HomeMy Public PortalAbout2014-10-17_MR_ISO Certification _v2PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, 2014
ANOTHER FIRST FOR MUNICIPALITY OF CHESTER
MUNICIPALITY – The Municipality of the District of Chester is changing the face of how
they conduct business. They have become the first municipal unit in Nova Scotia to
achieve ISO 9001:2008 Certification. The result? Increased accountability, greater
transparency, aligned processes and consistency in service delivery.
Two years ago, Council adopted a Quality Policy stating their commitment to “delivering
reliable services in the most efficient, effective, professional and financially responsible
manner to enhance the quality of life for our citizens.” To honour that commitment,
Council and staff have worked steadily using the ISO 9001:2008 standard. The standard
includes documented processes that enable departments to work more cohesively and
virtually eliminate redundancy. It also provides a way for staff to record and measure
services delivered to the public.
The entire process is a substantial undertaking. But, the Municipality is not about to rest
on their laurels. According to Dan Pittman, Quality Control Coordinator, “continual
improvement is a journey on the road to excellence with many milestones but no f inish
line”. With every service, a process – or several processes – is identified and documented.
If a problem arises, it needs to be recorded, corrected, and improved upon. Public and
internal feedback, both positive and negative, is necessary to measure how services are
delivered and received.
Before the Municipality was certified, they underwent an assessment by an independent
auditor, Grant Thornton. In a presentation to Council on October 16, they reported that
the Municipality’s systems for feedback and document control is “impressive”. They also
noted that Council’s support was critical in achieving certification.
“It [Certification] has improved the efficiency of our operation and improved services,”
says Warden Allen Webber. “We should be proud. It’s quite an accomplishment!”
There are only a handful of certified public organizations in Canada, including the Town
of Ajax in Ontario, City of Fredericton in New Brunswick, and Membertou First Nation
here in Nova Scotia. Although ISO 9001:2008 Certification isn’t a legislated requirement
for government, conforming to the standard is a sure means to streamline operations and
improve internal and external relationships.
For a description of how the Municipality has implemented ISO 9001:2008 and achieved
certification, please call (902) 275-3554.
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CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jennifer Veinotte, Communications Officer
Municipality of the District of Chester
(902) 275-3555 ext. 1202 phone (902) 275-4771 fax
(902) 277-1169 cell jveinotte@chester.ca