Initial Industry & Consumer Stakeholder Consultations - Questionnaire

Measurement Canada inspectors currently perform random Net Quantity inspections on Clerk Served commodities (i.e. bulk food, deli products, seafood & meats). Prepackaged retail food items are generally handled by other government departments such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) (Separate Browser Window), le Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) (Separate Browser Window) or the Fair Business Practices Branch (Separate Browser Window) of Industry Canada. Some factors which could affect net quantity accuracy are scale use and calibration.

Measurement Canada currently conducts random Net Quantity inspections on Clerk Served items. (i.e. bulk foods, deli sales, candies)

3.1 Should clerk served products be subject to random inspections for Net Quantity?

Yes No

Comments?

Other government departments, such as CFIA & MAPAQ,, currently conduct random Net Quantity inspections on prepackaged food items. (i.e. meats, cheeses, etc.)

3.2 Should prepackaged food items be subject to random inspections for Net Quantity?

Yes No

Comments?

Measurement Canada and other governmental bodies currently sets standards and enforce legislative requirements for the measurement and marking of commodities.

3.2.1 If the answers in 3.1 or 3.2 above were YES, who should be responsible for determining compliance with Net Quantity regulations?

Not Sure / Not Applicable
Government (MC or other government)
Industry (self regulation, Voluntary Codes, etc.)
Industry / Government Partnership
Other (please specify)

Comments?

3.2.2 If the answer in number 3.1 or 3.2 above were YES, what should the frequency of such inspections be?

6 months 1 year 2 years
3 years Not sure Other (please specify)

Comments?

3.3 If you are a retailer (any size) do you currently have an internal system of metrological (measurement) controls, for your packaged commodities, in place now? If your current metrological controls consist of having government inspectors periodically inspect your commodities, please answer NO to this question

Yes No

Comments?

3.3.1 If the answer in 3.3 above was YES, please elaborate on the details of such controls including how they are implemented and on what frequency.

3.3.2 If the answer in 3.3 above was NO, please comment on what you feel would be appropriate metrological controls, who should provide them and on what frequency.

4. Online Retailing

Online retailing appears to be a newly emerging marketing opportunity. It also present some interesting challenges for Measurement Canada. If you currently are, or are considering offering online retailing to your customers, please review this section of the questionnaire.

4.1 Do you currently offer online (Internet, telephone or other) retailing to your customers? If so please elaborate on the methods employed.

YES (Internet)
YES (Other - please elaborate)
YES (Telephone)
NO, online not available

Comments?

4.1.1 If the answer in 4.1 above was YES, approximately what percentage of your sales do you forecast to be through online retailing.

Percentage?
%

Comments?

4.1.2 If the answer in 4.1 above was YES, do you see this trend increasing or decreasing?

Increasing Decreasing

Comments?

4.1.3 If the answer in 4.1 above was NO, is online retailing something which you would consider offering to your customers in the future?

Yes No

Comments?

5. Service Industry

In addition to selling most of the measuring devices, the scale service industry also performs much of the calibration and service work required. The service companies may be independent full time scale service companies, office equipment suppliers working with a variety of store equipment or they may be dedicated service arms of large retailers. In recent years, there has also been an increase in the number of independent system integrators operating from small shops and private residences many of whom have little or no scale experience.

The Service Industry (scale shops) who provide calibrations and repair services are not currently registered with or regulated by Measurement Canada.

5.1 Should the service industry be registered with MC in order to perform any work on measuring equipment which may affect its conformance with legislated requirements (Weights and Measures Act & Regulations)?

Yes No

Comments?

The Service Industry (scale shops) who provide calibration and repair services are not currently required to use standards (weights) recognized by MC.

5.2 Should the service industry be required to use standards which are recognized by MC (i.e. calibrated and certified by MC or other accredited or licensed laboratory)?

Yes No

Comments?

The Service Industry (scale shops) who provide calibration and repair services are not currently required to use standards (weights) which are internationally recognized.

5.3 Should the service industry be required to use standards (weights) which are traceable to international standards?

Yes No

Comments?

The Service Industry (scale shops) who provide calibration and repair services are not currently required to use test procedures recognized by MC.

5.4 Should the service industry be required to use test procedures which are recognized by MC when calibrating or certifying a scale?

Yes No

Comments?

The Service Industry (scale shops) are not currently subject to periodic review by Measurement Canada.

5.5 Should the service Industry be subject to periodic review by MC?

Yes No

Comments?

5.5.1 If the answer in 5.5 above was YES, what would MC review? (Check all that apply)

Test weights
Procedures
Records
Competency
Maintenance
Other (please specify)

Comments?

6. Disputes

Measurement Canada currently investigates all substantiated complaints or disputes. Measurement Canada is, and will remain, the ultimate authority in investigating legal metrology complaints and disputes in Canada. However the department will encourage dispute resolution between the affected parties.

When called to investigate, Measurement Canada inspectors may choose different levels of enforcement action. These include Warning letters, Non-Compliance Notices (request for repair), Seizure of device etc. Prosecution may be initiated if other enforcement methods do not result in compliance or if evidence of fraud or tampering is found.

6.1 Which of the following complaint and dispute resolution mechanisms would you consider to be the most effective?

Problem is investigated and resolved. Fines or other penalties are assessed.
Problem is investigated and resolved. Compensation is left up to affected parties.
Problem is investigated and resolved. Binding decision rendered on compensation.
Other (please specify)

Comments?

7. Alternate Service Delivery Mechanisms (ASD)

Measurement Canada intends to assess the feasability of alternate service providers where services are deemed to be necessary for trade sectors. Alternate Service Delivery may be used for the approval of device types, calibrations of standards, initial and periodic inspection of measuring devices and net quantity verification of commodities.

The mechanisms employed may include accreditation of organizations to provide some or all of these services, licensing arrangements, identification of other governmental bodies (federal, provincial or municipal) who can or do provide some or all of these services, as well as others not yet identified.

Currently, the only two ASD mechanisms officially in use by Measurement Canada are Accreditation to Measurement Canada's quality standard S-A-01 (based on ISO 9002) and the recognition of Approvals testing results by foreign regulatory agencies.

7.1 What ASD mechanisms would you consider acceptable for the delivery of services?

Accreditation to Measurement Canada Standards.
Accreditation to other Standards.
Licensing of 3^rd party.
Recognition of other Regulatory Agencies (foreign or domestic).
Voluntary Codes.
Other (please specify)

Comments?

7.2 What ASD mechanisms would you consider unacceptable for the delivery of services?

Accreditation to Measurement Canada Standards.
Accreditation to other Standards.
Licensing of 3^rd party.
Recognition of other Regulatory Agencies (foreign or domestic).
Voluntary Codes.
Other (please specify)

Comments?

7.3 Should ASD mechanisms be implemented for any or all of MC services (except dispute resolution) would any of your previous answers change?

Yes No

Which Ones?

Why?

8. Periodic Sector Review

Measurement Canada will continue to monitor compliance within all of the trade sectors to ensure that established levels of intervention are adequate to maintain stakeholder confidence. To facilitate this, MC will need to establish performance indicators to measure sector compliance. Historically, performance indicators were mainly compliance rates for device and commodity inspections. These rates were determined from results obtained by MC inspectors during periodic inspection cycles.

8.1 How often should the Periodic Sector Review be done ?

Annual 3 year 5 years
7 years 10 years Other (please specify)

Comments?

8.2 What types of performance indicators should be established for this trade sector? (Check all that apply)

Compliance (Devices)
Compliance (Commodities)
Number of Complaints Received
Stakeholder Consultations
Stakeholder Surveys
Other (please specify)

Comments?

8.3 Reviewing the attached Compliance Data (Separate Browser Window) (Appendix II), please comment on whether you consider these as acceptable numbers for this trade sector or not?

Yes No

Comments?

9. Metric

The Weights and Measures Regulations Part VII, requires the use of Metric units of measurement be used in the retailing of individually measured food items. Measurement Canada is not currently enforcing this part of the regulations and is instead allowing the marketplace to set the pace and extent of Metric conversion in the Retail Food industry.

9.1 Do you feel that the Metric legislation should be enforced or would you prefer to let the marketplace determine the pace and extent of Metric conversion?

Yes - Enforce the use of Metric only.
No - Allow the Industry to set the pace of conversion.

Comments?

9.2 The current situation in the Retail Food industry often sees advertising in Imperial (pounds) units of measure, while the scales are in Metric (kilograms) units of measure. This generates many complaints to the department and makes it very difficult for the consumer. Is this a situation that should be addressed?

Yes - Advertising and Scale units should be the same.
No - Allow the Industry to determine what works.

Comments?

9.3 Do you have any other comments with respect to the use of Metric?

Comments?

Would you like someone from the RFSR Team to contact you?

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Although we would like to receive the following information from you,
it is optional unless you wish to have someone contact you:

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