Overseen by the Standards Council of Canada, Canada's standardization community consists of an intricate network of people and organizations involved in the development, promotion and implementation of standards:

• Consumers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) ensure that societal concerns such as the environment, health, safety and privacy are taken into account. They bring the human element to the development of standards and standardization strategies, ensuring that the needs of Canadians play a role in how standards are developed and applied.
   
• Governments rely on Canada’s standardization network to help negotiate trade agreements and support the achievement of their mandates and priorities. Standardization helps improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government services to its citizens. Involvement in standardization by government representatives helps ensure that Canada’s national interest is considered.
   
• Industry experts bring important technical expertise to the table and their participation helps ensure that standards and standardization strategies are good for business. Businesses and manufacturers rely on the standards and conformity assessment services of the network to develop and market products globally.
   
• The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is mandated by the federal government to promote and pursue effective and efficient Canadian standardization. The SCC accredits standardization organizations, verifying that they have the resources, structures and expertise to deliver credible, high quality services. SCC approves National Standards of Canada, and represents Canada in key regional and international standardization forums.
   
• Conformity assessment bodies help ensure standards are being used as intended and provide credible evaluation of products, systems and services according to applicable standards. Among these types of bodies that are accredited by SCC are:
   
• Calibration and testing laboratories
• Inspection bodies
• Management systems certification bodies
• Personnel certifiers
• Product process and service certification bodies
• Greenhouse gas verification and validation bodies
   
• Standards development organizations in Canada work with volunteers from across the country to develop Canadian standards and adopt or adapt international standards for use in Canada. These organizations bring important technical expertise to the table and play a critical role in ensuring that standards put into use in Canada are appropriate to the country’s climatic, economic, technological and social conditions.
   
• International and regional standardization bodies work together towards the global harmonization of standards in order to liberalize trade, address common societal issues and safeguard consumers. Together, they strive towards the international acceptance of conformity assessment reports, results and the use of common marks that can reduce the cost and time involved in having products repeatedly tested.