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Metric System

Measurement Canada
and the Metric System in Canada

There is a strong connection between Measurement Canada and the use of the metric system in Canada. Measurement Canada is the agency responsible for enforcing federal laws that protect both the Canadian public and Canadian industry when goods and services are traded on the basis of measurement. The agency has a clear mandate, which is designed to protect Canadians against inaccurate measurement and unscrupulous measuring practices in trade. Measurement Canada takes this role seriously, and promotes the use of the metric system within its mandate because metric is not only a recognized system for measurement, it is a legal system for measurement in Canada.

The use of metric in Canada extends well beyond the mandate of Measurement Canada. From the early 1970s until 1985, the federal government operated the Metric Commission. This commission was created to plan, coordinate and implement metric conversion programs in Canada, with the help of Canadian consumers and representatives from diverse industries and sectors of the economy. When the Metric Commission ended its work in 1985, significant progress had been made to introduce metric into all aspects of life in Canada. While the seeds were planted over those fifteen years, all Canadians have since been responsible for nourishing the use of metric in Canada.

Canada is one of the great trading nations of the world – a world that is becoming increasingly metric. Quality of life in Canada, in both social and economic terms, is increasingly linked to the global environment and international marketplace in which we interact with other nations. Generally, these nations use the metric system or are in the process of converting to the metric system. Measurement Canada continues to promote the use of metric in the Canadian marketplace, where goods and services are traded on the basis of measurement.

Related sites:

Martindale's "The Reference Desk: Calculators On-Line" contains numerous conversion calculators.

Disclaimer:  The information provided via the metric-related links above is provided by external sources. Measurement Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information supplied by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information should consult directly with the source of the information. The provision of these links on this site does not constitute an endorsement by Measurement Canada.