December 18, 2014
Ottawa
The Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, together with the Honourable Tony Cornect, Minister of Service NL, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Honourable Kelly Regan, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education, Government of Nova Scotia, today announced that new occupational health and safety provisions for Canada’s Atlantic offshore will come into force on December 31, 2014. The federal Offshore Health and Safety Act received Royal Assent on June 19, 2014, with the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador provincial Acts having received Royal Assent in 2013.
The federal and provincial legislation, referred to as the Accord Acts in each offshore area, strengthens Canada’s already robust offshore regulatory system by ensuring the highest standards for worker safety, environmental protection and management of petroleum resources.
The amendments to the Canada-Nova Scotia and the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Accord Acts clarify the roles and responsibilities of operators, governments, employers, employees and regulators. They also provide clear and specific enforcement powers for occupational health and safety and new inspection and investigation provisions. Additionally, the amendments will ensure that the occupational health and safety regime applies to workers in transit to, from or between offshore platforms.
The legislation places clear authority for occupational health and safety within each Accord Act. While occupational health and safety regulations are being developed to support the legislation, transitional regulations will apply.
The legislative amendments are the result of extensive collaboration between the Governments of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board will continue to administer the legislation and regulations on behalf of the federal and provincial governments.
Greg Rickford
Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources
Tony Cornect, Minister of Service NL, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Kelly Regan, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education, Government of Nova Scotia
Natural Resource Canada
Alexandra Lemieux
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister
Natural Resources Canada
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Or
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Newfoundland and Labrador
Vanessa Colman-Sadd
Director of Communications
Service NL
709-729-4860, 682-6593
vanessacolmansadd@gov.nl.ca
Diana Quinton
Director of Communications
Department of Natural Resources
709-729-5282, 631-8155
dianaquinton@gov.nl.ca
Nova Scotia
Kyla Friel
Media Relations Advisor
Department of Energy
902-424-1757
Kyla.friel@novascotia.ca
