An Act to amend the Weights and Measures Act, the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act, the Weights and Measures Regulations and the Electricity and Gas Inspection Regulations
Bill S-3 proposes amendments to the Weights and Measures Act and the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act, and to regulations under both Acts. No separate short title is provided in the supplied text. Its stated goal is to clarify and update inspection and enforcement powers; it does not guarantee more accurate measurements. The bill is not shown as in force, and most changes would start only on dates set by the Governor in Council.
The Minister could authorize entities to calibrate and certify reference standards. Examinations of devices and meters could use sampling, with results applied to other devices or meters of the same class, type or design according to public directions.
Inspectors would have expanded powers to enter places, including remotely, examine or test things, access and copy data, seize certain items, and order people to provide assistance or take steps to remedy or prevent a contravention. Different limits apply to homes, and electricity and gas inspectors could not seize a meter in service.
The president under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act could permit meters to enter service temporarily or indefinitely without approval, verification or sealing, or permit them to remain in service without reverification or resealing. The president could also exempt contractors from provisions of the Act or regulations, subject to conditions and a time limit.
The bill would broaden “meter” to include apparatus used to measure electricity or gas or set the basis for a charge, and would allow authorized service providers to verify, seal, reverify and reseal meters.
The bill would add offences for failing to comply with certain orders or entering an area where an inspector has prohibited or limited access. It would also require reviews of both Acts at least every 10 years.
Traders using weighing or measuring devices: The existing Act’s rule that a device used in trade must be approved and examined would gain a route for temporary permission from the Minister, with any conditions the Minister specifies. An inspector could order measures to remedy or prevent a contravention.
Electricity and gas contractors, purchasers and meter owners: A meter used as the basis for a charge generally could not be put into service without approval and verification and sealing. The president could grant the exceptions described above. Owners would be responsible for keeping verified meters in good repair and meeting the Act’s requirements, and could have to pay fees.
Meter service providers: The president could authorize them to perform listed meter functions. They would have to keep prescribed records. Existing accredited meter verifiers would become authorized service providers under the transition rules.
People and businesses at places inspected: Owners, people in charge and employees would have to provide reasonably required assistance. Home entry would generally require consent or a warrant. Police could stop a vehicle at an inspector’s request and in the inspector’s company.
General public: The bill does not directly set new prices for electricity, gas or goods, or guarantee that every meter or device will be individually examined. Sampling results may be applied to other devices or meters in the same class, type or design.
No publicly available information on the bill’s total public cost is included in the supplied material.
The bill would allow regulations to set fees or charges related to administering and enforcing both Acts. Fees for specified examinations or services would be payable after they are performed and could be recovered as a debt to the Crown.
The bill requires certain staffing and inspection functions, but gives no staffing numbers or cost estimate. Owners and businesses may face fees or costs to meet inspection, record-keeping or corrective-order requirements.
The supplied material does not include the parent Acts or current regulations, so it is not possible to verify how the proposed changes compare with all current rules. It also repeals specified parts and schedules of both regulations, but their contents are not supplied.
The bill leaves important details to future regulations and ministerial directions, including requirements for service providers, procedures and conditions for approvals and exemptions, and how sampling is conducted.
It does not set a general application process, decision timelines or appeal process for the new permissions and exemptions. Some suspension and cancellation decisions do require notice and a reasonable opportunity to make representations.
The start dates depend on orders of the Governor in Council; the supplied text gives no dates.
The bill does not estimate how often inspectors would use the new powers, or how the costs would be divided among government, businesses and meter owners.
The bill appears intended to give officials clearer tools to check compliance and address likely or actual contraventions.
Sampling could let officials apply examination results to similar devices or meters, rather than examine each one individually, under public directions.
A possible argument for temporary permissions and exemptions is that they allow flexibility where the president or Minister sets conditions; the bill also provides a chance to make representations before specified permissions or certificates are suspended or revoked.
Inspectors would receive broad powers, including access to data, seizure of items and orders to people. The bill does not set out detailed limits or review procedures for every use of those powers.
Sampling results may apply to devices or meters that were not individually examined. The bill leaves the circumstances and methods to ministerial directions.
The president and Minister could grant broad exceptions, including indefinite permission for meters to be in service without approval, verification or sealing. The bill does not explain how often these powers would be used or how their effects would be monitored.
New fees, staffing needs and business costs may arise, but the supplied material gives no estimate.