Marginal note:Certificate to be produced

195. 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

• 196. (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 194(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 194(2) is a marine installation or structure, as defined in subsection 210.001(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

197. 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

• 197.1 (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 210.001(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

• 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: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.

• 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.

Marginal note:Offence by officers, etc., of corporation

• 200. (1) If a corporation commits an offence under this Part, any of the following individuals who directed, authorized, assented to, acquiesced in or participated in the commission of the offence is a party to and guilty of the offence and is liable on conviction to the punishment provided for the offence, whether or not the corporation has been prosecuted or convicted:

  • (a) an officer, director or agent of the corporation; and

  • (b) any other individual exercising managerial or supervisory functions in the corporation.

• Marginal note:Offence by employee or agent

  (2) In a prosecution for an offence under this Part, it is sufficient proof of the offence to establish that it was committed by an employee or agent of the accused, whether or not the employee or agent is identified or has been prosecuted for the offence.

Marginal note:Imprisonment precluded in certain cases

200.1 If an individual is convicted of an offence under this Part on proceedings by way of summary conviction, no imprisonment may be imposed in default of payment of any fine imposed as punishment.

Marginal note:Orders of court

• 200.2 (1) If a person is convicted of an offence under this Part, the court may, having regard to the nature of the offence and the circumstances surrounding its commission, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed under this Part, make an order that has any or all of the following effects:

  • (a) prohibiting the offender from committing an act or engaging in an activity that may, in the opinion of the court, result in the continuation or repetition of the offence;

  • (b) directing the offender to take any measures that the court considers appropriate to avoid any injury or damage that may result from the act or omission that constituted the offence, or to remedy any injury or damage resulting from it;

  • (c) directing the offender, at the offender’s own expense, to publish, in any manner that the court directs, the facts relating to the offence;

  • (d) directing the offender to submit to the Chief Safety Officer, on application by the Chief Safety Officer within three years after the conviction, any information with respect to the offender’s activities that the court considers appropriate in the circumstances;

  • (e) directing the offender to pay to the Board an amount of money that the court considers appropriate for the purpose of conducting research, education and training in matters related to the protection of the environment, conservation of petroleum resources or safety of petroleum operations;

  • (f) directing the offender to perform community service, subject to any reasonable conditions that may be imposed by the court;

  • (g) directing the offender to post a bond or pay an amount of money into court that the court considers appropriate to ensure that the offender complies with any prohibition, direction, requirement or condition that is specified in the order; and

  • (h) requiring the offender to comply with any conditions that the court considers appropriate in the circumstances for securing the offender’s good conduct and for preventing the offender from repeating the same offence or committing another offence under this Part.

• Marginal note:Coming into force and duration of order

  (2) An order made under subsection (1) comes into force on the day on which the order is made or on any other day that the court may determine, but shall not continue in force for more than three years after that day.

• Marginal note:Publication

  (3) If an offender does not comply with an order under paragraph (1)(c) requiring the publication of facts relating to the offence, the Chief Safety Officer may publish the facts and recover the costs of publication from the offender.

Marginal note:Variation of sanctions

• 200.3 (1) Subject to subsection (2), if a court has made, in relation to an offender, an order under subsection 200.2(1), the court may, on application by the offender or the Chief Safety Officer, require the offender to appear before it and, after hearing the offender and the Chief Safety Officer, vary the order in one or more of the following ways that the court considers appropriate because of a change in the circumstances of the offender since the order was made:

  • (a) by making changes to any prohibition, direction, requirement or condition that is specified in the order or by extending the time during which the order is to remain in force for any period, not exceeding one year, that the court considers appropriate; or

  • (b) by decreasing the time during which the order is to remain in force or by relieving the offender, either absolutely or partially or for any period that the court considers appropriate, of compliance with any condition that is specified in the order.

• Marginal note:Notice

  (2) Before making an order under subsection (1), the court may direct that notice be given to any persons that the court considers to be interested and may hear any of those persons.

Marginal note:Subsequent applications with leave

200.4 If an application made under subsection 200.3(1) in relation to an offender has been heard by a court, no other application may be made under section 200.3 section in relation to the offender except with leave of the court.

Marginal note:Recovery of fines and amounts

200.5 If a person is convicted of an offence under this Part and a fine that is imposed is not paid when required or if a court orders an offender to pay an amount under subsection 200.2(1) or 200.3(1), the prosecutor may, by filing the conviction or order, as the case may be, enter as a judgment the amount of the fine or the amount ordered to be paid, and costs, if any, in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, and the judgment is enforceable against the person in the same manner as if it were a judgment rendered against them in that Court in civil proceedings.

Marginal note:Time limited for summary conviction proceedings

204. Proceedings by way of summary conviction for an offence under this Part may be instituted at any time within but no later than three years after the day on which the subject-matter of the proceedings arose, unless the prosecutor and the defendant otherwise agree.

Marginal note:Preuve

205. Dans les poursuites pour infraction à la présente partie et en l’absence de preuve contraire, une copie de tout arrêté ou autre document respectivement pris ou établi en vertu de la présente partie ou de ses règlements et signée par la personne autorisée en vertu de la présente partie ou de ses règlements à le prendre ou à l’établir fait foi, sauf preuve contraire, de son contenu.

Marginal note:Information

207.1 In any proceedings for an offence under this Part

• (a) an information may include more than one offence committed by the same person;

• (b) all those offences may be tried concurrently; and

• (c) one conviction for any or all offences so included may be made.