Oceans Act (S.C. 1996, c. 31)

Marginal note:Limitation period

39.92 Proceedings by way of summary conviction in respect of an offence may be commenced not later than five years after the day on which the offence was committed.

Marginal note:Procedure

• 39.93 (1) In addition to the procedures set out in the Criminal Code for commencing a proceeding, proceedings in respect of any offence prescribed by the regulations may be commenced by an enforcement officer

  • (a) completing a ticket that consists of a summons portion and an information portion;

  • (b) delivering the summons portion to the accused or mailing it to the accused at the accused’s latest known address; and

  • (c) filing the information portion with a court of competent jurisdiction before the summons portion has been delivered or mailed or as soon as is practicable afterward.

• Marginal note:Content of ticket

  (2) The summons and information portions of the ticket must

  • (a) set out a description of the offence and the time and place of its alleged commission;

  • (b) include a statement, signed by the enforcement officer who completes the ticket, that the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the accused committed the offence;

  • (c) set out the amount of the fine prescribed by the regulations for the offence and the manner in which and period within which it may be paid;

  • (d) include a statement that if the accused pays the fine within the period set out in the ticket, a conviction will be entered and recorded against the accused; and

  • (e) include a statement that if the accused wishes to plead not guilty or for any other reason fails to pay the fine within the period set out in the ticket, the accused must appear in the court on the day and at the time set out in the ticket.

• Marginal note:Notice of forfeiture

  (3) Where a thing is seized under this Act and proceedings relating to it are commenced by way of the ticketing procedure, the enforcement officer who completes the ticket shall give written notice to the accused that, if the accused pays the fine prescribed by the regulations within the period set out in the ticket, the thing, or any proceeds of its disposition, will be immediately forfeited to Her Majesty.

• Marginal note:Consequences of payment

  (4) Where an accused to whom the summons portion of a ticket is delivered or mailed pays the prescribed fine within the period set out in the ticket,

  • (a) the payment constitutes a plea of guilty to the offence and a conviction must be entered against the accused and no further action may be taken against the accused in respect of that offence; and

  • (b) notwithstanding section 39.3, any thing seized from the accused under this Act that relates to the offence, or any proceeds of its disposition, are forfeited to

    • (i) Her Majesty in right of Canada, if the thing was seized by an enforcement officer employed in the federal public administration, or

    • (ii) Her Majesty in right of a province, if the thing was seized by an enforcement officer employed by the government of that province.

• Marginal note:Regulations

  (5) The Governor in Council may make regulations prescribing

  • (a) offences in respect of which this section applies and the manner in which the offences are to be described in tickets; and

  • (b) the amount of the fine for a prescribed offence, but the amount may not exceed $2,000.

PART IIIPowers, Duties and Functions of the Minister

General

Marginal note:Powers, duties and functions of the Minister

• 40 (1) As the Minister responsible for oceans, the powers, duties and functions of the Minister extend to and include all matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction, not assigned by law to any other department, board or agency of the Government of Canada, relating to the policies and programs of the Government of Canada respecting oceans.

• Marginal note:Encouragement of activities

  (2) For the purpose of subsection (1), the Minister shall encourage activities necessary to foster understanding, management and sustainable development of oceans and marine resources and the provision of coast guard and hydrographic services to ensure the facilitation of marine trade, commerce and safety in collaboration with other ministers of the Government of Canada.

Coast Guard Services

Marginal note:Coast guard services

• 41 (1) As the Minister responsible for coast guard services, the powers, duties and functions of the Minister extend to and include all matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction, not assigned by law to any other department, board or agency of the Government of Canada, relating to

  • (a) services for the safe, economical and efficient movement of ships in Canadian waters through the provision of

    • (i) aids to navigation systems and services,

    • (ii) marine communications and traffic management services,

    • (iii) ice breaking and ice management services, and

    • (iv) channel maintenance;

  • (b) the marine component of the federal search and rescue program;

  • (c) response to wrecks and hazardous or dilapidated ships;

  • (d) marine pollution response; and

  • (e) the support of departments, boards and agencies of the Government of Canada through the provision of ships, aircraft and other marine services.

• Marginal note:Cost effective

  (2) The Minister shall ensure that the services referred to in subparagraphs (1)(a)(i) to (iv) are provided in a cost effective manner.

Marine Sciences

Marginal note:Functions

42 In exercising the powers and performing the duties and functions assigned by paragraph 4(1)(c) of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Act, the Minister may

• (a) collect data for the purpose of understanding oceans and their living resources and ecosystems;

• (b) conduct hydrographic and oceanographic surveys of Canadian and other waters;

• (c) conduct marine scientific surveys relating to fisheries resources and their supporting habitat and ecosystems;

• (d) conduct basic and applied research related to hydrography, oceanography and other marine sciences, including the study of fish and their supporting habitat and ecosystems;

• (e) carry out investigations for the purpose of understanding oceans and their living resources and ecosystems;

• (f) prepare and publish data, reports, statistics, charts, maps, plans, sections and other documents;

• (g) authorize the distribution or sale of data, reports, statistics, charts, maps, plans, sections and other documents;

• (h) prepare in collaboration with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, publish and authorize the distribution or sale of charts delineating, consistently with the nature and scale of the charts, all or part of the territorial sea of Canada, the contiguous zone of Canada, the exclusive economic zone of Canada and the fishing zones of Canada and adjacent waters;

• (i) participate in ocean technology development; and

• (j) conduct studies to obtain traditional ecological knowledge for the purpose of understanding oceans and their living resources and ecosystems.

Marginal note:Powers

43 Subject to section 4 of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Act respecting the powers, duties and functions of the Minister in relation to matters mentioned in that section over which Parliament has jurisdiction, the Minister

• (a) is responsible for coordinating, promoting and recommending national policies and programs with respect to fisheries science, hydrography, oceanography and other marine sciences;

• (b) in carrying out his or her responsibilities under this section, may

  • (i) conduct or cooperate with persons conducting applied and basic research programs and investigations and economic studies for the purpose of understanding oceans and their living resources and ecosystems, and

  • (ii) for that purpose maintain and operate ships, research institutes, laboratories and other facilities for research, surveying and monitoring for the purpose of understanding oceans and their living resources and ecosystems; and

• (c) may provide marine scientific advice, services and support to the Government of Canada and, on behalf of the Government, to the governments of the provinces, to other states, to international organizations and to other persons.

Marginal note:Marine scientific research by foreign ships

44 The Minister may

• (a) request the Minister of Foreign Affairs to attach to a consent of the Minister of Foreign Affairs under paragraph 3(2)(c) of the Coasting Trade Act a condition that the foreign ship or non-duty paid ship supply the Minister with the results of the marine scientific research conducted by that ship in waters that form part of Canada or in which Canada has sovereign rights under international law; and

• (b) establish guidelines, not inconsistent with Canada’s international obligations, for use by foreign ships and non-duty paid ships in conducting marine scientific research in waters that form part of Canada or in which Canada has sovereign rights under international law.

Marginal note:Minister’s powers

45 As the Minister responsible for hydrographic services, the powers, duties and functions of the Minister extend to and include all matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction, not assigned by law to any other department, board or agency of the Government of Canada, relating to

• (a) setting standards and establishing guidelines for use by hydrographers and others in collecting data and preparing charts on behalf of the Minister; and

• (b) providing hydrographic advice, services and support to the Government of Canada and, on behalf of the Government, to the governments of the provinces, to other states, to international organizations and to other persons.

Marginal note:Entry on lands

46 A hydrographer may, for the purpose of conducting a hydrographic survey on behalf of the Minister, enter on or pass over the lands of any person, but shall take all reasonable precautions to avoid causing any damage in doing so.

Fees

Marginal note:Fees for services or use of facilities

• 47 (1) The Minister may, subject to any regulations that the Treasury Board may make for the purposes of this section, fix the fees to be paid for a service or the use of a facility provided under this Act by the Minister, the Department or any board or agency of the Government of Canada for which the Minister has responsibility.

• Marginal note:Amount not to exceed cost

  (2) Fees for a service or the use of a facility that are fixed under subsection (1) may not exceed the cost to Her Majesty in right of Canada of providing the service or the use of the facility.

Marginal note:Fees for products, rights and privileges

48 The Minister may, subject to any regulations that the Treasury Board may make for the purposes of this section, fix fees in respect of products, rights and privileges provided under this Act by the Minister, the Department or any board or agency of the Government of Canada for which the Minister has responsibility.

Marginal note:Fees in respect of regulatory processes, etc.

• 49 (1) The Minister may, subject to any regulations that the Treasury Board may make for the purposes of this section, fix fees in respect of regulatory processes or approvals provided under this Act by the Minister, the Department or any board or agency of the Government of Canada for which the Minister has responsibility.

• Marginal note:Amount

  (2) Fees that are fixed under subsection (1) shall in the aggregate not exceed an amount sufficient to compensate Her Majesty in right of Canada for any reasonable outlays incurred by Her Majesty for the purpose of providing the regulatory processes or approvals.

Marginal note:Consultation

• 50 (1) Before fixing a fee under this Act, the Minister shall consult with such persons or bodies as the Minister considers to be interested in the matter.

• Marginal note:Publication

  (2) The Minister shall, within 30 days after fixing a fee under this Act, publish the fee in the Canada Gazette and by such appropriate electronic or other means that the Treasury Board may authorize by regulation.

• Marginal note:Reference to Scrutiny Committee

  (3) Any fee fixed under this Act shall stand referred to the Committee referred to in section 19 of the Statutory Instruments Act to be reviewed and scrutinized as if it were a statutory instrument.

Marginal note:Power to make regulations

51 The Treasury Board may make regulations for the purposes of section 47, 48, 49 or 50.

Marginal note:Review

• 52 (1) The administration of this Act shall, within three years after the coming into force of this section, be reviewed by the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.

• Marginal note:Report to Parliament

  (2) The Committee shall undertake a comprehensive review of the provisions and operation of this Act, including the consequences of its implementation, and shall, within a year after the review is undertaken or within such further time as the House of Commons may authorize, submit a report to Parliament thereon including a statement of any changes to this Act or its administration that the Committee would recommend.

Marginal note:Regulations

52.1 The Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister, make regulations for carrying out the purposes and provisions of this Act and, in particular, but without restricting the generality of the foregoing, may make regulations

• (a) prescribing marine environmental quality requirements and standards;

• (b) respecting the powers and duties of persons designated by the Minister as enforcement officers; and

• (c) respecting the implementation of provisions of agreements made under this Act.

Conditional Amendments

53 [Amendments]

Repeals

54 and 55 [Repeals]

Related Amendments

56 to 108 [Amendments]

Coming into Force

Marginal note:Coming into force

Footnote ^*109 This Act or any of its provisions, other than section 53, comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.

• Return to footnote ^*[Note: Act, except section 53, in force January 31, 1997, see SI/97-21.]