/her direct supervisor. In those circumstances where you feel the service could be improved, the supervisor will investigate and respond to your comments within 5 calendar days.

Help us to improve
If you have any suggestions regarding how we can improve our services, please feel free to contact the Measurement Canada office nearest you, or visit our Internet site where you will find the Measurement Canada service standards electronic feedback form which enables you to comment on the quality of our services on-line.

Want more information?
Be sure to visit our Internet site to obtain more information on legislative requirements, “MC News”, a description of the measuring instruments approved for trade use in Canada (Notices of Approval), and a list of companies accredited to provide services on Measurement Canada’s behalf.


		Created: 2005-02-04 Updated: 2005-02-17	Top of Page	Important Notices