Federal department evaluates infrastructure products

The work of the Canadian Infrastructure Technology Assessment Centre (CITAC) is receiving increasing recognition from transportation ministries and others. The program, part of the National Research Council’s Institute for Research in Construction in Ottawa, performs independent evaluations of manufacturers’ products intended for use in municipal infrastructure. A goal is to help those with innovative products gain access to a market quickly and give engineers and others solid knowledge on what products are worthwhile. A registry of current evaluations is posted on the web site (see below). The registry is updated quarterly.<br>
CITAC evaluations are done by technical experts within IRC and from other organizations. They are recognized by ministries of transportation in most of the provinces, and also by the municipalities of Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. The city of Ottawa, for example, has written CITAC requirements into its standard specifications. The Municipal Engineers Association of Ontario also endorses CITAC as a third-party product evaluator.<br>
CITAC signed a collaborative agreement with its Quebec equivalent, Service d’avis techniques en infrastructures (SATI), last year.<br>
Visit http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ccmc/citac<br>