QUÉBEC, May 16, 2024 /CNW/ - The Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) launches a public review related to the revision of the standard CAN/BNQ 2501-500 Geotechnical Site Investigations for Foundations of Building and Structure in Permafrost Zones. The public review will last 60 days; individuals interested by the topic are invited to make their comments and proposals to improve the draft standard until July 15, 2024.

Comments and proposals shall refer to a specific clause of the draft standard and include a technical justification. To be considered, comments and proposals shall be recorded in the form provided for this purpose. The draft standard and the form to submit comments and proposals may be downloaded from the Web site: https://www.bnq.qc.ca/en/public-review.html.

A technical committee, composed of engineering and geotechnical experts, scientists, regulatory authorities and members of communities of Canada's northern territories, has updated the requirements applicable to the planning, conducting and reporting of results from geotechnical site investigations for foundations of buildings or structures in permafrost zones. The committee, who agreed on the project content for a second edition of the standard, proposes a thorough methodology to conduct geotechnical site investigations with due consideration, within a risk management framework, of the conditions prevailing on the site, including the distinctive characteristics, the permafrost and seasonal and interannual climate conditions as well as the projected climate conditions.

This standard is the fifth within a series of innovative National Standards of Canada (NSCs) aimed at fostering the long-term sustainability and resiliency of Canada's Northern infrastructure.

"As a Canadian standards development organization, the BNQ recognizes the importance of standards as significant tools to address climate changes. The BNQ is proud to foster the long-term sustainability and resiliency of Canada's Northern infrastructure. This project has enabled to gather a standardization committee concerned with the fact that the standard on geotechnical investigations provide the information leading, in a further step, to design and maintain structures submitted to constraints related to the particular conditions of the Northern's permafrost zones. It is with great interest that we look forward to receiving comments from individuals interested by the current draft standard on the subject."
- Isabelle Landry, Principal Director at BNQ

All comments and proposals received as part of the public review will be analyzed by the members of the standardization committee in charge of the development of the standard, and adjustments deemed necessary will be made for the publication of the Canadian standard scheduled for next winter.

The BNQ, an administrative unit of Investissement Québec, is the reference organization for standardization and certification in Quebec. It develops consensus-based standards and certification protocols in accordance with the rules of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The BNQ is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

For further information on the BNQ: bnq.qc.ca/en

SOURCE Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ)