One-stop evaluation of Québec laboratories! Thanks to an agreement made between the BNQ and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), it is possible for Québec laboratories to prove their competencies to their clientele just once. This agreement allows laboratories to acquire accreditation from the SCC without having to undergo multiple evaluations or comply with different series of criteria. Under this agreement, the BNQ’s qualified personnel can evaluate the laboratories seeking SCC accreditation under the SCC's accreditation program. The purpose of this program is to validate the laboratories’ competence in testing. It allows recognition of the laboratories’ compliance with the following standards:
- ISO 15189;
- ISO/IEC 17025;
- ISO 17034;
- ISO/IEC 17043.
The SCC’s accreditation programs are based on international criteria that contribute to the recognition of laboratories both in Canada and abroad. The national and international recognition conferred by the SCC's accreditation program is a substantial value-added benefit, because it can favour free trade of goods and services in the context of market globalization.
Laboratories have varied evaluation expertise under the accreditation program. For example, it covers construction materials, mineral analysis, legal sciences, the agri-food industry, environmental management, biomedicine, electrical and electronic products, and calibration. Multiple testing fields are also covered, including biology, chemistry, physics, mechanics, optics and thermodynamics.
- SCC's accreditation program also includes additional requirements to ISO standards. They are described in requirements and guidelines documents which are available here.
The laboratory evaluation process
- Upon receipt of your laboratory’s quality documentation meeting the requirements of the accreditation reference systems, a BNQ chief evaluator is designated.
- This chief evaluator will be accompanied by a team of technical evaluators, who have the expertise and competence to conduct an evaluation of your laboratory according to a rigorous and open approach. At the end of this visit, you are provided immediately on site with a report containing the findings to be corrected.
- Your laboratory then must communicate the corrections made and the responses to the variances observed within a specified period.
- When the entire file is complete, the BNQ sends the SCC a recommendation for accreditation.
Documents
- General Rules of Procedure for the Laboratory Assessment by the BNQ
- General Rules of Procedure for the Medical Laboratory Assessment by the BNQ
Application for accreditation and application for extension of scope
Please complete the appropriate form and send it by email to
Application for accreditation (PDF form) (French only):
Application for extension of scope (PDF form) (French only):
