Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (S.C. 1999, c. 33)

Marginal note:Exemption from Statutory Instruments Act

331 An interim order made under section 94, 163, 173, 183 or 200.1

• (a) is exempt from the application of sections 3, 5 and 11 of the Statutory Instruments Act; and

• (b) shall be published in the Canada Gazette within 23 days after it is approved by the Governor in Council.

Prepublication Requirements

Marginal note:Publication of proposed orders and regulations

• 332 (1) The Minister shall publish in the Canada Gazette a copy of every order or regulation proposed to be made by the Minister or the Governor in Council under this Act, except a list, or an amendment to a list, referred to in any of sections 66 to 66.2, 87, 105 to 105.2 and 112 or an interim order made under section 94, 163, 173, 183 or 200.1.

• Marginal note:Notice of objection

  (2) Any person may file with the Minister comments, or a notice of objection requesting that a board of review be established under section 333 and stating the reasons for the objection, within 60 days after the publication of

  • (a) a proposed order or regulation referred to in subsection (1);

  • (b) a proposed instrument respecting preventive or control actions in relation to a substance that is required by section 91 to be published in the Canada Gazette; or

  • (c) a statement referred to in subparagraph 91(1)(a)(ii) or (b)(ii).

• Marginal note:Single publication required

  (3) No order, regulation or instrument need be published more than once under subsection (1), whether or not it is altered after publication.

Board of Review Proceedings

Marginal note:Establishment of board of review

• 333 (1) If a person files a notice of objection under subsection 332(2) in respect of a decision or a proposed order, regulation or instrument made by the Governor in Council, a decision or a proposed order or instrument made by either or both Ministers or a statement referred to in subparagraph 91(1)(a)(ii) or (b)(ii), the Minister or the Ministers may establish a board of review to inquire into the nature and extent of the danger posed by the substance in respect of which the decision or statement is made or the order, regulation or instrument is proposed.

• Marginal note:Establishment of board of review

  (2) Where a person files a notice of objection under subsection 9(3) or 10(5) in respect of an agreement or a term or condition of the agreement, the Minister may establish a board of review to inquire into the matter.

• Marginal note:Mandatory review for international air and water

  (3) Where a person or government files with the Minister a notice of objection under subsection 332(2) with respect to regulations proposed to be made under section 167 or 177 within the time specified in that subsection, the Minister shall establish a board of review to inquire into the nature and extent of the danger posed by the release into the air or water of the substance in respect of which the regulations are proposed.

• Marginal note:Mandatory reviews for certain regulations

  (4) Where a person files with the Minister a notice of objection under subsection 332(2) with respect to regulations proposed to be made under Part 9 or section 118 within the time specified in that subsection, the Minister shall establish a board of review to inquire into the matter raised by the notice.

• Marginal note:Review for permits

  (5) Where a person files with the Minister a notice of objection under section 134 within the time specified in that section, the Minister may establish a board of review to inquire into the matter raised by the notice.

• (6) [Repealed, 2023, c. 12, s. 56]

Marginal note:Number of members of board

• 334 (1) A board of review shall consist of not fewer than three members.

• Marginal note:Knowledge requirement

  (2) A person is not eligible to be appointed as a member of a board of review unless the person is knowledgeable about the Canadian environment, environmental and human health or traditional aboriginal ecological knowledge.

Marginal note:Appearance before board

335 A board of review shall give any person or government a reasonable opportunity, consistent with the rules of procedural fairness and natural justice, of appearing before it, presenting evidence and making representations.

Marginal note:Withdrawal of notice of objection

336 Where a notice of objection referred to in section 333 is withdrawn by the person who filed it and no other notice of objection is filed in respect of the same matter, the Minister or Ministers may dissolve a board of review established in respect of the notice of objection.

Marginal note:Powers of board

337 For the purposes of an inquiry under this Act, a board of review has all the powers of a person appointed as a commissioner under Part I of the Inquiries Act.

Marginal note:Costs

• 338 (1) A board of review may award costs of, and incidental to, any proceedings before it on a final or interim basis and those costs may be fixed at a sum certain or may be taxed.

• Marginal note:Payment

  (2) A board of review may, in accordance with the rules, direct by whom and to whom any costs are to be paid and by whom they are to be taxed and allowed.

Marginal note:Absent member of board

339 Where a member of a board of review is absent or unable to proceed with or complete an inquiry, the remaining members of the board may, if there is still a quorum, proceed with or complete the inquiry.

Marginal note:Report

• 340 (1) As soon as possible after the conclusion of an inquiry, a board of review shall submit a report to the Minister or the Ministers who established the board, together with its recommendations and the evidence that was presented to it.

• Marginal note:Publication of report

  (2) The report of the board of review shall be made public immediately after its receipt by the Minister or Ministers, subject to section 314 or the conditions of any other Act of Parliament.

Marginal note:Rules for boards of review

341 The Minister or the Ministers may, with respect to boards of review that the Minister or the Ministers establish, make rules of either particular or general application

• (a) for regulating the proceedings of the boards;

• (b) for regulating the conduct of hearings, including the presentation of evidence, the making of representations, the holding of hearings, the length of hearings and the date on or before which the boards shall report;

• (c) fixing the remuneration of board members and the travel and living expenses to which they are entitled;

• (d) prescribing the criteria to be considered by boards in directing interim or final costs to be paid, taxed and allowed and prescribing a scale under which costs are to be taxed; and

• (e) generally, for regulating the conduct and work of the boards.

Report to Parliament

Marginal note:Annual report

• 342 (1) The Minister shall, as soon as possible after the end of each fiscal year, prepare and cause to be laid before each House of Parliament a report on the administration and enforcement of this Act for that year.

• Marginal note:Research

  (2) The Minister shall include in the annual report a report on the research conducted under the authority of this Act during the fiscal year being reported.

Marginal note:Report — aboriginal peoples

342.1 The Minister shall include in the annual report required by section 342 information related to

• (a) consultations with aboriginal peoples and aboriginal governments, including a summary of the key issues raised, in relation to matters under this Act;

• (b) the administration of this Act in respect of aboriginal peoples and aboriginal governments, including the measures taken to advance reconciliation as reflected in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 and in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act; and

• (c) the key findings or recommendations of any report made under an Act of Parliament in respect of the administration of this Act and aboriginal peoples and aboriginal governments.

Marginal note:Permanent review of Act

• 343 (1) The administration of this Act shall, every five years after the coming into force of this Act, stand referred to such committee of the House of Commons, of the Senate or of both Houses of Parliament as may be designated or established for that purpose.

• Marginal note:Review and report

  (2) The committee designated or established for the purpose of subsection (1) shall, as soon as practicable, undertake a comprehensive review of the provisions and operation of this Act and shall, within one year after the review is undertaken or within such further time as the House of Commons, the Senate or both Houses of Parliament, as the case may be, may authorize, submit a report to Parliament thereon, including a statement of any changes to this Act or its administration that the committee would recommend.

PART 12Consequential Amendments, Repeal, Transitional Provision and Coming into Force

Consequential Amendments

344 to 354 [Amendments]

Repeal

355 [Repeal]

Transitional

Marginal note:Regulations

• 355.1 (1) Subject to subsection (2), any regulation that was

  • (a) made under the Act mentioned in section 355, and

  • (b) in force immediately before the day on which this Act is assented to

  is deemed to have been made under this Act, and continues in force, subject to being amended or repealed under this Act.

• Marginal note:Where inconsistent with this Act

  (2) If a regulation continued in force by subsection (1) is not consistent with this Act at the end of the two-year period that starts on the day on which this Act is assented to, that regulation ceases to be in force at the end of that period.

Coming into Force

Marginal note:Coming into force

Footnote ^*356 This Act or any of its provisions comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.

• Return to footnote ^*[Note: Sections 6 and 332 to 341 in force November 15, 1999, see SI/99-131; sections 243 to 255 in force December 1, 1999, see SI/99-132; sections 9 and 54 in force February 2, 2000, see SI/2000-4; sections 1 to 5, 7, 8, 10 to 53 and 55 to 80, subsections 81(1) to (6) and (8) to (14), sections 82 to 105, subsections 106(1) to (6) and (8) to (13) and sections 107 to 233, 242, 256 to 331 and 342 to 355.1 in force March 31, 2000, see SI/2000-15; sections 234 to 241 in force March 31, 2001, see SI/2000-15 and SI/2000-78; subsections 81(7) and 106(7) in force September 13, 2001, see SI/2000-15.]