S-3 (45-1) - 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
Chamber
senate
Stage
3rd Reading
Introduced
Oct 28, 2025
Progress
This bill updates rules for inspecting and regulating measuring devices like scales, electricity meters, and gas meters in Canada.
Key Changes
- Inspectors can now enter places remotely via telecommunications and are considered to have 'entered' a place when doing so
- Sampling methods can now be used to test and certify entire classes or types of devices, rather than inspecting each one individually
- Inspectors and the Minister gain new powers to order corrective or preventive measures when a violation has occurred or is likely to occur
- The definition of 'meter' is expanded to include software, and 'accredited meter verifiers' are renamed 'authorized service providers'
- The Minister can grant temporary permission for unapproved devices to be used in trade, and the president can grant exemptions to contractors
- Both Acts now require a mandatory review every 10 years, with a report tabled in Parliament
Gotchas
- Ministerial directions issued under several new provisions are explicitly exempt from the Statutory Instruments Act, meaning they do not go through the normal regulatory review and publication process
- Inspectors can now access places remotely via telecommunications, which raises questions about the scope of remote surveillance powers and privacy
- Sampling-based verification allows test results from a sample of devices to be applied to an entire class or type, which could mean individual devices are never directly inspected
- The bill's coming-into-force provisions are split into four separate Governor in Council orders, meaning different parts of the law could take effect at different times
- Transitional provisions ensure that existing approvals, verifications, and personnel designations remain valid after the law changes, providing continuity for industry
Who's Affected
- Retailers and traders who use commercial weighing or measuring devices
- Electricity and gas utility companies and contractors
- Authorized service providers (formerly accredited meter verifiers) who verify and seal meters
- Consumers who are billed based on electricity or gas meter readings
- Federal inspectors and the Minister of Industry
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- Ministerial directions issued under several new provisions are explicitly exempt from the Statutory Instruments Act, meaning they do not go through the normal regulatory review and publication process
- Inspectors can now access places remotely via telecommunications, which raises questions about the scope of remote surveillance powers and privacy
- Sampling-based verification allows test results from a sample of devices to be applied to an entire class or type, which could mean individual devices are never directly inspected
- The bill's coming-into-force provisions are split into four separate Governor in Council orders, meaning different parts of the law could take effect at different times
- Transitional provisions ensure that existing approvals, verifications, and personnel designations remain valid after the law changes, providing continuity for industry
Summary
Bill S-3 modernizes two older federal laws — the Weights and Measures Act and the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act — which govern how measuring devices used in commercial transactions (like store scales, gas pumps, and electricity/gas meters) are approved, inspected, and maintained. The bill clarifies and expands the powers of the Minister of Industry and government inspectors, allowing them to enter places (including remotely via telecommunications), order corrective actions, use sampling methods to test devices, and take preventive measures against potential violations. The bill also renames the 'director' role in the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act to 'president,' replaces 'accredited meter verifiers' with 'authorized service providers,' and broadens the definition of 'meter' to include software components. It gives the president new powers to grant exemptions, suspend or revoke approvals, and issue directions to service providers. The bill was introduced to modernize outdated legislation, improve regulatory flexibility, and align enforcement tools with current technology and practices — including remote inspection and digital data access.
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Vibes
0 responses