No. H122/04 For release December 8, 2004 OTTAWA - Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre today issued a call for tenders for the construction of additional facilities at Transport Canada's motor vehicle test centre in Blainville, Quebec. The construction project will be managed by PMG Technologies, which is operating the test facility under contract for Transport Canada. The additional facilities will increase the capabilities of the laboratory to perform lateral crash testing and provide an indoor test area to carry out lateral collisions as well as provide space to prepare the vehicles for testing. Since the 1980s, lateral testing has taken place outdoors, but meeting stringent test procedures has been difficult in various weather conditions, particularly the required operating temperatures for crash test dummies. "The new facility will expand testing capabilities at the centre, improve the ability to meet test procedures, and help save lives on Canadian roads," said Mr. Lapierre. While Transport Canada owns the facility, PMG Technologies began performing the department's crash testing in 1996. PMG will ensure the additional facilities meet Transport Canada's testing requirements and protocols. The Motor Vehicle Test Centre tests for standards development and for procedures to address evolving technologies and new areas of safety concern. The testing supports Transport Canada's monitoring of the adherence of vehicle manufacturers and importers to Canadian safety standards, research into improved vehicle safety standards, and the promotion of energy and environmental conservation. The test centre has both indoor and outdoor facilities. The indoor facilities include two environmental rooms and laboratories with equipment used for collision, bumper, dash board and structural testing. The outdoor facilities include both a high- and a low-speed track, a peripheral track, and paved areas for brake, dynamics and noise testing. The new extension to the centre's barrier test facility is expected to be operational in April 2005. For a copy of the call for tenders, please visit the MERX website at www.merx.com. -30- Contacts: Irène Marcheterre Director of Communications Office of the Minister, Ottawa (613) 991-0700 Anne-Marie Bouchard Communications Transport Canada, Ottawa (613) 993-0055 Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.
