Marginal note:Company to report accidents

16. Every company shall, as soon as possible and within at least forty-eight hours after the occurrence on any bridge belonging to the company of any accident attended with serious personal injury to any person using the bridge, or as a result of which the bridge has been broken or so damaged as to render it impassable or unsafe or unfit for immediate use, give notice thereof to the Minister.

Marginal note:Return of accidents twice a year

• 17. (1) Every company shall within one month after January 1 and July 1, in each year, make to the Minister, under the oath of its president, secretary or superintendent, a true and particular return of all accidents and casualties to persons or property that have occurred on any bridge of the company during the respective half years immediately preceding January 1 and July 1, setting out

  • (a) the causes and natures of the accidents and casualties;

  • (b) whether they occurred by night or by day; and

  • (c) the full extent and all the particulars thereof.

• Marginal note:Copy of by-laws

  (2) Every company shall, when making the return required by subsection (1), transmit a true copy of the existing by-laws of the company and of its rules and regulations for the management of the company and of its bridge.

Marginal note:Form of return

18. The Minister may order and direct the form in which returns under section 17 shall be made up, and may, with a view to public safety, in addition to those returns, order and direct any company to make and deliver to the Minister, in such form and manner as the Minister deems necessary and requires for his information, returns of serious accidents occurring in the course of public traffic on any bridge belonging to the company, whether attended with personal injury or not.

Marginal note:Privileged

19. All returns made under section 17 or 18 are privileged communications and shall not be admissible in evidence in any court.

Marginal note:Opening bridge without notice

20. Every company that opens its bridge to the public in contravention of any provision of this Act requiring notice to be given to the Minister shall incur a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars for every day during which the bridge remains open prior to the giving and expiring of the notice.

Marginal note:Opening contrary to order of Minister

21. Every company that opens its bridge for public use contrary to an order of the Minister issued under this Act postponing the time of the opening of the bridge shall incur a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars for every day during which the bridge remains open contrary to the order.