Service standards

Table of contents


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.
Table 1: Service standards for device approvals that do not require testing (calendar days)
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

Table 2: Service standards for approval testing (calendar days)
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.

Table 3: Service standards for new device type evaluations (calendar days)
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.
Table 4: Service standards for calibrations performed at MC laboratories (calendar days)
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.
Table 5: Service standards for calibrations performed on site (business days)
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

  • 1–500: 16 days
  • 500–2,000: 20 days
  • 2,001 or more: 30 days

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.
Table 6: Service standards for weights and measures inspections (hourly basis)
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.
Table 7: Service standards for electricity and natural gas inspections (hourly basis)
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.