Environment Canada’s Science and Technology Strategies Directorate (STSD) is leading development of an international standard for the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The standard will help ensure that a technology verified in one member country will be accepted as verified in other member countries. STSD is collaborating on the standard with the ETV International Working Group and with the Standards Council of Canada.

As required by ISO, STSD conducted national consultations with more than 60 Canadian ETV stakeholders in Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, and St. John's. Six provincial governments were represented. Feedback was very positive and submission to ISO is enthusiastically anticipated by all. Formal letters of support have already been received by Environment Canada from different organizations (government, technical) throughout the country.

As a next step, STSD will shortly start consultations with international ETV stakeholders, including the International Working Group members and other countries such as the United States, European Union, Japan, and China. Once international consultations are complete, the proposal to draft the standard will be submitted to the ISO in June 2012, where it will be subject to a vote of acceptance. The final ISO-ETV standard is expected to be delivered in 2015.

Contact: Benoit Desforges, 819-934-4220, Benoit.Desforges@ec.gc.ca, Science and Technology Strategies Directorate