- means the effective delivery of MC programs and services to the Canadian Public through various organizational forms or through arrangements with other government or private organizations. Examples of ASD:

MC Accreditation Program - allows organizations to be granted the authority to inspect and certify weighing and measuring trade devices provided that they implement a quality assurance program based on Measurement Canada's S-A-01 standard and comply with all aspects of the program. These arrangements are subject to audit by MC auditors;

Memorandum of Understanding - is an agreement with another government department or private organization for the recognition of the results of their programs;

Other Delegated Arrangements - where organizations are conferred the authority and responsibility, under specific contract or not, to deliver Measurement Canada programs or services. MC would continue to perform audit functions only. (See also Voluntary Codes)

Approvals

- a formal evaluation of a device types design and construction. This is a mandatory step before any design or model of device may be sold as Legal for Trade in Canada. Once approved, an approval number is issued authorizing the use of the device type for 'Legal for Trade' use in Canada. Weights and Measures approval numbers may be found on the device and will generally be in the format of SWA-XXXX or AM-XXXX.

- C -

Commodity

Prepakaged - Any product that is packaged in a container in such a manner that it is ordinarily sold to a consumer without being re-packaged. Prepackaged commodities may be of random or predetermined sizes.

Clerk Served - Any product which is weighed or measured in the presence of the purchaser at the time of sale.

Computing/Counter Scale

- refers to any of a number of scale types which function independent of a cash register and are used for direct sales to the public. These scales are commonly found on the counters of delicatessens, candy and confectionary stores as well as at the checkout of many smaller grocery and general stores.

Custody Transfer

- the point at which possession of the product changes possession or ownership.

- D -

Dominant Party

- considered the purchaser or seller of a product who owns or controls the measuring device used in the trade transaction. (See also Vulnerable Party)

- I -

Initial Inspection

- the mandatory first inspection of an individual device before it may be placed into trade service. This inspection ensures that the device is installed and measuring correctly.

- L -

Legal For Trade / Legal For Use in Trade

- the term used to describe a measuring device (scale) of a type which has been approved by the MC approvals process. The device must be Initially Inspected before it may actually be used in trade. (See also Trade)

Legal Metrology

- the science of measurement in legal for trade applications.

Legislation

- for the purposes of the Retail Food Sector Review, the term legislation and legislative requirements, refers to the Weights and Measures Act, Regulations and Specifications.

Level of Intervention

- the amount of government involvement in regulating an industry sector to ensure fair and equitable trade measurement.

- M -

MC

- means Measurement Canada, an agency of Industry Canada.

- P -

Performance Indicators

- a means of measuring the effectiveness of a program which has been implemented to assure that MC's mission, of ensuring equity in the marketplace, has been fulfilled. Although historically Performance Indicators have been synonymous with Compliance rates, they may take other forms as well. All programs, whether delivered directly by MC or indirectly by a third party must be measurable.

Periodic Inspection

- a term used to describe the type of inspection other than the initial inspection of a trade measuring device. The frequency of periodic inspections is not currently pre-determined by MC.

Point of Sale (POS) scale

- refers to a scale used at the checkout stand of a retail store. Usually interfaced to a cash register or computer system and may be a combination scanner/scale.

Prepack Scale

- refers to a scale used as part of a packaging and labelling system designed to package individual commodities for future sale. These scales are often found as part of a meat prepack and wrapping station in the butcher department of a grocery store.

- S -

Standards (test weights)

- refers to the actual test equipment or test weights usually calibrated or referenced to a national or international physical standard. The standards are then used to test trade measuring equipment or devices.

- T -

Test Procedures

- refers to the written technical specifications, procedures and policies.

Test Weights

(See also Standards (test weights))

Traceable/Traceability

- refers to the step by step accountability of a calibration of a standard or device back to a reference standard. Test
weights may be traceable to the international prototype kilogram held in Sèvres, France. MC Standards are traceable
to the Canadian one kilogram standard which in turn is traceable to the international prototype.

Trade

- means the selling, purchasing, exchanging, consigning, leasing or providing of any commodity, right, facility or service on the basis of measure and includes the business of providing facilities for measuring. (See also Legal For Trade)

Trade Sector Review

- a process whereby MC periodically reviews and assesses its services provided to the marketplace to ensure their relevancy to the needs of the sector stakeholders.

- V -

Voluntary Codes

- Voluntary Codes are non-regulatory initiatives-commitments not required by legislation, agreed to by one or more organizations and applied consistently to influence or measure behaviour. A report on the use of Voluntary Codes may be obtained by clicking on the link above.

Vulnerable Party

- a party who is the purchaser or seller of a product and who does not own or control the measuring equipment used in the trade transaction. The degree of vulnerability may vary from nil to high depending upon the capacity and ability of the vulnerable party to detect measurement errors, re-measure the product and have corrective measures taken where appropriate. (See also Dominant Party)

NOTE: For more information or clarification, please consult the Measurement Canada Web Site or call your nearest Measurement Canada office.


		Created: 2003-07-08 Updated: 2004-03-17	Top of Page	Important Notices