The original members of CCRA and the senior officials of EMR were successful in convincing the Minister of EMR to establish a coal carbonization laboratory in Canada. The first Laboratory was located at The Mines Branch on Booth Street in Ottawa and centered around a 12 inch pilot coke oven and a newly designed sole heated oven. At first, the operation of the equipment was often performed by personnel from CCRA member companies and later CCRA employed personnel for this purpose.
In 1968, with the help from CCRA members, a new laboratory facility location was chosen at Bells Corners, 20 km west of downtown Ottawa. EMR provided the building facilities and CCRA members supplied much of the carbonization equipment. A showpiece for the new facility was a new 18-inch movable wall pilot oven. A 30-pound coke oven was also part of the new facilities.
In December 1968, the group at the Mines Branch responsible for coal and ironmaking were also relocated to Bells Corners.