Page 84 - Canadian Industry Online

CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - NOVEMBER 2015MARKETINGdetermine just where Canada’s ex- pertise lies and what industries they should be engaging to ensure long- term growth for Canada. The organiza- tion has launched several initiatives to determine which sectors could benefit the most from standards and have been working with key industries, such as the heating and plumbing, oil and gas and the electrotechnical sector to figure out how standards can better support their needs. It seems SCC’s message re- garding the value of standards is a wel- come one.“Every time we reach out, we hear ‘where have you been?’ It is just getting at that first entry that can often be challenging,” says Lafontaine. “Not everyone fully understands the value and benefits of standardization. And it’s our role to help them understand and implement standards, to help them save time, money, and effort, while im- proving their quality and reducing theirrisks.”“We need to work together to ask ‘where are the areas in which stan- dards could play a role to enhance their competitiveness? And how can they take part in national or international standards development to make that work?’” says Walter. “It is getting out that information. Once we get it out I think they’ll say ‘Great, we’re on our way!’”HELPING CANADA MAKE THE JUMP FROM FOLLOWER TO LEADERWalter points to four recent Na- tional Standards of Canada developed to support the adaptation of northern infrastructure to climate change as an example of where Canada has a natural advantage and the kind of innovative standardization work he would like to see more of in the future. Developed with funding from the Canadian gov- ernment, the four, soon to be five, stan- dards address things such as changing snow loads on roofs and the effects of permafrost degradation on existing buildings. But Walter says these new standards could have applications out- side of Canada’s North.“This is where I would assume we have an expertise that I think would be valuable in Alaska, Greenland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, wherever.84| Canadian Industry Online | November, 2015