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What is MB Laboratories Ltd?
MB Laboratories Ltd is a full-service analytical testing laboratory based in Sidney, British Columbia, and 100% Canadian owned and operated. Founded in 1983, it runs accredited testing across four main categories: water and environmental, food safety, cannabis and hemp, and agricultural. In practice, that means clients send in samples and receive analytical results they can use for compliance, quality control, or decision-making.
Who it serves
- Municipalities, businesses, and individuals needing water or environmental analysis
- Food producers and processors managing safety and quality across product stages
- Licensed cannabis and hemp producers, since MB Labs says it is one of few Canadian labs fully certified and accredited for legal medical cannabis and hemp testing
- Growers and agricultural operations checking nutrients, diseases, pests, compost, and similar concerns
How the process works
Samples are submitted using a chain of custody form, which identifies the client, the sample description or lot number, and the requested tests. Drop-off is accepted Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time, with some basic information required. The site also provides guidance on interpreting results and a learning centre, which is useful if you are not a lab specialist.
A practical next step
If you already know your sample type, go straight to the matching service category and confirm the specific test you need before submitting. If you are unsure, call 250-656-1334 or email [email protected] with your sample type and goal — for example, "irrigation water, checking for contaminants" or "dried cannabis, compliance panel" — and ask which tests and forms apply. For general context on accredited Canadian labs, see Standards Council of Canada.
How do I submit a water sample to MB Labs for testing?
Submit your water sample in person during business hours, Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:30pm PT, at 2062 West Henry Ave, Sidney BC. MB Labs accepts drop-offs with some basic information required, and the Chain of Custody form is the normal way samples are submitted; it identifies who you are, the sample description or lot number, and which tests you want.
Practical steps
- Decide what you want tested. MB Labs offers water and environmental testing among several categories, so knowing your goal (drinking water, environmental monitoring, or another purpose) helps you choose the right tests before you arrive.
- Complete the Chain of Custody form. This is the document that ties your sample to you and tells the lab what to run. You can find it under Tools & Information on their site.
- Drop off your sample at the Sidney location during the hours above. Bring the completed form with the sample.
- Contact the lab if you are unsure. Call 250-656-1334 or email [email protected] to confirm sample container, volume or handling requirements for your specific test before you collect the sample.
- Review results using their "Interpreting Your Results" guidance if the numbers need context.
A concrete scenario
If you manage a small water system or a private well and want a routine check, complete the Chain of Custody with your site details and the tests you need, then drop the sample off on a weekday morning. If you are shipping from outside the area, call first to confirm whether mailing or courier is accepted and how the sample should be preserved, since drop-off hours and basic information requirements are the only submission details stated on the page.
Next step
Open the Chain of Custody form under Tools & Information on MB Laboratories Ltd, fill it in, and call 250-656-1334 if any field or test selection is unclear.
What cannabis and hemp tests does MB Labs offer for licensed producers?
MB Labs lists cannabis and hemp as a dedicated testing category and states it is one of few Canadian labs fully certified and accredited to perform legal testing for medical cannabis and hemp. For licensed producers, that means the lab is set up for the compliance-oriented testing that legal cannabis and hemp products require in Canada, rather than general-purpose analysis alone.
What the site confirms
- A distinct Cannabis & Hemp service line, separate from water/environmental, food safety, and agricultural testing.
- Certification and accreditation for legal medical cannabis and hemp testing.
- A Chain of Custody form, which the site describes as the normal way samples are submitted, capturing who you are, the sample description or lot number, and which tests you want.
- Sample drop-off Monday to Friday, 8:30am–4:30pm PT, with some basic information required.
- Support materials on how to submit samples and how to interpret results.
H3. What to do next MB Labs does not list its individual cannabis and hemp test menu, methods, or turnaround times on the pages shown. Licensed producers should contact the lab directly — 250-656-1334 or [email protected] — and ask for the current cannabis and hemp test list, accreditation scope, sample volume requirements, and turnaround times before building it into a release-testing schedule.
If you are comparing labs, the practical criteria are whether the specific tests you need fall inside the lab's accredited scope, how samples are transported and received, and whether reporting format and turnaround fit your production and release cycle. MB Labs' published emphasis on chain of custody and result interpretation suggests it is oriented toward clients who need documented, defensible results rather than quick informal checks.
How do I interpret the results from my MB Labs test report?
MB Labs points clients to its own "Interpreting Your Results" and "Learning Centre" pages under Tools & Information, and describes a chain-of-custody form as the document that records who you are, the sample description and lot number, and which tests you requested. Start by matching your report back to that form: the sample ID, lot number and requested test panel tell you what the numbers actually refer to.
What to check first on any lab report
- Sample identity and date. Confirm the sample ID, description/lot number and the date received match your submission. A result is only meaningful for the material actually logged in.
- Test name and method. Each row should name the analyte or parameter and the method used. Different methods can produce different detection limits, so don't compare numbers across methods.
- Units and basis. Check whether results are reported per gram, per millilitre, per kilogram, dry weight or as-is. A moisture or dry-weight basis can change how you read the same figure.
- Detection and reporting limits. "Not detected" usually means below the laboratory's reporting limit, not proof of zero. The limit itself matters for judging whether a result is meaningful for your purpose.
- Accreditation scope. MB Labs states it is an accredited laboratory, and for cannabis and hemp it says it is one of few labs in Canada fully certified and accredited for legal testing. Accreditation applies to specific tests, so check that the test you care about falls within the accredited scope if you need a defensible result.
- Pass/fail or specification column. If the report includes a limit or specification, read the result against that limit rather than against a number from a different product or jurisdiction.
A practical example
Suppose you submit a hemp flower sample for potency and a contaminant screen. Your report shows a potency figure with units and a moisture basis, and a contaminant row marked "ND" with a reporting limit. The correct reading is: potency applies to the sample as logged, and the contaminant was below the stated limit at that method's sensitivity. It is not a guarantee of absence, and it does not tell you whether the result meets a buyer's or regulator's specification, which may use a different limit.
When to ask the lab directly
Contact MB Labs when the report is ambiguous, when you need the uncertainty of measurement, when a result is near a limit, or when you need to know whether a specific test is within their accredited scope. Their published contact details are phone 250-656-1334, email [email protected], and address 2062 West Henry Ave, Sidney BC; sample drop-off is accepted Monday–Friday, 8:30am–4:30pm PT.
For general context on laboratory reporting conventions, the following may help: ISO. For Canadian accreditation information, see Standards Council of Canada.
Next step: open MB Labs' "Interpreting Your Results" and "Learning Centre" pages, then compare your report line by line against your chain-of-custody form before drawing conclusions.
What are the payment options and turnaround times for MB Labs testing services?
MB Labs lists a dedicated Payment Information page, but the site information available here doesn't spell out which payment methods it accepts, so the reliable move is to confirm directly with the lab before sending a sample. What the site does make clear: samples are accepted Monday–Friday, 8:30am–4:30pm PT, and a chain of custody form is the normal way to submit samples and specify the tests you want. Turnaround times are not published in the material provided, so ask when you request your quote or drop-off.
H3 Practical steps for a fast, predictable result
- Call 250-656-1334 or email [email protected] and ask two questions: accepted payment methods, and the current turnaround for your specific test category.
- Ask whether turnaround is counted from sample receipt or from when the lab confirms the test panel — this matters if your sample needs shipping.
- Submit a chain of custody form so the lab knows who you are, the sample description/lot number, and exactly which tests to run. Incomplete forms are a common cause of delay.
- If you're on a deadline, ask about rush or expedited options and any conditions attached.
H3 A concrete scenario A small food producer in BC wants microbial results before a scheduled retail shipment. They drop samples off on a Monday morning, include a completed chain of custody form, and ask for the expected report date in writing. If the standard turnaround doesn't fit the shipping date, they can ask about expedited handling rather than assuming it exists.
H3 How to choose your next step
- Routine monitoring: standard turnaround is usually fine; confirm payment method and report format once.
- Deadline-driven testing: confirm turnaround in writing before submitting, and ask what could extend it (repeat runs, confirmation testing, incomplete forms).
- Multiple sample types: ask whether turnaround differs by category — water/environmental, food safety, cannabis & hemp, and agricultural testing may not run on the same schedule.
The lab's own guidance on interpreting results and its learning-centre material are worth reading before you submit, so you know what your report will and won't tell you: MB Laboratories Ltd.
How do I fill out the Chain of Custody form for sample submission?
The Chain of Custody (CoC) form is the document that tells the lab who you are, what each sample is, and which tests you want. MB Laboratories describes it as the normal way people submit samples, not just for cannabis, and notes that samples are accepted Monday–Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. PT with some basic information required. The form itself is available from the lab's Tools & Information section: MB Laboratories Ltd.
What to put on the form
- Submitter details: your name, company, and contact information so results can be returned and any queries traced back to you.
- Sample identification: a clear description and lot number for each sample, exactly as MB Labs describes it. This is what links the physical container to the paperwork.
- Tests requested: tick or list the specific analyses you want. If you are unsure which test fits your situation, this is the point to ask before shipping, because the lab cannot guess your intent from the sample alone.
- Dates and signatures: the date of collection or drop-off and a signature releasing the samples to the lab. A signed, dated form is what makes the record a chain of custody rather than a loose note.
Practical steps
- Download the current CoC form from the lab's Tools & Information page rather than reusing an old copy, since test menus and requirements change.
- Fill it in before you pack the samples, and use one line per sample so nothing is merged or missed.
- Label each container to match the form exactly. A mismatch between label and paperwork is the most common cause of delay.
- Bring or ship the form with the samples during the stated drop-off hours.
- Keep a copy for your own records, then check the lab's "Interpreting Your Results" guidance when results arrive.
If your submission is cannabis or hemp, confirm the current requirements with the lab directly, since legal testing in that category carries additional documentation beyond a standard CoC. For anything unusual, a quick call or email before submitting will save a resubmission later.
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