Tuesday, February 16, 2021

The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources has the honour to present its

SECOND REPORT

Your committee, to which was referred Bill S-3, An Act to amend the Offshore Health and Safety Act, has, in obedience to the order of reference of December 8, 2020, examined the said bill and now reports the same with the following amendments:

1.Clause 1, page 1: Replace line 15 with the following:

“repealed on the expiry of seven years after the day”.

2.Clause 2, page 2: Replace line 3 with the following:

“repealed on the expiry of seven years after the day”.

3.Clause 3, pages 2 and 3:

(a) On page 2,

(i) replace line 7 with the following:

“December 31, 2021, then”,

(ii) replace line 25 with the following:

“section (1) are repealed on December 31, 2021, un-”;

(b) on page 3, replace line 12 with the following:

“section (1) are repealed on December 31, 2021, un-”.

Your committee has also made certain observations, which are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

Observations to the second report of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (Bill S-3)

Observation 1

The committee is concerned that deferring adoption of permanent offshore health and safety regulations is delaying necessary changes. The committee is of the opinion Bill S-3 should represent the final extension of the deadline to adopt permanent health and safety regulations for Canada’s offshore. Further, the Department of Natural Resources must submit an implementation progress report to the Senate by June 15, 2021, including the implementation schedule to the expiry of the transitional regulations.

Observation 2

The committee is of the opinion that the regulations should ensure safeguards and best practices are upheld and maintained by all subject to the health and safety regulations, regardless of one’s age, race, religion, gender, sexuality, etc.