Table of contents
- Introduction
- Approvals
- Calibrations
- Inspections
- Alternative service delivery for authorized service providers
- Client satisfaction
Introduction
The service standards listed on this page came into effect April 1, 2020, and apply to service requests received by Measurement Canada (MC) on or after that date. For services that were started before April 1, 2020, please refer to the archived service standards. These service standards fulfill MC's responsibilities under the Service Fees Act.
Service pledges
Service pledges that guide overarching service excellence in the context of scheduling and administering the service in a timely manner have been introduced. However, these activities are not part of the service standard, and are not included in the calculation of the fee for the service. Service pledges are commitments that MC has made beyond the requirements of the Service Fees Act. Service standards are required by the Service Fees Act, whereas service pledges are not.
Temporary suspension of the service
When work cannot proceed due to circumstances outside MC's control, the service standard will be suspended until the issue is resolved. Examples of these circumstances include:
- Samples have been requested but have not yet received by MC's laboratory;
- On-site testing or inspection is scheduled but has not begun yet;
- MC has requested, but not received, manuals or calibration instructions it requires to carry out its work;
- Agreed upon external testing is being performed by testing bodies such as the United States' National Type Evaluation Program and the National Research Council Canada (NRC);
- A replacement part or container is being sent by the client to MC;
- Repairs or corrections are required before a device can be inspected or the inspection can proceed;
- Access to the device is impeded (e.g., the device is located within a dwelling or an area where health and safety restrictions apply).
Approvals
- Initiation of the service:
- An email is sent to the applicant to confirm that a complete type approval application has been received by MC.
- Temporary suspension of the service:
- An email is sent to the applicant to inform them that work has been temporarily suspended and the conditions that must be met to continue the work. Once the conditions have been met, an email is sent to the applicant and the approval process continues.
- Completion of the service:
A notice of approval is issued and posted on MC's website, or an acknowledgment of project rejection or withdrawal is issued by email to the applicant.
Note: Additional samples or configuration modes as well as notices of non-compliance can add up to 30 days each to the service standard. MC will communicate the initial service standard and any changes made to the overall service standard.
Approvals that don't require testing
In cases such as the following, device testing in not required:
- When a notice of approval has already been issued for a device and a change is requested that doesn't affect measurement (e.g., a new housing design or a change of the applicant's address), a modification acceptance letter (MAL) is issued instead of a full revision to the existing notice of approval.
- If an applicant asks to use their class approval for a device that falls outside the parameters specified in it, MC issues them a class approval authorization letter (CAAL) for that device.
- When MC has an arrangement with another laboratory (third-party testing) to accept its test results.
Service type | Service standard |
---|---|
MAL/CAAL (paperwork only) | 30 days |
Third party/no testing (US mutual recognition arrangement, International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) certification system, NRC, RT-01) | 90 days |
Approvals of existing device types
Laboratory | Device type | Service standard |
---|---|---|
Mass | High capacity scale and other large scales | 100 days |
Mass | All other scales | 90 days |
Mass | Device for measuring one or more dimensions | 90 days |
Electricity | Transformer (large post type) | 200 days |
Electricity | Transformer (all others) | 120 days |
Electricity | Electricity meter (simple) | 90 days |
Electricity | Electricity meter (complex) | 150 days |
Volume | Mass flow meter | 215 days |
Volume | Milk measuring system | 160 days |
Volume | Dispenser (liquefied natural gas / liquefied petroleum gas / diesel exhaust fluid) | 120 days |
Volume | Dispenser (gas/diesel) | 150 days |
Volume | Bulk meter | 150 days |
Volume | Electronic register | 150 days |
Gas | Rotary meter | 400 days |
Gas | Diaphragm meter | 300 days |
Gas | Pressure transmitter | 550 days |
Gas | Electronic volume conversion device | 500 days |
Gas | Flow computer | 700 days |
Gas | Automatic meter reading device | 365 days |
Gas | Gas chromatograph | 500 days |
Gas | Compressed natural gas dispenser | 500 days |
Gas | Flow conditioner | 400 days |
Gas | Ultrasonic meter | 700 days |
Gas | Orifice meter | 400 days |
Gas | Pressure regulator | 200 days |
Gas | Coriolis mass flow meter | 700 days |
Approval of devices with new technology
New device types are evaluated to determine if the devices need to be approved by MC and if they fall within an existing category. This service is complete when the applicant has been informed of the way to proceed or the decision whether or not to close the project.
If the decision is made to proceed with the approval, a new project is initiated and the service standard for the device type applies. If the initial assessment has been completed and the device type/category is still not clear, MC discusses the matter with the applicant and they agree to a service standard to issue the notice of approval based on the further assessment, research and testing that will need to be carried out.
Service type | Service standard |
---|---|
Assessment of a new device type | 20 days |
Approval | To be determined after assessment |
Calibrations
Authorized service providers (ASPs) and MC must have their physical standards (e.g. weights) and measuring devices (e.g. electricity meter test consoles) certified by MC when they are used to inspect and certify devices. Standards and devices must be included in the list submitted by ASPs to the MC regional coordinator, alternative service delivery to qualify for this service.
Calibrations performed at Measurement Canada laboratories
- Initiation of the service:
- An email is sent to the client who requested the service to confirm that the standard has been received by an MC laboratory.
- Temporary suspension of the service:
- An email is sent to the client to inform them that work has been temporarily suspended and the conditions that must be met to continue the work. Once the conditions have been met, an email is sent to the client and work on the calibration continues.
- Completion of the service:
- An email is sent to the client to inform them that the standard has been calibrated and certified, and that it will be shipped to them shortly.
- Issuing the certificate of designation:
- A certificate of designation will be issued upon confirmation of payment. The service pledge for issuing the certificate is 10 days for standards designated under the Weights and Measures Act and 15 days for measuring devices where the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act applies.
Standard | Service standard |
---|---|
Inspector's weight kit | 60 days |
Precious metal weight kit | 90 days |
Prover ≤ 50 L | 90 days |
Prover > 50 L | 60 days |
Volume kit (pycnometer, graduated cylinder, glassware) | 60 days |
Hydrometer | Contact the laboratory. * |
Thermometer | 90 days |
Multifunction electricity standard | 60 days |
Barometer, pressure gauge | 60 days |
Weight or volumetric prover calibrated at a regional laboratory | 60 days |
*Hydrometers are calibrated for MC by the NRC. To find out more about this process and the current calibration time frame, contact the volume laboratory at ic.mcvolumelab-labovolumemc.ic@canada.ca.
Calibrations performed on site
Calibrations performed on site are scheduled in advance with the client.
- Scheduling the calibration:
- The service pledge for scheduling a calibration with a regional inspector is 10 days. The service pledge for scheduling the calibration of a master bell prover with Ottawa laboratory staff is 30 days.
- Initiation of the service:
- The inspector starts to perform the calibration.
- Temporary suspension of the service:
- The inspector lets the client's on-site representative know that the calibration has been temporarily suspended and informs them of the conditions that must be met for the service to continue. The calibration is rescheduled once MC has been informed that the conditions have been met. Depending on the reason the service was temporarily suspended and the steps taken to address the issue, the inspector may have to start the work at the initial step of the calibration. In this case, the inspector informs the on-site representative that the work done previously does not count toward the service standard, but work going forward will.
- Completion of the service:
- An email is sent to the client to inform them that the standard has been calibrated and certified. In most cases, this is done after the inspector leaves the site, as time is needed to calculate the values provided on the certificate.
- Issuing the certificate of designation:
- A certificate of designation will be issued upon confirmation of payment. The service pledge for issuing the certificate is 10 days for standards designated under the Weights and Measures Act and 15 days for measuring devices where the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act applies.
Service | Calibrator | Service standard |
---|---|---|
Master bell prover calibration | Ottawa laboratory staff | 15 days |
Prover calibration | Regional inspector | 15 days |
Annual prover maintenance | Regional inspector | 15 days |
Rotary meter volume simulator calibration | Regional inspector | 15 days |
Test console calibration | Regional inspector | By number of test points
|
Inspections
- Scheduling the inspection:
- The service pledge for scheduling an inspection is 10 days from when the request is received.
- Inspection:
The service standard starts to apply from the time the inspector begins the inspection until testing is complete and the device owner or their representative is informed that the inspection is completed.
- Temporary suspension of the service:
The inspector informs the on-site representative that the inspection can't take place until certain conditions are met.
Depending on the reason the service was temporarily suspended and the steps taken to address the issue, the inspector may have to start the work at the initial step of the inspection. In this case, the inspector will inform the on-site representative that the work done previously does not count toward the service standard, but work going forward will.
If another inspection needs to be scheduled, the date of the new inspection counts as the first day of the service standard.
- Issuing the certificate:
- A certificate of inspection will be issued upon confirmation of payment. The service pledge for issuing the certificate is 10 days for devices inspected under the Weights and Measures Act and 15 days for devices inspected under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act.
Device type | Service standard |
---|---|
Computing scale | 1 hour |
Platform scale ( < 10 000 kg) | 2 hours per deck |
Platform scale (10 000 kg and up) | 4 hours per deck |
Automatic platform or computing scale | 5 hours |
Hopper scale | 5 hours |
Bulkweigher | 10 hours |
Crane scale | 4 hours |
Conveyor belt scale | 16 hours |
Overhead rail scale | 3 hours |
Automatic overhead rail scale | 6 hours |
On-board weighing system | 4 hours |
Unattended, multi-deck vehicle scale | 10 hours |
All other vehicle scales | 4 hours |
Non-automatic railway scale | 7 hours |
Automatic railway scale | 18 hours |
Linear measuring device | 1 hour |
Multiple dimension measuring device (MDMD) | 5 hours |
Timber dimension measuring device (TDMD) | 48 hours |
Dispenser | 1 hour |
High-speed refueller | 2 hours |
Rack-mounted bulk meter | 4 hours |
Vehicle-mounted bulk meter | 4 hours |
Coriolis mass flow meter | 7 hours |
Slow flow meter | 1 hour |
Gravity meter | 4 hours |
Thermal energy meter | 1 hour |
All other devices | Contact MC for a quote. |
Device type | Service standard |
---|---|
Diaphragm meter | 2 hours |
Rotary meter | 3 hours |
Turbine meter | 3 hours |
Orifice meter | 7 hours |
Coriolis mass flow meter | 4 hours |
Ultrasonic meter | 7 hours |
Fluidic oscillation gas meter | 4 hours |
Cone-shaped differential pressure meter | 7 hours |
Mechanical volume conversion device | 3 hours |
Electronic volume conversion device | 3 hours |
Flow computer | 6 hours |
Electrical pulse device | 3 hours |
Indicating device | 4 hours |
Gas chromatograph | 4 hours |
Dispenser for natural gas | 4 hours |
Pressure regulator | 2 hours |
Temperature and pressure transmitter | 3 hours |
Correction function of gas meters | 3 hours |
Densitometer | 4 hours |
Flow conditioner used in gas measurement systems | 5 hours |
Conditioning orifice plate | 5 hours |
Multiple customer metering system | 7.5 hours per 24 metering points |
Electricity installations which meet the requirements of specification S-E-08 and conform to one of the standard drawings in Appendix A of S-E-08 | 1 hour |
All other electricity installations | 2 hours |
All other devices | Contact MC for a quote. |
Alternative service delivery for authorized service providers
Granting authority to perform inspections
MC will provide written confirmation of the completion (subject to objective evidence documentation) of a quality management system audit (for accreditation or delegation) or a conformity assessment (for registration) within the time frames below.
For ASPs recognized to examine weighing and measuring devices under the authority Weights and Measures Act, the service pledge for providing this written confirmation is 5 calendar days following the completion of the audit or assessment.
For ASPs recognized to verify meters or with delegated authority to certify standards or measuring apparatus under the authority of the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act, the service standard for providing this written confirmation is 5 calendar days following the completion of the audit or assessment.
- Issuing the audit or conformity assessment report:
- The service pledge for issuing the audit or conformity assessment report is 30 calendar days following the completion of the service. However, the audit or conformity assessment report will only be issued upon confirmation of payment.
Recognized technician mandatory training
Once a candidate has registered for a training course, examination retake or examination following internal delivery of training by accredited organizations, Measurement Canada will provide a confirmation of receipt within 3 calendar days (service pledge).
The service pledge for candidates to be informed of the results is 14 calendar days from when the examination is written.
Client satisfaction
MC's goal is to provide quality client services. If you have any comments about the service you receive, please contact the MC employee who served you or to their supervisor. If you felt that the service could be improved, the supervisor will investigate and respond to your comments within 5 calendar days.