New Canadian Research Association Taking Shape

The CEOs of some of Canada's largest market and survey research firms have announced the establishment of a replacement for the recently deceased industry association MRIA. An inaugural meeting of the as-yet-unnamed body was held yesterday.

Senior figures from Environics Research, Ipsos Canada, Leger, Nanos Research, EKOS Research Associates, Corporate Research Associates, CRC Research and Canada Viewpoint attended a planning meeting in Ottawa, deciding to waste no time in establishing the new association.

Key to the new body's role will be acting as the standard-bearer for quality research, ensuring that member firms' activities are 'rooted in a foundation of rigorous and ethical data collection'. It will also work on advocacy on regulatory and legislative matters; continue its predecessor's Survey Registration System, and uphold the existing Canadian Charter of Respondent Rights. Other key aims set out at this initial stage include building and strengthening relationships with the international market and survey research community, adopting 'the best of global research standards (such as ESOMAR)' to aid 'harmony and cohesion with other world markets'.

An interim Board established at yesterday's meeting will reach out to individual researchers to assist with problems caused by the sudden demise of the MRIA, which declared bankruptcy in early August. This includes working to continue the Certified Marketing Research Professional (CMRP) designation.

Don Mills, Chairman and CEO of Corporate Research Associates, and Co-Chair of the Interim Board, comments: 'We have a rare opportunity here to start fresh as an emerging industry association and to set a really high bar. Our objective is simple and straightforward - membership in this organization means strict compliance with a rigorous set of world-class research standards. If you can't or won't comply, then you can't be a member'. His fellow Co-Chair Barry Watson, President and CEO of Environics Canada, says the new organisation is 'only as strong as the sum of its parts', adding: 'While our new association will represent research agencies and the users of research data, it's in the best interest of the industry that we work collaboratively with everyone involved'.

An associate membership category will be created for buyers and users of research, including private and public sectors, academia and the media; and these will be invited to form a 'Partners Advisory Group' to ensure 'a valuable dialogue and exchange of ideas and best practices between all'.

More details, including a formal name and membership criteria, will be published soon, with a formal launch of the association planned for early in the new year.

In addition to Mills and Watson, members of the Interim Board are Gary Bennewies, President and CEO of Ipsos Canada; Chuck Chakrapani, President of Leger Analytics; Ed Gibson, President of CRC Research; Frank Graves, President of Ekos Research Associates; Jean-Marc Léger, President of Leger; Nik Nanos, Executive Chairman of Nanos Research; and Carol Udel, President of Canadian Viewpoint. In the absence of a web site for the time being, more information is available from Greg Jodouin, Public Affairs at gjodouin@paceconsulting.ca .