Canada has been actively participating in international standards development for nanotechnologies at ISO and IEC since 2005.

Research scientists, physicists, chemists, engineers, manufacturers, regulators, non-government organizations and an evolving base of users are developing science-based standards to build world markets for nanomaterials, and nano-based components and products.

The Canadian Standards Organization (“CSA Group”), accredited by Standards Council Canada (SCC), is the administrator for Canada’s SCC Mirror Committees (SMC) for nanotechnology standards, including the ISO Technical Committee (TC) 229 for Nanotechnology, and IEC TC 113 for Nanotechnology for electrotechnical products and systems. The IEC/TC113 was formed in 2006.

These SMCs facilitate a cohesive, country-wide national forum for discussion, input, and participation in international standards development work. Canada participates, through the Canadian SMCs and their associated Working Groups (WGs). The WG breakdown for each committee is as follows:

ISO TC 229

Working Group	Title
ISO/TC 229/JWG 1	Terminology and nomenclature
ISO/TC 229/JWG 2	Measurement and characterization
ISO/TC 229/TG 2	Sustainability, consumer and societal dimensions of nanotechnologies
ISO/TC 229/WG 3	Health, Safety and Environmental Aspects of Nanotechnologies
ISO/TC 229/WG 4	Material specifications
ISO/TC 229/WG 5	Products and Applications

IEC TC 113

Working Group	Title
WG 3	Performance assessment
WG 7	Reliability
WG 8	Graphene related materials/Carbon nanotube materials
WG 9	Nano-Enabled Photovoltaics Thin Film Organic/Nano Electronics, Nanoscale
WG 10	Luminescent nanomaterials
WG 11	Nano-enabled energy storage

The first two WGs of ISO/TC229 are for the same subject areas, jointly with IEC/TC113, along with six additional WGs covering performance assessment, reliability, and four electrotechnical specific material/ product areas.

Be involved in Standards!

If you are interested in becoming a Nanotechnology SMC* (SMC for ISO/TC229 or SMC for IEC/TC113) member, or would like more information, please contact Taimur Qasim, CSA Group at taimur.qasim@csagroup.org, or call 416 747 4298.

*SMC: SCC (Standards Council Canada) Mirror Committee