Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act (S.C. 1987, c. 3)

Marginal note:Certificate to be produced

190 The Board shall provide every operational safety officer and conservation officer and the Chief Safety Officer and the Chief Conservation Officer with a certificate of appointment or designation and, on entering any place under the authority of this Part, the officer shall, if so required, produce the certificate to the person in charge of the place.

Marginal note:Assistance to officers

• 191 (1) The owner of, and every person in charge of, a place entered by an operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer under subsection 189(2), and every person found in that place, shall give all assistance that is reasonably required to enable the officer to verify compliance with this Part and provide any documents, data or information that are reasonably required for that purpose.

• Marginal note:Transportation, accommodation and food

  (2) If the place referred to in subsection 189(2) is a marine installation or structure, as defined in subsection 205.001(1), the person in charge of the marine installation or structure shall provide to the officer, and to every individual accompanying the officer, free of charge,

  • (a) suitable transportation between the usual point of embarkation on shore and the marine installation or structure, between the marine installation or structure and the usual point of disembarkation on shore, and between marine installations or structures, if the marine installation or structure or marine installations or structures are situated in the offshore area; and

  • (b) suitable accommodation and food at the marine installation or structure.

Marginal note:Obstruction of officers and making of false statements

192 No person shall obstruct or hinder, or make a false or misleading statement either orally or in writing to, an operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer while the officer is engaged in carrying out his or her duties or functions under this Part.

Marginal note:Authority to issue warrant

• 192.1 (1) On ex parte application, a justice of the peace may issue a warrant if the justice is satisfied by information on oath that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there is in any place anything that will provide evidence or information relating to the commission of an offence under this Part.

• Marginal note:Powers under warrant

  (2) The warrant may authorize an operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer, and any other individual named in the warrant, to at any time enter and search the place and to seize anything specified in the warrant, or do any of the following as specified in it, subject to any conditions that may be specified in it:

  • (a) conduct examinations, tests or monitoring;

  • (b) take samples for examination or testing, and dispose of those samples; or

  • (c) take photographs or measurements, make recordings or drawings, or use systems in the place that capture images.

• Marginal note:Where warrant not necessary

  (3) An operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer may exercise the powers described in this section without a warrant if the conditions for obtaining the warrant exist but by reason of exigent circumstances it would not be feasible to obtain one.

• Marginal note:Exigent circumstances

  (4) Exigent circumstances include circumstances in which the delay necessary to obtain the warrant would result in danger to human life or the environment or the loss or destruction of evidence.

• Marginal note:Operation of computer system and copying equipment

  (5) An individual authorized under this section to search a computer system in a place may

  • (a) use or cause to be used any computer system at the place to search any data contained in or available to the computer system;

  • (b) reproduce or cause to be reproduced any data in the form of a printout or other intelligible output;

  • (c) seize any printout or other output for examination or copying; and

  • (d) use or cause to be used any copying equipment at the place to make copies of the data.

• Marginal note:Duty of person in charge of place

  (6) Every person who is in charge of a place in respect of which a search is carried out under this section shall, on presentation of the warrant, permit the individual carrying out the search to do anything described in subsection (5).

• Marginal note:Transportation, accommodation and food

  (7) The person in charge of a marine installation or structure, as defined in subsection 205.001(1), shall provide to an individual who is executing a warrant under this section at the marine installation or structure, free of charge,

  • (a) suitable return transportation between the marine installation or structure and any location from which transportation services to that marine installation or structure are usually provided, and between marine installations or structures, if the marine installation or structure or marine installations or structures are situated in the offshore area; and

  • (b) suitable accommodation and food at the marine installation or structure.

• Marginal note:Telewarrant provisions to apply

  (8) A warrant may be issued under this section by telephone or other means of telecommunication on information submitted by an operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer by one of those means, and section 487.1 of the Criminal Code applies for that purpose, with any modifications that the circumstances require.

Marginal note:Storage and removal

• 192.2 (1) A thing seized under this Part may be stored in the place where it was seized or may, at the discretion of an operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer, be removed to any other place for storage. The owner of the thing or the person who is lawfully entitled to possess it shall pay the costs of storage or removal.

• Marginal note:Perishable things

  (2) If the thing seized is perishable, an operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer may destroy the thing, or otherwise dispose of it in any manner the officer considers appropriate. Any proceeds realized from its disposition shall be paid to the Receiver General.

Marginal note:Power of operational safety officer

• 193 (1) If an operational safety officer or the Chief Safety Officer, on reasonable grounds, is of the opinion that continuation of an operation in relation to the exploration or drilling for or the production, conservation, processing or transportation of petroleum in any portion of the offshore area is likely to result in serious bodily injury, the operational safety officer or Chief Safety Officer, as the case may be, may order that the operation cease or be continued only in accordance with the terms of the order.

• Marginal note:Notice

  (2) The officer who makes an order under subsection (1) shall affix at or near the scene of the operation a notice of the order in prescribed form.

• Marginal note:Expiry of order

  (3) An order made by an operational safety officer under subsection (1) expires 72 hours after it is made unless it is confirmed before that time by order of the Chief Safety Officer.

• Marginal note:Modification or revocation

  (4) Immediately after an operational safety officer makes an order under subsection (1), they shall advise the Chief Safety Officer accordingly, and the Chief Safety Officer may modify or revoke the order.

• Marginal note:Reference to provincial court judge

  (5) The person carrying out the operation to which an order under subsection (1) makes reference or any person having a pecuniary interest in that operation may by notice in writing request the Chief Safety Officer to refer it to a provincial court judge for review, and thereupon the Chief Safety Officer shall refer the order to a provincial court judge having jurisdiction in the area closest to that in which the operation is being carried on.

• Marginal note:Inquiry by a provincial court judge

  (6) A provincial court judge to whom an order is referred pursuant to this section shall inquire into the need for the order and for that purpose has all the powers of a commissioner under Part I of the Inquiries Act.

• Marginal note:Burden of proof

  (7) Where an order has been referred to a provincial court judge pursuant to this section, the burden of establishing that the order is not needed is on the person who requested that the order be so referred.

• Marginal note:Provincial court judge’s decision conclusive

  (8) A provincial court judge to whom an order is referred pursuant to this section may confirm or set aside the order and the decision of the provincial court judge is final and conclusive.

• Marginal note:Operations in respect of which order made

  (9) No person shall continue an operation in respect of which an order has been made pursuant to this section, except in accordance with the terms of the order or until the order has been set aside by a provincial court judge pursuant to this section.

Marginal note:Priority

193.1 An order made by an operational safety officer or the Chief Safety Officer prevails over an order made by a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer to the extent of any inconsistency between the orders.

Installation Manager

Marginal note:Installation manager

• 193.2 (1) Every holder of an authorization under paragraph 138(1)(b) in respect of a work or activity for which a prescribed installation is to be used shall put in command of the installation a manager who meets any prescribed qualifications, and the installation manager is responsible for the safety of the installation and the persons at it.

• Marginal note:Powers

  (2) Subject to this Act and any other Act of Parliament, an installation manager has the power to do such things as are required to ensure the safety of the installation and the persons at it, and, more particularly, may

  • (a) give orders to any person who is at the installation;

  • (b) order that any person who is at the installation be restrained or removed; and

  • (c) obtain any information or documents.

• Marginal note:Emergency

  (3) In a prescribed emergency situation, an installation manager’s powers are extended so that they also apply to each person in charge of a vessel, vehicle or aircraft that is at the installation or that is leaving or approaching it.

Offences and Penalties

Marginal note:Offences

• 194 (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) contravenes this Part or the regulations;

  • (b) makes any false entry or statement in any report, record or document required by this Part or the regulations or by any order made under this Part or the regulations;

  • (c) destroys, mutilates or falsifies any report or other document required by this Part or the regulations or by any order made under this Part or the regulations;

  • (d) produces any petroleum from a pool or field under the terms of a unit agreement within the meaning of Division II, or any amended unit agreement, before the unit agreement or amended unit agreement is filed with the Chief Conservation Officer;

  • (e) undertakes or carries on a work or activity without an authorization under paragraph 138(1)(b) or without complying with the approvals or requirements, determined by the Board in accordance with the provisions of this Part or granted or prescribed by regulations made under this Part, of an authorization issued under that paragraph; or

  • (f) fails to comply with a direction, requirement or order of an operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer or with an order of an installation manager or the Committee.

• Marginal note:Punishment

  (2) Every person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable

  • (a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to both; or

  • (b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding one million dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to both.

• Marginal note:Sentencing principles

  (3) In addition to the principles and factors that the court is otherwise required to consider, including those set out in sections 718.1 to 718.21 of the Criminal Code, the court shall consider the following principles when sentencing a person who is found guilty of an offence under this Part:

  • (a) the amount of the fine should be increased to account for every aggravating factor associated with the offence, including the aggravating factors set out in subsection (4); and

  • (b) the amount of the fine should reflect the gravity of each aggravating factor associated with the offence.

• Marginal note:Aggravating factors

  (4) The aggravating factors are the following:

  • (a) the offence caused harm or risk of harm to human health or safety;

  • (b) the offence caused damage or risk of damage to the environment or to environmental quality;

  • (c) the offence caused damage or risk of damage to any unique, rare, particularly important or vulnerable component of the environment;

  • (d) the damage or harm caused by the offence is extensive, persistent or irreparable;

  • (e) the offender committed the offence intentionally or recklessly;

  • (f) the offender failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the commission of the offence;

  • (g) by committing the offence or failing to take action to prevent its commission, the offender increased their revenue or decreased their costs or intended to increase their revenue or decrease their costs;

  • (h) the offender has a history of non-compliance with federal or provincial legislation that relates to safety or environmental conservation or protection; and

  • (i) after the commission of the offence, the offender

    • (i) attempted to conceal its commission,

    • (ii) failed to take prompt action to prevent, mitigate or remediate its effects, or

    • (iii) failed to take prompt action to reduce the risk of committing similar offences in the future.

• Marginal note:Absence of aggravating factor

  (4.1) The absence of an aggravating factor set out in subsection (4) is not a mitigating factor.

• Meaning of damage

  (4.2) For the purposes of paragraphs (4)(b) to (d), damage includes loss of use value and non-use value.

• Marginal note:Reasons

  (4.3) If the court is satisfied of the existence of one or more of the aggravating factors set out in subsection (4) but decides not to increase the amount of the fine because of that factor, the court shall give reasons for that decision.

• Marginal note:Due diligence defence

  (4.4) No person shall be found guilty of an offence under this Part if they establish that they exercised due diligence to prevent the commission of the offence.

• Marginal note:Presumption against waste

  (5) No person commits an offence under subsection 154(1) by reason of committing waste as defined in paragraph 154(2)(f) or (g) unless that person has been ordered by the Committee to take measures to prevent the waste and has failed to comply.