Resources

To ensure that we as a profession are providing the highest quality results to the public, we must look at our industry critically, understand and question how we are doing things in order to stay accountable. Programs have been created that continually keep laboratories in check. We have also looked outside of the chemical industry at other professional organizations to better understand how they operate.

Locally and provincially, we work to see change. To do this, we need to be the change that we want to see. Become a part of our effort. Or else, read about what we are up to, and notify other professionals, officials, management – really, anyone willing to listen.

Unified, we get things done.

Index

Analytical Quality Assurance Program

Since 1999, the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation, CALA (formerly known as Canadian Association for Environmental Analytical Laboratories, CAEAL) has been operating the Analytical Quality Assurance Program for all of Canada. This non-profit organization dedicates their time to measuring the capabilities of Canadian environmental testing laboratories to demonstrate competent, consistent results, thus providing a measure of assurance for that lab.

Laboratories voluntarily participate in rigorous testing with the shared goal of improving environmental testing in Canada. Quarterly during the year, samples of an analyte at different loading levels are sent out to all participants in the program. Volunteers subscribe for whatever analytes from the list of 16 are relevant to them. Performance for an analyte is then given based on the results for all samples sent out during the year.

For more information on CALA, the organization, regulations, accreditation, or to contact them directly, please visit their web site.

Current list for the CALA Directory of Laboratories.

Prior to 1999, the Analytical Quality Assurance Program was managed by the Occupational Health Section of the ACPO.
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Comparative Education

Ontario Government:

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Community

Passport to Prosperity: a community initiative

A province-wide network of 26 business-education councils, each with extensive partnerships to employers and schools, has issued a challenge: they are calling on companies across Ontario to provide work experiences for high school students.

The effort was spearheaded by the Provincial Partnership council and the Ontario Learning Partnership Group (OLPG), as part of the Passport to Prosperity campaign. This employer-led effort aims to increase awareness of, and participation in, school-work partnerships, in order to meet the growing demand from high school students for actual experience outside the classroom.

Currently, across the province 700,000 students in grades 9 through to 12 are being offered school-work opportunities through their school board to all interested students. High schools are in need of more employers interested in providing these experiences. Opportunities can range from mentorships, job shadowing, and co-operative education to school-work transition programs, such as the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.

Passport to Prosperity is building on the already successful partnership established between school and employers through business-education councils in communities across the province. These partnerships aim to ensure that every interested Ontario student has the opportunity to get out and learn. With these workplace experiences, students are better prepared to make the transition from high school to work, training, apprenticeship, college and university.

We are now seeking the endorsement and participation of even more employers across Ontario to propel this initiative.

For more information, please visit the Ontario Business Education Partnership website or visit the Ministry of Education website and contact Brendan Howe at 416 598-0055 ext. 307. We look forward to you becoming a part of the Passport to Prosperity team.
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Continuing Education

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Employment

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Ethics and Professionalism

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Labour and Mobility

There are about 60 regulatory authorities in Ontario responsible for 300 occupations, including skilled trades.

The Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) requires that exceptions to labour mobility be published on a national website maintained by the Forum of Labour Market Ministers.

Exceptions supported by the Ontario government will be posted on the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ website. The final list of exceptions is expected to be published in summer 2009.
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Other Societies and Associations

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Professional Development Courses

CALA Training

CALA is pleased to have formed a partnership with the ACPO, and support its efforts to maintain high standards of competence within the chemistry profession. CALA also works towards high standards in the testing laboratory environment, by providing accreditation services to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

As a member of the ACPO, CALA is offering you a 15% discount on its full suite of training products. Our training is used worldwide to support laboratory and leadership skills amongst the laboratory community.  Training is currently offered in either a virtual classroom environment or a webinar, saving participants both time and travel costs.  When pandemic restrictions subside, CALA will once again be offering in-person training in a classroom environment.

To find out more about our special offer only for ACPO members, please visit the ACPO Members page on the CALA website. There you will find the specific instructions to sign up for our training and ensure your discount.  From this same page, you will see an overview of the variety of training CALA offers and a link to our full course catalog and registration site.  When registering for a course, please be sure to use your unique code. If you would like to inquire on your membership, please contact membership@acpo.on.ca.

Learn More | Course Registration
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