Informational bulletins related to Standards Council of Canada accreditation programs are listed below. Bulletins provide critical information about a program or sub-program, and are important for continued adherence to accreditation requirements.
Accreditation Bulletins
2021/06/18
Action required
All references to the SCC Requirements and Guidance for the Accreditation of Testing and Calibration Laboratories Performing On-site Testing and Calibrations https://www.scc.ca/en/about-scc/publications/criteria-and-procedures/scc-requirements-and-guidance-... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2021/05/27
Action required
All SCC-accredited and applicant testing, and calibration laboratories shall conform to the revised edition of the SCC Requirements and Guidance for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (RG-LAB) https://www.scc.ca/en/about-scc/publications/requirements-and-... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2021/04/01
Action required
Applicant and accredited conformity assessment bodies in the affected programs need to ensure their usage of accreditation symbols, the way in which they publicize their accreditation status, and their claims in relation to the ILAC MRA are inline with the... Read more
Affected program(s): All accreditation programs
2021/03/12
Action required
All SCC-accredited Management Systems Accreditation Program (MSAP) certification bodies accredited to sustainable forest management sector schemes are required to take note of the new revision of the SCC Requirements and Guidance for the Management... Read more
Affected program(s): Management Systems - Forestry (SFI)
2021/03/05
Action required
Laboratories who have not been able to identify an accredited proficiency testing (PT) provider, and unaccredited PT provider, or an interlaboratory comparison program, should note that item 4 in section 6.2 of the SCC Requirements & Guidance –... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2021/03/03
Action required
All SCC laboratories engaged in Test Method Development and Non-Routine Testing shall conform to the revised edition of the SCC Requirements and Guidance for Accreditation of Laboratories Engaged in Test Method Development and Non-Routine Testing (RG-... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2021/02/19
Action required
Accredited Certification Bodies for Products, Processes and Services (CBAP) in the area of electrical safety are asked to take note of the new clarification from regulators on the use of certification marks. Impacted ISO/IEC 17065 accredited CBs shall... Read more
Affected program(s): Product, Process and Service Certification (all programs)
2021/02/16
Action required
Certification Bodies (CBs) are required to comply with the latest version of the R&G CyberSecure Canada requirements and guidance CyberSecure Canada requirements and guidance. The document was approved on 2020-12-17, issued on 2021-02-17 and is... Read more
Affected program(s): Management Systems - CyberSecure Canada
2021/02/08
Action required
CBs are required to audit against the newest version of SQF Food Safety Codes Edition 9. The revised SQFI Codes were published in October 2020 and all accredited CBs must begin auditing to the new Codes on 2021-05-21. SCC anticipates SQF to publish... Read more
Affected program(s): Management Systems - Food Safety Management Systems (ISO 22000)
2021/02/08
Action required
All SCC-accredited Inspection Bodies shall transition to ILAC P15:05/2020 Application of ISO/IEC 17020:2012 for the Accreditation of Inspection Bodies.
Affected customers
All SCC-accredited and applicant inspection bodies, assessors, and... Read more
Affected program(s): Inspection (all programs)
2021/01/08
Action required
Accredited management system certification bodies (CBs) shall be aware that the following IAF document has been withdrawn, with the following action required:
IAF MD 11:2019, issue 2, version 2, for the application of ISO/IEC 17021-1 for audits of... Read more
Affected program(s): Management Systems (all programs)
2020/11/27
Action required
All eligible SCC accredited Inspection bodies shall submit their documentation as required in a timely manner when requested to qualify for the mitigation process.
Affected customers
SCC accredited Inspection bodies (ISO/IEC 17020) that... Read more
Affected program(s): Inspection (all programs)
2020/11/17
Action required
Please take note of SCC’s new scheme under the Inspection Body Accreditation Program for Canadian Independent Safety Assessor program for Railway Systems.
Affected customers
All conformity assessment bodies who are interested in becoming... Read more
Affected program(s): Inspection - Rail
2020/10/30
Action required
CABs are required to comply with the latest version of the ILAC P10 ILAC Policy on Metrological Traceability of Measurement Results. The revised ILAC P10:07/2020 ILAC Policy on Metrological Traceability of Measurement Results was published on July 1,... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2020/10/30
Action required
Action Required by March 31, 2022
CBs shall have completed the transition to ISO/IEC 27006:2015 AMD 1:2020, through office assessment, within 2 years from the last day of the month of publication of the amended standard.
Note 1: ISO/IEC... Read more
Affected program(s): Management Systems - CyberSecure Canada
2020/10/28
Action required
Revised requirements to be adopted as soon as possible for the DNA testing forensic laboratories participating in the field of DNA Relationship testing program for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Affected customers
SCC-... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory - Forensic
2020/10/28
Action required
Accredited management system certification bodies shall be made aware that the following revised documents have been published:
IAF ID1:2020 QMS and EMS Scopes of Accreditation
IAF ID4:2020 Market Surveillance Visits to Certified... Read more
Affected program(s): Management Systems (all programs)
2020/10/16
Action required
All SCC eligible accredited testing laboratories shall submit their documentation in a timely manner when requested to qualify for the mitigation process.
Affected customers
SCC accredited testing and calibration laboratories that are... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2020/09/30
Action required
All SCC-accredited Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) are required to take note of the clarification to clause 4.2.2 and the correction to the French version of clause 6.10.1 of the 2019 edition of SCC Requirements & Guidance –... Read more
Affected program(s): Standards Development Organizations
2020/09/21
Action required
None
Affected customers
All customers
Background
Recently, SCC distributed a survey regarding extraordinary events to all of its recognized GLP facilities. SCC wishes to thank all of the facilities that took the time to... Read more
Affected program(s): Good Laboratory Practice
2020/09/17
Action required
Any existing and applicant organizations for the VCS Program must follow VCS Version 4: 2019-09-19.
Affected customers
Existing SCC GHGAP customers who take part in the VCS Program and new applicants.
Background
Old... Read more
Affected program(s): Greenhouse Gas (all programs)
2020/09/02
Action required
Accredited Certification Bodies for Products, Processes and Services (CBAP) are asked to take note of the IAF Resolution 2018-13. All ISO/IEC 17065 accredited CBs shall have full implementation by deadline.
Affected customers
SCC... Read more
Affected program(s): Product, Process and Service Certification (all programs)
2020/08/21
Action required
SCC is continuing to monitor and respond to the evolving situation of COVID-19, through the Public Agency of Canada (PHAC), Ottawa Public Health, and the Federal Government. The safety of our staff, contract assessors and accredited organizations... Read more
Affected program(s): Covid-19 Related Bulletins
2020/08/16
Action required
Accredited management system certification bodies shall be aware that the following document has been withdrawn:
IAF Informative Document for the Transition of Food Safety Management System Accreditation to ISO/TS 22003:2013 from ISO/TS 22003:... Read more
Affected program(s): Management Systems (all programs)
2020/08/16
Action required
All references to the SCC Requirements & Guidance on the Use of Information Technology in Accredited Laboratories (RG Use of IT) should be removed from use.
Affected customers
All accredited and applicant testing or calibration... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2020/07/29
Action required
All accredited Product, Process and Service Certification Bodies who are currently certifying organizations to CanadaGAP are required to transition to CanadaGAP Version 8.0 of the Program Management Manual by April 1st, 2021. CBs have to transition... Read more
Affected program(s): Product, Process and Service Certification (all programs)
2020/07/27
Action required
Effective immediately, all laboratories must now ensure that their quality systems and proficiency testing activities reflect the latest version of SCC Requirements and Guidance – Proficiency Testing for Laboratories (Testing and Medical). The... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2020/07/08
Action required
All SCC-accredited Inspection Bodies accredited to perform inspections to CSA B149.3-2015 Code for the field approval of fuel related components on appliances and equipment shall transition their inspection program to CSA B149.3-2020 Code for the... Read more
Affected program(s): Inspection (all programs)
2020/06/25
Action required
Accredited laboratories are asked to take note of the extension of the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 transition deadline to June 1, 2021. The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) has issued this extension to ensure all laboratories are able... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2020/06/23
Action required
Effective July 1st, 2020, all customers are required to take note of the changes in the revised Accreditation Program Overview. The changes are noted below.
Affected customers
Customers in any of SCC’s accreditation and recognition... Read more
Affected program(s): All accreditation programs
2020/06/22
Action required
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) verification bodies (VBs) who are interested in being accredited for the ICAO-CORSIA scheme should now submit their application to SCC.
Affected customers
SCC-accredited and applicant GHG VBs, as well as any other... Read more
Affected program(s): Greenhouse Gas (all programs)
2020/06/09
Action required
All accredited management systems certification bodies (CBs) shall ensure they are providing SCC with audit information within a timely manner, as per the Accreditation Program Overview, mandatory program guidance documents, as well as the SCC... Read more
Affected program(s): Management Systems (all programs)
2020/05/28
Action required
All SCC-accredited inspection bodies shall conform to the latest revised edition of the SCC Requirements and Guidance – Inspection Body Accreditation Program (RG-IBAP).
Affected customers
SCC-accredited inspection bodies, applicant... Read more
Affected program(s): Inspection (all programs)
2020/05/21
Action required
Management Systems Accreditation Program certification bodies may implement extensions to their transition plans for the schemes noted below. Additionally, applicable certification bodies shall implement remote auditing guidance as published for... Read more
Affected program(s): Management Systems (all programs)
2020/05/05
Action required
Applicant and accredited laboratories that are being assessed to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 must ensure that their quality systems refer to the current version of the SCC Requirements and Guidance for the Accreditation of Testing Laboratories.
SCC... Read more
Affected program(s): Testing Laboratory (all programs)
2020/04/24
Action required
While accredited conformity assessment bodies (CABs) are encouraged to use information and communication technology to audit remotely, we expect our accredited organizations to comply with the following:
The CAB shall develop risk mitigation... Read more
Affected program(s): All accreditation programs
2020/04/22
Action required
None at this time
Affected customers
Existing SCC GHGAP customers and new applicants
Background
The Minister of Transport (“the Minister”) has approved an extension of the compliance date for the submission of verified 2019... Read more
Affected program(s): Greenhouse Gas (all programs)
2020/04/15
Action required
Inspection Bodies wishing to conduct inspections remotely according to the permission notice issued by CACES for COVID-19 related essential equipment shall abide by the requirements noted below.
Affected customers
All Inspection Bodies... Read more
Affected program(s): Inspection (all programs)
2020/04/15
Action Required
Certification Bodies must be accredited against the new version of the Chain of Custody standard (ST 2002:2020) before they can offer certification against the new versions of the Chain of Custody and Trademarks standards. Once certification to the... Read more
Affected program(s): All accreditation programs
2020/04/15
Action required
Noting the changes described below.
Affected customers
Certification Bodies certifying products, processes and services (ISO/IEC 17065), management systems (ISO/IEC 17021-1), Greenhouse Gas Verifiers and Validators (ISO 14065) and Inspection... Read more
Affected program(s): All accreditation programs