Nimonik is very proud to announce that our application for verifications is now available in the Apple iTunes store for 9.99$. If you have a moment to download and use it, we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The application currently ships with ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 checklists.

For american users, please email jbrun@nimonik.ca to obtain a rebate coupon to download the application free of charge (first 10 emails only). Unfortunately, the Canadian Apple store does not allow us to issue rebates. Starting October 1st, the price of the application will increase.

Only 9.99$ until September 30th.

And learn more about the application here.

Here is a screenshot of an item on an audit list.

If you are an internal or external auditor, we would be very happy to speak with you about ways we can add checklists for your jobs and ensure the development of functionality that allows you to more easily perform audits and verifications.

An iPad version will be available in late October along with data synchronization with our web service, Nimonikapp.ca. Purchase the app now to gain access to these services at a reduced cost.

You may have noticed a new look on the site. Since we started Nimonik 2 years ago, our products and services have evolved. To reflect the improved functionality, we are overhauling our look. In a coupe weeks, we will be updating NimonikApp.ca with a new, cleaner and easier to read look. Here is a screenshot, thanks for your support and we look forward to your comments. Before and after shots of the Updates and Topics pages:

It has just been revealed by Le Devoir that Aquafina, a Pepsi company, extracts over 540 million litres of water from the Montreal system every year. In compensation, they pay 526 816 $ in municipal taxes. It is unclear how this compares to other jurisdictions or how much it costs for the city to treat all that water, so we should not jump to any conclusions. That being said, the amount seems slightly low, amounting to 10 cents per litre.

With Québec set to impose new fees on water extraction, it may be time to take another look at the fees companies pay to produce bottled drinks. Take a look at our video with Hervé Pagot on les redevances sur l’eau for more information.

Just came across an interesting article on pesticide use, or should we say overuse, in Saskatchewan. This Globe and Mail editorial outlines how Saskatchewan is both the largest producer of organic food (per capita) and has the most lax cosmetic pesticide legislation. With more and more jurisdictions moving towards restrictions on cosmetic pesticides, one has to wonder when Saskatchewan will tackle the issue.

The two main pesticide regulations in Saskatchewan, the Pesticide Control Products Act and the Pesticide Control Products Regulations make no mention of cosmetic pesticides, nor has either law been meaningfully revised in the past 10 years.

We have previously discussed the potential damage of the oil sands to the local ecosystem, but it is now becoming clearer that the pollution in the Athabasca river is rising. Fish are no longer safe to eat; as such, communities that used to live off the local land are in danger. Diane Saxe gives a very good run-down of a new study by David Shindler that clearly identifies abnormally high levels of heavy metals in the river and fish.

The question becomes, why is neither the Federal or Provincial government doing anything about this? In a couple of weeks, we will be publishing a report with all the environmental penalties in Canada, without spoiling the ending, there aren’t many.

The full study by David Shindler is found here.