PAMI TO RECEIVE STANDARDS COUNCIL OF CANADA ACCREDITATION

Released on April 14, 2009

Today, Brad Trost, Member of Parliament for Saskatoon-Humboldt, on behalf of Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, and Saskatchewan Batoche MLA Delbert Kirsch, on behalf of Saskatchewan Enterprise and Innovation Minister Lyle Stewart, announced a joint investment to support the Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute (PAMI) in getting its Standards Council of Canada (SCC) accreditation.

Funded under the previous Canada-Saskatchewan Western Economic Partnership Agreement (WEPA), the provincial and federal governments equally contributed to the investment of $65,000. This accreditation will enable western Canadian firms to access more markets outside of the Prairies.

"Advanced ISO accreditation of PAMI's testing facilities will open up new national and international markets to Saskatchewan and western Canadian manufacturers," said MP Trost. "The Government of Canada is proud to invest in projects that will increase our exports and strengthen our economy."

"Saskatchewan products are of excellent quality and are in demand locally and internationally," Kirsch said. "This accreditation will open up markets access for PAMI and other provincial products as they will be certified right here in Saskatchewan."

PAMI's objective is to obtain SCC Laboratory Accreditation, which will allow it to test and certify ambulances and other western Canadian manufacturers' products in compliance with the Bureau de Normalisation du Québec (BNQ) standards. Pursuing SCC accreditation builds on the organization's quality system foundation through ISO 9001:2000 and is the next step in the organization's historical commitment to providing highly credible, independent testing services.

Current testing is required by a BNQ-approved agency or an SCC-accredited organization. One of the largest clients, Crestline Coach LTD of Saskatoon, is now producing ambulances for the Quebec market, which involves paying the costs to have a BNQ inspector oversee PAMI testing. Funding for this project will go toward developing test procedures, revising procedures, and purchasing and installing new equipment in order to receive SCC accreditation.

"Preparing for this accreditation has been challenging with months of hard work getting all of our systems, processes and equipment developed and ready," PAMI President and CEO Dave Gullacher said. "This SCC accreditation will position us to provide excellent services to manufacturers in Saskatchewan and the West, and without the help of Western Economic Diversification and Saskatchewan Enterprise and Innovation we would not have been able to take this step, at this time."

The objective of the Canada-Saskatchewan WEPA is to develop Saskatchewan's small- and medium-sized businesses, support economic and technological innovation, assist in economic diversification and increase Aboriginal participation in the economic mainstream.

Western Economic Diversification Canada works with the provinces, industry associations, and communities to promote the development and diversification of the western economy, co-ordinates federal economic activities in the West and represents the interests of western Canadians in national decision making.

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For more information, contact:

Joanne Mysak
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Saskatoon
Phone: 306-975-5942
Email: joanne.mysak@wd.gc.ca

Tim Tororey
Enterprise Saskatchewan
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5582
Email: tim.tororey@enterprisesask.ca

Jim Wasserman
Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute
Humboldt
Phone: 306-682-5033