An Act to Amend the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and the Weights and Measures Act

What's New

Measurement Canada is currently working on finalizing the regulations required to implement the Act to Amend the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and the Weights and Measures Act.

Pre-publication of the draft regulations in the Canada Gazette will follow. Once draft regulations are published in the Canada Gazette, they typically come into effect within 12 months.

Highlights of New Law

  • Gives the Government the authority to require that measuring devices subject to the Weights and Measures Act be inspected at regular intervals in eight trade sectors (retail petroleum, downstream petroleum, dairy, retail food, fishing, logging, mining as well as grain and field crops) at this initial stage and possibly additional sectors later;
  • Gives non-government inspectors the authority to perform mandatory examinations (inspections) on behalf of the Minister, pursuant to the Weights and Measures Act, but enforcement activities will remain with government inspectors;
  • Increases court-imposed fines under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and the Weights and Measures Act to $10,000 for minor offences, $25,000 for major offences and up to $50,000 for repeat offences, thus providing greater deterrence against measurement inaccuracy and improved consumer protection; and
  • Introduces Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs) under both the Weights and Measures Act and the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act.

Next Steps

The Act to Amend the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and the Weights and Measures Act received Royal Assent on March 23, 2011 and became law. However, amendments have not yet come into force.

Mandatory examinations (inspections) and administrative monetary penalties will come into force by order of the Governor in Council once the Regulations have been amended. Court-imposed fines under both Acts and the non-government inspector provisions under the Weights and Measures Act can either come into force by the same order of the Governor in Council or at an earlier date determined by a separate order of the Governor in Council.

Measurement Canada consulted with affected stakeholders on proposed regulatory amendments and published a summary of the consultation on proposed amendments to the Electricity and Gas Inspection Regulations and the Weights and Measures Regulations. The consultation period ended on September 9, 2011.

Measurement Canada has carefully studied the comments received from various stakeholders and the rigorous process of drafting the regulations has begun. Pre-publication of the draft regulations in the Canada Gazette will follow.

Additional Information