Innovation is imperative for virtually every organization operating today, and the Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission is no exception. The marketplace, the government environment and the pace of industry demand constant reinvention and continuous improvement.

I'm proud to report that in 2008-09 - the Commission's 20th anniversary year - we applied our ingenuity and achieved real progress as a result.

We put into action the improvement plans defined in our 2007-08 Program Integrity Business Case to Treasury Board. After finalizing the funding agreement with Health Canada, we initiated our three-year backlog elimination scheme and by year end had successfully processed 500 claims for exemption, as targeted.

That accomplishment was in large part due to the growth and development of our workforce. Based on detailed process mapping and functional area capacity studies, we added a total of 17 team members. We reassessed educational requirements for evaluators, began accessing pre-qualified pools of talent, and introduced new training methods and tools. In return, we saw notable increases in productivity and a refreshing infusion of energy and enthusiasm.

Our progress is also attributable to the process changes made as a result of the regulatory amendments adopted in fiscal 2008-09. Specifically, we implemented an MSDS (material safety data sheet) voluntary compliance program and launched a database integration initiative that will further streamline the evaluation process.

We are truly proud of all we achieved in the past 12 months, and were buoyed by Treasury Board's acknowledgement of our organizational excellence: following its 2008-09 Management Accountability Framework review, we received strong ratings in the categories of corporate performance and workforce development.

In addition to improving internal processes, last year HMIRC began providing companies with tools to assist with the claim preparation process, including a checklist for drafting the material safety data sheets (MSDSs) required as part of their application for exemption. By working together with chemical manufacturers, we can help improve MSDS compliance and better mitigate safety risks in the workplace.

HMIRC will need to embrace a more strategic agenda and results-based development and management approach to address its challenges while continuing to sustain its operational improvement agenda.

In the coming years, we will build on the momentum we have gathered. We will work collaboratively with Council to complete the strategic planning process begun last year, preparing the Commission for the next three years of operation, and will reach out to other Health portfolio agencies to share best practices.

We will partner with Health Canada, the provinces and territories to review and update the Hazardous Products Act, which will be opened for review in 2009-10. In all we do, we will continue to act in a spirit of innovation - alert to opportunities to improve how we interact with stakeholders and carry out the mission with which we are entrusted.

Sharon A. Watts
President and CEO