GEN-37 — Policy on the loan of publicly owned standards and equipment

The copy of this document located on Measurement Canada's website is considered to be the controlled copy.

Category: General
Bulletin: GEN-37 (rev. 3)
Issue Date:
Effective Date:
Supersedes: GEN-37 (rev. 2)


Table of contents


1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to state Measurement Canada's policy on the lending of its standards and equipment and the use of loan agreements. This policy became effective , and applied retroactively to standards and equipment on loan to industry at the time of issuance.

2.0 Scope

This policy applies to all standards and equipment. It does not apply to fleet vehicles or real property.

3.0 Policy

The lending of Measurement Canada-owned standards and equipment is generally not permitted. Only under exceptional circumstances may certain standards be lent, provided that all of the following criteria are met:

  • The loan supports the delivery of Measurement Canada programs or activities.
  • The loan is recommended by a Measurement Canada manager (i.e. District Manager – Weights and Measures, Regional Manager – Electricity and Gas, or Laboratory Services Manager, hereafter referred to as Measurement Canada managers) and approved by a Measurement Canada Regional Director or the Vice-President – Engineering and Laboratory Services, as applicable.
  • The loan is for a set period.
  • The standard or equipment is readily available at the local Measurement Canada regional or district office, or its headquarters laboratories.
  • The standard or equipment is for the sole purpose of authorized service providers carrying out activities in accordance with the requirements set out in the accreditation standard S-A-01 — Criteria for the Accreditation of Organizations to Perform Inspections Pursuant to the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and the Weights and Measures Act, the Registration Program Terms and Conditions, and/or the Conditions for the Delegation of Authorities for the Calibration and Certification of Measuring Apparatus Pursuant to the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act (C-D-01).
  • The loan of standards or equipment shall be made by way of a written agreement between the Measurement Canada manager and the head of the organization that is borrowing the equipment.

The loan will be subject to applicable Treasury Board materiel management policies and the Public Property Loan Regulations governing the federal public service.

4.0 Responsibilities

Measurement Canada regional directors and Vice-President – Engineering and Laboratory Services shall ensure that the use of standards and equipment under their control conforms to the policy.

Measurement Canada managers are the main point of contact for organizations borrowing standards or equipment. They are responsible for:

  • lending standards or equipment only in accordance with the policy;
  • obtaining the required recommendations and approvals from the Regional Director or Vice-President – Engineering and Laboratory Services, as applicable;
  • preparing the loan agreement and obtaining the required signature from the borrower (the person who directs and controls the organization at the highest level for the scope of work being conducted with the borrowed equipment); and
  • retaining the original signed loan agreement for the duration of the loan.

5.0 Revisions

The purpose of revision 3 is to delegate the loan approval authority to regional directors and the Vice-President – Engineering and Laboratory Services.

The purpose of revision 2 was to provide a hyperlink to the web-based version of the loan agreement.

The purpose of revision 1 was to incorporate the appropriate titles of regional managers – Electricity and Gas.