Bill S-3 Weights Measures Electricity Gas Inspection Regulations

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S-3 An Act to Amend the Weights and Measures Act, the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act, the Weights and Measures Regulations and the Electricity and Gas Inspection Regulations

Bill Type: Senate Government Bill

Bill Sponsor: Hon. Sen. Pierre Moreau

Status: 2nd Reading — House of Commons. This Bill has passed the Senate and is now being debated in the House of Commons.

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What is this Bill For?

Bill S-3 updates the rules for how measuring devices — like scales, gas meters and electricity meters — are inspected, approved and enforced across Canada. It gives Government and inspectors clearer authority to check that the devices used to measure what you buy (gas, electricity, goods sold by weight) are accurate. It also modernizes how inspections can be done, including by sampling a batch of devices instead of checking each one individually.

WHO GAINS POWER

  • The Minister of Industry gains new authority to approve, suspend or revoke permissions for measuring devices on a temporary basis and to issue written directions for how inspections are conducted.
  • Inspectors gain expanded powers to enter places (including vehicles), seize items, order people to identify themselves, stop operations and remotely access computer systems during compliance checks.
  • The President of the Electricity and Gas Inspection office gains authority to grant exemptions, suspend or revoke approvals and authorizations and oversee a new category of authorized service providers who can verify and seal meters.

WHO LOSES POWER

  • Accredited meter verifiers lose their separate status and are folded into a new "authorized service provider" category — same work, new title, new rules.
  • The Director position under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act is eliminated and replaced by a President.
  • Contractors and device owners face stricter compliance obligations and can be ordered to develop remedial plans if an inspector believes a contravention has occurred or is likely.

WHO GAINS MONEY

  • Government gains the ability to recover fees and charges for inspections as a debt owed to His Majesty — making it easier to collect unpaid inspection costs.
  • Authorized service providers may benefit from a broader scope of work as the new framework expands who can verify and seal meters.

WHO LOSES MONEY

  • Contractors and purchasers remain liable for the full cost of electricity or gas supplied during any period a meter was found to be inaccurate — calculated back to when the error began.
  • Device owners are responsible for keeping verified meters in good repair and paying fees for any required inspections or reverifications.

THE CATCH

⚠️ Ministerial directions not subject to the Statutory Instruments Act — The Minister can issue written directions on how inspections are conducted, how sampling works and what remedial plans must look like — without those directions going through the normal regulatory process. They must be made public, but they are not subject to Parliamentary oversight the way regulations are.

⚠️ Broad inspector entry powers — Inspectors can enter any place, including vehicles, remotely access computer systems and order people to stop operations — all on "reasonable grounds to believe" a regulated activity is occurring. No warrant is required outside a dwelling-house.

⚠️ Governor in Council controls when this comes into force — Most of this Bill does not take effect on Royal Assent. Different sections come into force on separate dates set by Government order, meaning the timeline for implementation is entirely at Government's discretion with no fixed deadline.