Canadian laboratories are fined tens of thousands of dollars for late reporting of drinking water test results.

The successful launching of CCIL’s web site was followed by the addition of a video describing our Association’s mission.

CCIL’s Annual General Meeting was held on July 23^rd in Vancouver, BC. Except for one resignation, the Board members elected back in 2012 were re-affirmed for a second term, with two new Directors being added.

Allan Maynard, Executive Director for the past 8 years retired in July 2012. Derwyn Reuber has replaced Mr. Maynard. Mr. Reuber has been actively involved for over 40 years in geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, consumer product testing and certification, and risk management. Derwyn previously served on CCIL’s Board of Directors and on CCIL’s Ethics Committee.

To streamline its certification program processes, CCIL has moved forward with the implementation of on line data entry. For the 2013 certification programs all participants registered on line and will also be inputting their own correlation test data.

One of CCIL’s major initiatives in the past six months has been to convince the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to reconsider its proposal to have CCIL members with nuclear gauges put up a financial guarantee that CNSC could draw funds from if the CCIL member went out of business. This proposal would have unnecessarily tied up a lot of our members’ capital. CCIL is having an independent risk assessment conducted to demonstrate to the Canadian government that such financial guarantees are not warranted.

Currently in Ontario, Canada’s largest province, CCIL members are being inappropriately fined tens of thousands of dollars for late reporting of drinking water test results. This is occurring even when the lab has a good record of promptly reporting results and when there is no risk to the public’s health. CCIL has met with government officials in an effort to make the financial penalties more indicative of the consequence of the late reporting.

CCIL has been active in advocating against government tax favoured competition and against government contracts that do not require independent testing services.

CCIL has also hired an expert company to compare safety issues in the use of n-Propyl Bromide verses the use of trichloroethylene, both chemicals used by our geotechnical/constructions materials division members in separating liquid asphalt from the aggregate in asphalt pavements. Without understanding the ramification of their decision, a provincial government in Canada is attempting to dictate the use of nPB exclusively.