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Standards Council of Canada

ISO 9001:2000

                                              The City of Fredericton has become the first city in Canada and one of only a few in North America to achieve ISO 9001:2000 certification for its entire corporation.  The official certificate presentation for obtaining this prestigious, international recognition was made at a special City Council meeting on May 17, 2004.

ISO 9001:2000 is a rigorous, international standard that provides a framework for quality management.  It assists organizations in improving the quality of their products and services.  The certification was confirmed by QMI through an independent audit of the City's management strategies   and business processes.

The standard represents an international consensus of good management practices and is recognized worldwide as assurance that an organization is operating effectively.  Registration to ISO 9001:2000 is a tangible expression of a firm's commitment to quality that is internationally understood and accepted.

The City began working toward ISO 9001:2000 certification in 1999.  The exercise has required a great deal of work by staff.  The City of Fredericton is a large operation, which can best be described as not just one organization, but as many businesses working under one umbrella.  The municipality provides over 150 services.

While other organizations often register only part of their operation, the City of Fredericton decided it was important for the entire organization to become registered.  This is because so many processes are interrelated and impact on the quality of municipal services.  Widely used in the private sector, the ISO 9001:2000 standards are generic enough to apply to any organization.

Although registration has been achieved, the City's  commitment to quality continues.  Registration is not permanent and must be renewed every 3 years.  At the City's request, the Registrar will return every 6 months to monitor progress.

First published in 1987, by the International Organization of Standardization in Geneva, Switzerland, ISO 9001:2000 has earned a global reputation as the basis for establishing quality management systems.  ISO helps organizations to institutionalize the right attitude by supporting it with the right policies, procedures, records, technologies, resources and structures.