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Bill C-6

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Development and Production

Licence required

139. (1) No person shall engage in develop ment or production otherwise than in accor dance with a licence, except as permitted by subsection 135(2) or section 140.

Minister may issue licences

(2) Subject to this Part and the regulations made thereunder, the Minister may issue a licence to a person who makes written ap plication therefor.

Public notification

(3) If any regulations made under paragraph 153(h) are applicable, the Minister may not issue a licence until the applicant has notified the public, in the manner directed by the Minister, of the activities that the licence would authorize.

Minister may require public consultation

(4) The Minister may require that a public consultation be held in connection with an application for a licence, and in that case the Minister may not issue the licence until the public consultation has been held in accor dance with the Minister's directions.

Regulations

(5) For the purposes of subsections (3) and (4), the Minister shall act in accordance with any regulations made under paragraph 153(h) or (i), respectively.

Conditions of licence

(6) Subject to this Part and the regulations made thereunder, the Minister may include in a licence any conditions related to this Part that the Minister considers appropriate, in cluding conditions requiring reclamation of the site during and after development and production.

Special case

140. A person who is engaged in a Class III or Class IV exploration program in accor dance with an approved operating plan may, despite having decided to engage in develop ment, continue, while the plan is in effect, to engage in the activities authorized by the plan or any amendment thereto, without having a licence, until a licence is issued.

Certificate of Closure

141. (1) Where the Minister is satisfied that a development or production activity has been terminated and that the licensee has complied with all provisions of the licence and of this Part and the regulations made thereunder, the Minister shall, on written application by the licensee, issue to the licensee a Certificate of Closure to that effect, in prescribed form.

Effect of Certificate of Closure

(2) A document purporting to be a Certifi cate of Closure is admissible in evidence in any court without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed it, and is, unless the contrary is shown, proof of the matters asserted in it.

Applications

Form and content of applications

142. An application for

    (a) approval of an operating plan,

    (b) a licence,

    (c) assignment of an approved operating plan or of a licence, or

    (d) a Certificate of Completion or a Certifi cate of Closure

must be in accordance with the regulations made under paragraph 153(d) and must be ac companied by any applicable fee that is re quired by virtue of regulations made under paragraph 153(m).

Security

Security may be required

143. (1) Where there is a risk of significant adverse environmental effect from a planned Class II, Class III or Class IV exploration program or from planned development or production,

    (a) the person giving the Class II Notifica tion may be required by the Chief,

    (b) the applicant for approval of an operat ing plan, the holder of an approved operat ing plan, or the prospective assignee of an approved operating plan, may be required by the Chief, or

    (c) the applicant for a licence, the licensee, or the prospective assignee of a licence, may be required by the Minister

to furnish and maintain security with the Min ister, in an amount specified in, or determined in accordance with, the regulations made un der paragraph 153(n) and in a form prescribed by or pursuant to those regulations or a form satisfactory to the Minister.

Past performance

(2) In assessing, under subsection (1), whether there is a risk of significant adverse environmental effect, the past performance of the person giving the Notification, the appli cant, holder, licensee or prospective assignee, as the case may be, may be considered.

How security may be applied

(3) Security furnished under subsection (1) may be applied by the Minister to reimburse Her Majesty, either fully or partially, for reasonable costs incurred by Her Majesty pursuant to subsection 150(7) or 151(1), subject to subsection (4).

Limitation

(4) Subsection (3) applies in respect of costs incurred pursuant to subsection 151(1) only to the extent that the incurring of those costs was based on subparagraph 151(1)(b)(i).

Limitation

(5) The amount of security that the Minister may apply pursuant to subsection (3) in respect of any particular incident or matter may not exceed in the aggregate the amount of the security referred to in subsection (1).

Return of security

(6) Where

    (a) a Certificate of Completion or a Certifi cate of Closure has been issued, or

    (b) an approved operating plan or a licence has been assigned,

any portion of the security that, in the Minis ter's opinion, will not be required under sub section (3) shall forthwith be returned to the certificate holder (where paragraph (a) ap plies) or the assignor (where paragraph (b) ap plies).

Inspector's Power to Amend Class II Exploration Programs

Minor amendments to program

144. Where an operator of a Class II exploration program requests an inspector, orally or in writing, to amend the terms of the program in a minor way, and the inspector is satisfied that the requested amendment poses no risk of significant adverse environmental effect, the inspector may issue a variation notice amending the terms of the program as set out in the Class II Notification.

Amendment and Renewal of Operating Plans and Licences

Amendment or renewal of operating plan

145. (1) The Chief may, on written applica tion by the holder of an approved operating plan, approve an amendment to, or renewal of, that plan.

Amendment or renewal of licence

(2) The Minister may, on written applica tion by a licensee,

    (a) amend the licensee's licence; or

    (b) renew the licensee's licence, either with or without changes to the conditions of the licence.

Application of certain provisions

(3) Sections 136, 139, 142 and 143 apply, with such modifications as the circumstances require, in respect of an amendment to, or renewal of, an approved operating plan or a licence pursuant to this section.

Minor amendments to plan or licence

146. Where an operator of a Class III or Class IV exploration program, or a licensee, requests an inspector, orally or in writing, to amend in a minor way the operating plan or the licence, as the case may be, and the inspector is satisfied that the requested amendment poses no risk of significant adverse environ mental effect, the inspector may issue a variation notice amending the operating plan or licence.

Assignment

Assignment of approved operating plan

147. (1) The Chief shall, on written applica tion by the holder of an approved operating plan, authorize the assignment of that plan if

    (a) the prospective assignee

      (i) undertakes in writing to comply with the plan, and

      (ii) furnishes any security that is required from the prospective assignee pursuant to section 143; and

    (b) the Chief is satisfied that the assignment would not be likely to result in a contraven tion of any condition of the plan or of any provision of this Part or the regulations.

Assignment of licence

(2) The Minister shall, on written applica tion by a licensee, authorize the assignment of the licensee's licence if

    (a) the prospective assignee

      (i) undertakes in writing to comply with the licence, and

      (ii) furnishes any security that is required from the prospective assignee pursuant to section 143; and

    (b) the Minister is satisfied that the assign ment would not be likely to result in a contravention of any condition of the licence or of any provision of this Part or the regulations.

Plan, licence not otherwise assignable

(3) Except as provided in this section, an approved operating plan or a licence is not assignable.

Inspection and Enforcement

Inspectors and Chief

148. (1) The Minister may designate as an inspector, or as the Chief of Mining Land Use, for the purposes of this Part, any person that the Minister considers qualified.

Certificate to be produced

(2) The Minister shall furnish every inspec tor with a certificate of designation as an inspector, and on entering any place an inspector shall, if so requested, produce the certificate to the person in charge thereof.

Powers of inspectors

149. (1) Subject to this section, an inspector may at any reasonable time, for the purpose of ensuring compliance with this Part,

    (a) enter any place in which the inspector believes on reasonable grounds that an activity to which this Part applies is being, or has been, carried out; and

    (b) conduct such inspections as the inspec tor deems necessary, including examining books, records or documents and making copies thereof or taking extracts therefrom, taking samples of minerals or other sub stances, conducting tests and taking mea surements.

Exception

(2) No inspector may enter, without the consent of the occupant, any place that is designed to be used and is being used as a permanent or temporary dwelling place.

Inspector to announce arrival

(3) Before exercising powers under para graph (1)(b), an inspector shall make reason able efforts to ascertain whether anyone responsible for the place entered is present and, if so, the inspector shall announce the inspector's arrival to that person.

Assistance to inspectors

(4) The person in charge of any place referred to in this section, and every person found therein, shall give an inspector all reasonable assistance to enable the inspector to carry out the inspector's duties under this Part, and shall furnish the inspector with such information with respect to the administration of this Part as the inspector may reasonably request.

Directions by inspector

150. (1) Where an inspector believes on reasonable grounds that an operator

    (a) has contravened, or may be about to contravene, this Part, or

    (b) has or is engaged in an activity that is resulting in, or may result in, unnecessary danger to persons, property or the environ ment,

the inspector may direct the operator in writ ing to take such reasonable measures as the in spector may specify, including the cessation of an activity, to prevent the contravention or the unnecessary danger or their continuation or repetition.

Where direction may be posted

(2) Where an inspector is unable to give a direction to the operator after making reason able efforts to do so, the inspector may post the direction in a conspicuous place on the operator's premises, whereupon the direction is deemed to have been given to the operator.

Review of inspector's direction by Chief

(3) Where an inspector gives a direction to a person under this section, the Chief

    (a) if so requested by the person at any time, shall forthwith review the direction and shall, after completion of that review, confirm, alter or revoke the direction; or

    (b) may, at any time, on the Chief's own initiative, review the direction and shall, after completion of any such review, con firm, alter or revoke the direction.

Review of Chief's decision by Minister

(4) Where the person referred to in subsec tion (3) requests the Minister to review a decision of the Chief made under that subsec tion, the Minister

    (a) shall, if the request is made within ninety days after the person was notified of the Chief's decision, forthwith review the decision;

    (b) may, if the request is made after the ninety day period mentioned in paragraph (a), review the decision; and

    (c) shall, after completion of a review referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), confirm or alter the decision or substitute a new decision therefor.

Revocation of certain directions

(5) An inspector, on being satisfied that the situation that led to giving a direction to cease an activity no longer exists, shall forthwith revoke that direction.

Direction to be complied with

(6) A person to whom a direction is given under this section shall comply with the direction.

Inspector may take measures

(7) Where a person to whom a direction is given under this section does not comply with the direction, an inspector may, with the consent of the Chief, take the measures set out in the direction and may, for that purpose, enter any place, subject to subsection 149(2).

Recovery of Her Majesty's costs

(8) Any portion of the reasonable costs incurred by Her Majesty pursuant to subsec tion (7) that is not recoverable from the security referred to in section 143

    (a) because of the non-existence or inade quacy of that security,

    (b) because all or a portion of that security has been returned pursuant to subsection 143(6), or

    (c) for any other reason

may be recovered from the person to whom the direction under this section was given, as a debt due to Her Majesty.

Termination or abandonment

151. (1) Where an inspector believes, on reasonable grounds, that

    (a) a person has terminated, temporarily or permanently, or has abandoned an explora tion program, development or production, and

    (b) either

      (i) the person has contravened a condi tion of an approved operating plan or of a licence, or any provision of this Part or the regulations, whether or not the condi tion or provision relates to termination or abandonment, or

      (ii) a danger to persons, property or the environment may result from the past exploration program, development or production or from its termination or abandonment,

the inspector may, after making reasonable ef forts to contact the person, take any reason able measures to prevent, counteract, mitigate or remedy any resulting adverse effect on per sons, property or the environment, and for that purpose may enter any place, subject to sub section 149(2).

Recovery of Her Majesty's costs

(2) Any portion of the reasonable costs incurred by Her Majesty pursuant to subsec tion (1) that is not recoverable from the security referred to in section 143

    (a) because of the non-existence or inade quacy of that security,

    (b) because all or a portion of that security has been returned pursuant to subsection 143(6), or