NDT Inspection Services in Manitoba

In brief: Atlantis NDT is an independent NDT company that performs non-destructive testing for Manitoba equipment owners, manufacturers, utilities and contractors: ultrasonic thickness and corrosion mapping, PAUT and TOFD weld examination, magnetic particle, penetrant, visual and eddy current testing, PMI and hardness, and radiography through licensed arrangements confirmed per job. Work runs on procedures approved by an ASNT NDT Level III and ends in a code-referenced digital report. Atlantis is Houston-based and has no office in Manitoba; crews are mobilised to your site.

Looking for the regulator? Inspection and Technical Services Manitoba (ITSM, often shortened to ITS) is the provincial government body that regulates boilers, pressure vessels, refrigeration plants and other technical safety equipment. It sits within Manitoba's Labour and Immigration department. Atlantis is not ITSM, is not part of it and does not work for it, and cannot issue ITS certificates, registrations or licences. To book a provincial inspection, register a design or renew a licence, contact ITSM directly through the Manitoba government. Atlantis performs the NDE owners and contractors need for ITSM-regulated equipment and for structures no regulator inspects. This page explains both roles and how we scope Manitoba work. Ready now? Send us your Manitoba inspection request.

Inspection and Technical Services Manitoba: what it does

Direct answer: ITSM delivers Manitoba's technical safety programs to municipalities and industry. It administers The Steam and Pressure Plants Act and The Power Engineers Act for boilers, pressure vessels and refrigeration plants, and also the acts covering elevating devices and amusement rides, buildings, electrical licensing, and gas and oil burners. It enforces them through design registration, inspections, examinations, certification and licensing.

Boilers, pressure vessels and refrigeration plants

Under The Steam and Pressure Plants Act, a pressure plant may not be operated without a certificate issued by the chief inspector, and a refrigeration plant, one in which refrigerants are vaporised, compressed and liquefied, is itself a pressure plant. ITSM's boiler, pressure vessel and refrigeration branch carries out physical and remote inspections and runs CRN design registration for pressure equipment, a quality control program, welding and brazing licensing, and repair and alteration requirements. It adopted the 2024 edition of CSA B51, the Canadian boiler, pressure vessel and pressure piping code, effective 1 January 2025, apart from three clauses on additional design and impact testing requirements that stay voluntary until further notice.

Integrity management and the harmonised AB-512H

In October 2025, ITSM, Alberta's ABSA and Saskatchewan's TSASK issued AB-512H, which sets the elements an owner's written pressure equipment integrity management system must contain, from competency and design through integrity assessment, NDE, repairs, overpressure protection and audits. Its NDE element requires validated written procedures and verified personnel qualification, and it expects organisations doing integrity assessments to have API 510 and API 570 available. A Manitoba section covers ITSM's own audits and inspector qualifications. Where a jurisdiction's own requirements differ, the jurisdiction's take precedence.

The Technical Safety Act transition

Manitoba is moving its technical safety laws under a single framework, The Technical Safety Act and its regulation. As of 1 September 2026 the regulation applies to elevating devices and amusement rides; electrical licensing and gas and oil burners are scheduled to follow, and The Steam and Pressure Plants Act is a later phase with no date set. For boilers and pressure vessels, the existing act and regulation therefore still govern. Check ITSM's current bulletins before relying on any summary, including this one.

Where Atlantis fits

An owner whose vessel, boiler or refrigeration plant is due for inspection may need NDE before or during the ITSM inspection: thickness readings, weld examination after a repair, crack checks at nozzles, or a baseline survey for the owner's integrity management system. Atlantis performs that NDE to written procedures and gives the results to the owner, who shares them with the ITSM inspector or the owner's own inspection personnel as their system requires. The certificate itself always comes from ITSM. For the documentation side, see Manitoba pressure equipment compliance.

Where inspection work is in Manitoba

Direct answer: Manitoba's NDT demand comes from Winnipeg's aerospace, bus and agricultural equipment manufacturing; Manitoba Hydro's generating stations, converter stations and HVDC transmission; steel, fertilizer and food processing in Selkirk, Brandon and Portage la Prairie; nickel and base metal mining in the north; oil production in the southwest; and the interprovincial pipelines that cross the south of the province.

Winnipeg: aerospace and manufacturing

Winnipeg is a major aerospace centre. StandardAero runs a large gas turbine engine overhaul operation in the city, Boeing has a composite parts plant, and Magellan Aerospace builds aerostructures and engine components. Engine overhaul relies on fluorescent penetrant, eddy current and ultrasonic inspection of rotating parts; composite manufacturing relies on ultrasonic inspection. This work is governed by the customer's and the aircraft manufacturer's NDT specifications and by Transport Canada's aviation rules, not by ITSM, and the customer sets the personnel certification. Winnipeg is also home to NFI Group's New Flyer buses and Motor Coach Industries coaches, and to agricultural equipment makers such as MacDon, where welded frames, axles and structural parts get MT, UT and visual inspection. See NDT training in Winnipeg.

Manitoba Hydro: dams, converter stations and HVDC

Most of Manitoba's electricity comes from hydroelectric stations on the Nelson River in the north, including Kettle, Long Spruce, Limestone and the recently completed Keeyask, and from older stations on the Winnipeg River. Power reaches the south over the HVDC Bipole lines to converter stations such as Dorsey near Rosser. Generating stations need weld and material inspection on turbines, runners, wicket gates, penstocks, gates, hoists, cranes and embedded steel during outages and refurbishment; converter stations and transmission structures add bolted and welded steel, and station boilers, air receivers and compressed-gas equipment fall under ITSM.

Selkirk, Brandon and Portage la Prairie

Gerdau's scrap-based steel mill at Selkirk runs an electric arc furnace, ladles, rolling equipment and cranes where MT and UT find fatigue cracking. Brandon hosts Koch Fertilizer's nitrogen plant, with ammonia synthesis vessels, high-pressure piping and ammonia storage where ammonia stress corrosion cracking matters, and a large pork processing plant with ammonia refrigeration. Potato processing plants around Portage la Prairie add boilers, steam systems and refrigeration. Because refrigeration plants are pressure plants under Manitoba law, food processors are a steady source of ITSM-regulated equipment: receivers, vessels and piping welds that need thickness and weld examination.

The north and the southwest

Nickel mining at Thompson and copper, zinc and gold mining around Snow Lake and Flin Flon need inspection of hoists, headframes, crushers, mills, pressure equipment and heavy structures. In the southwest, light oil production around Virden and Waskada runs batteries, treaters, tanks and gathering lines. Enbridge's mainline, TC Energy's Canadian Mainline and Keystone cross southern Manitoba on their way east and south, with pump and compressor stations along the routes. Wells, batteries and intraprovincial lines fall under Manitoba's own oil and gas legislation; interprovincial and international pipelines are regulated by the Canada Energy Regulator.

NDT methods for Manitoba assets

Direct answer: Atlantis performs UT thickness and corrosion mapping, PAUT, TOFD, MT, PT, VT, eddy current and IRIS, PMI, hardness testing, MFL tank floor scanning and pulsed eddy current, with radiography through licensed arrangements confirmed per job. The table ties each to Manitoba assets.

Every technique is performed to a written procedure approved by an ASNT NDT Level III. For advanced methods, see phased array inspection, TOFD testing and IRIS tube inspection. Method-level compliance notes for Manitoba are on our pages for UT, PAUT, RT, MT and VT.

API 510, 570 and 653 NDE support in Manitoba

Direct answer: In Manitoba, the legal inspection of boilers and pressure vessels is ITSM's, and the operating certificate comes from the chief inspector. API 510 and API 570 enter through owners' integrity management systems, which AB-512H expects to have those codes available. Atlantis performs the NDE and data review for the owner's programme. Atlantis is not an API Authorized Inspector or Authorized Inspection Agency, does not supply API-certified inspectors, and never signs as inspector of record.

Vessels and piping. At fertilizer, food processing, steel and utility sites, we take UT readings at each condition monitoring location, examine nozzle and attachment welds with MT or PT, apply PAUT or TOFD where cracking, repairs or service make it worthwhile, and record external condition, insulation and supports. Readings are reported beside the previous survey so the owner's inspector can calculate corrosion rates. National background: API 510 inspection support and API 570 inspection support.

Storage tanks. Atmospheric tanks are not pressure plants. Oilfield and terminal tanks in the southwest are managed under owner programmes, often built on API 653, and the energy and environmental rules that apply to the site. We perform floor scanning with UT prove-up, shell thickness, weld examination and settlement readings for the owner's API 653 inspector; see API 653 tank inspection support. Atlantis does not provide fitness-for-service or risk-based inspection assessments; those stay with the owner's engineers.

Seasons and planning in Manitoba

Direct answer: Manitoba's winters are long and severe, spring brings flood season on the Red River and its tributaries, and northern sites depend on outage windows and seasonal access. Outdoor NDT in deep cold needs qualified low-temperature procedures and heated enclosures, so plan exterior work for the milder months where you can.

Cold is the biggest practical factor. Couplants stiffen, instrument batteries drain, cables stiffen, and standard penetrant procedures are qualified only for a limited temperature range, so work outside it needs a procedure qualified for the actual conditions. Hydro station work follows Manitoba Hydro's outage planning, and mining work follows each mine's maintenance shutdowns. Our advice is to agree the scope early, move thickness surveys and external visual into the warmer months, and leave the outage for work that needs isolation or entry. See turnaround and shutdown inspection, or plan a Manitoba outage NDT scope.

Other Manitoba rules that shape inspection

Direct answer: Beyond ITSM, the Canada Energy Regulator covers interprovincial and international pipelines, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission licenses gamma radiography sources, Transport Canada governs aircraft maintenance, and Manitoba's workplace safety and health legislation applies on every site.

Pipelines

The Canada Energy Regulator's Onshore Pipeline Regulations require federally regulated pipelines to be designed, built and operated to CSA Z662, the full circumference of each weld joint to be examined by radiographic or ultrasonic methods, and an integrity management programme to be maintained. See pipeline inspection services.

Radiography

Gamma radiography sources are licensed by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and exposure devices must be operated by CNSC-certified exposure device operators or by trainees under their direct supervision. X-ray equipment falls under provincial requirements. Atlantis does not claim to hold a CNSC licence; the licensed radiography arrangements for each Manitoba job are confirmed at quotation, and PAUT or TOFD can be proposed where the code and owner accept them.

Structural and welding codes

Welded steel structures are built and inspected to CSA W59 by fabricators certified to CSA W47.1 through the Canadian Welding Bureau. A City of Winnipeg structural steel tender specification, for example, required W47.1-certified fabricators and NDT personnel qualified to CAN/CGSB requirements, with ASNT SNT-TC-1A Level II accepted as an alternative. Requirements vary by owner and project, which is why the scheme is confirmed per job.

Personnel certification on Manitoba jobs

Direct answer: Many Manitoba owners, CSA codes and W59 projects require NDT personnel certified to CAN/CGSB-48.9712 (ISO 9712), issued by Natural Resources Canada's NDT Certification Body and, for some methods, CWB Group. Atlantis's programme is ASNT SNT-TC-1A employer certification under an ASNT NDT Level III. The scheme your job requires is confirmed at quotation.

The Canadian General Standards Board closed on 1 April 2026, and Natural Resources Canada has stated that CAN/CGSB-48.9712 remains valid and its certification services continue without interruption. If a method on your scope requires CGSB certification, we confirm whether the technicians assigned meet it, or tell you which part we cannot staff. Atlantis does not train, examine or certify personnel to CAN/CGSB-48.9712 or ISO 9712. For SNT-TC-1A programmes, see NDT training in Manitoba and Level III consulting in Manitoba, and for records, personnel certification records and written practice guidance.

What a Manitoba inspection report includes

Direct answer: Each job ends with a digital report reviewed under ASNT Level III oversight. Every reading, indication and photograph is tied to the asset, location, procedure, acceptance criterion, technician certification and instrument calibration, so the owner, an ITSM inspector or an auditor can follow it without calling the technician.

Reports quote the acceptance criteria applied, record coverage and areas not examined, and place previous readings beside current ones. Findings that need attention go to your representative during the shift. See NDT inspection software and equipment calibration records. Manitoba inspection companies can run jobs, certifications and calibration in Atlantis ERP for Manitoba, and technicians can practise methods on the Practical NDT simulator for Manitoba.

Atlantis pages for Manitoba and Winnipeg

Direct answer: Atlantis mobilises crews to sites anywhere in Manitoba; there is no Atlantis office in the province. These pages cover Manitoba and Winnipeg in more depth.

• Winnipeg: NDT training in Winnipeg and the Practical NDT simulator in Winnipeg.
• Province: NDT consulting, NDT training, NDT ERP and Practical NDT in Manitoba.
• Compliance: Manitoba pressure equipment, audit preparation and API codes in Canada.
• Brandon, Selkirk, Portage la Prairie, Thompson and the southwest: by arrangement, often planned as multi-site campaigns.

How to request inspection in Manitoba

Direct answer: Send the asset, site, method if known, governing code, the certification scheme required, quantities, dates and report format. We reply with questions or a written scope and quote, share procedures and technician certifications for approval, mobilise on the agreed date and deliver a Level III-reviewed report.

1. Send the request. Include the equipment (boiler, vessel, refrigeration plant, piping, tank, penstock, structure or component), the site, the code (CSA B51 with ASME, CSA W59, CSA Z662, API 653, or the customer's aerospace specification) and any ITSM inspection date it supports. Submit your Manitoba RFQ.
2. Scoping. We confirm technique, access, site orientation, winter protection and the radiography or ultrasonic option.
3. Scope and quote. A written scope and quote with procedures and certification records. There are no published prices.
4. Mobilisation and inspection. Significant findings go to your representative during the shift.
5. Report. A digital report for your records and, where your system requires it, for the ITSM inspector.

Frequently asked questions about NDT inspection in Manitoba

Is Atlantis part of Inspection and Technical Services Manitoba?

No. Inspection and Technical Services Manitoba is the provincial regulator, part of Manitoba's Labour and Immigration department. Atlantis is an independent NDT company that performs examinations for owners and contractors. It does not issue ITSM certificates, registrations or licences, and it does not book provincial inspections.

What does Inspection and Technical Services Manitoba regulate?

Boilers, pressure vessels and refrigeration plants under The Steam and Pressure Plants Act and The Power Engineers Act, plus elevating devices, amusement rides, buildings, electrical licensing, and gas and oil burners under their own acts. Its tools include design registration, inspections, examinations, certification and licensing.

Who issues the operating certificate for a pressure vessel in Manitoba?

The chief inspector, under The Steam and Pressure Plants Act. A pressure plant may not be operated without a current certificate. NDE from a contractor such as Atlantis can support the inspection but never replaces the certificate.

Is an ammonia refrigeration system regulated in Manitoba?

Yes. The Steam and Pressure Plants Act treats a refrigeration plant, in which refrigerants are vaporised, compressed and liquefied, as a pressure plant. Receivers, vessels and piping in food plants and similar facilities are common NDE subjects.

Which edition of CSA B51 applies in Manitoba?

ITSM adopted CSA B51:24 effective 1 January 2025, with three clauses on additional design and impact testing requirements left voluntary until further notice.

Can you inspect aerospace parts in Winnipeg?

How much does NDT inspection cost in Manitoba?

Atlantis quotes per scope and has no published prices. Cost depends on method, quantities, access, travel to Manitoba and northern sites, crew size, schedule, winter protection and report format.

Get a Manitoba inspection scope

A refrigeration receiver due for its provincial inspection, a penstock during a hydro outage, crane runways in a steel mill, a fertilizer plant shutdown in Brandon or a treater battery in the southwest all start with the same information: asset, method, code and dates. Request a Manitoba NDT inspection quote, or ask our ASNT NDT Level III about method selection before you fix the scope. Affordable. Accessible. Fully customizable. Browse all inspection services for the full list.

More Atlantis NDT services in Manitoba

• NDT training and certification in Manitoba
• Level III consulting in Manitoba
• NDT ERP software in Manitoba
• Practical NDT simulator in Manitoba

Part of the full range of NDT inspection services from Atlantis NDT.