Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act (S.C. 1988, c. 28)

Marginal note:Storage and removal

• 197.2 (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

• 198 (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

  (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, in the manner prescribed, to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia for review, and the Chief Safety Officer shall do so.

• Marginal note:Inquiry

  (6) The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia shall inquire into the need for the order.

• Marginal note:Burden of proof

  (7) Where an order has been referred to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia 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:Supreme Court judge’s decision conclusive

  (8) The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia may confirm or set aside the order, and the decision of that Court 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 the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia pursuant to this section.

Marginal note:Priority

198.1 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

• 198.2 (1) Every holder of an authorization under paragraph 142(1)(b) with respect to 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

• 199 (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 142(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 159(1) by reason of committing waste as defined in paragraph 159(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.