February 26, 2015
Ottawa
Natural Resources Canada
The Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, today announced that the Energy Safety and Security Act has received Royal Assent.
The Act will enhance safety and security in Canada’s offshore petroleum and nuclear energy industries to ensure that Canadians continue to have a world-class regime that is accountable, responsive and transparent and works to prevent incidents. The legislation enshrines the “polluter pays” principle into law by implementing an absolute liability limit of $1 billion for offshore petroleum and nuclear companies.
The federal government manages offshore oil and gas resources jointly with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Province of Nova Scotia in each Atlantic offshore area. Both provinces were key partners in developing the offshore petroleum elements of the new Act. The Government of Canada will coordinate the Act’s entry into force with these provinces.
Greg Rickford
Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
Alexandra Lemieux
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister
Natural Resources Canada
613-996-2007
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