Modernizing Meter Rules and Inspections

Summary#

This bill updates Canada’s Weights and Measures Act and the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act. It broadens what counts as a “meter,” lets the Minister and the new President of Measurement Canada set rules by written directions, and expands inspectors’ powers. It also allows approvals and verifications by sampling, permits temporary or indefinite use of devices without prior approval in some cases, and adds new offences. Some regulations are repealed, and current approvals and accreditations transition to the new system.

• Allows verification and reverification of devices and meters by sampling, with results applied to devices of the same class, type or design (WMA new “Examination by sampling”; EGIA s.12.1).
• Expands inspectors’ powers, including remote access, ordering operations to stop, and police-assisted vehicle stops (WMA s.17; s.18; EGIA s.26.1; s.26.4; s.26.5).
• Creates “authorized service providers” to verify and seal meters; converts accredited meter verifiers to this status (EGIA s.10; Transitional “Authorized service providers”).
• Sets reverification periods: electricity meters every 8 years; gas meters every 7 years, with limited flexibility (EGIA s.12(1)–(2)).
• Lets the Minister/President issue directions on sampling, compliance plans, and other procedures; these must be public but are not statutory instruments (WMA s.15.3; s.19.2; EGIA s.12.2; s.26.6).
• Enables fees for administration and enforcement; fees are payable after services and recoverable as debts (WMA “Fees and Charges”; EGIA “Fees and Charges”).

What it means for you#

• Households

  • Utility meters (electricity and gas) must be approved and verified before use, unless the President grants permission to use them temporarily or indefinitely without approval (EGIA s.9).
  • Meters must be reverified on a schedule: electricity every 8 years; gas every 7 years, unless the President sets a different period or allows a meter to remain in service (EGIA s.12(1), s.12(3)).
  • If a meter or device is found inaccurate, an inspector may calculate the correct amount that should have been charged. This can affect refunds or back-billing (WMA s.21(3); EGIA s.23(2.1)).
  • The definition of “meter” includes software and parts of systems, which covers modern smart meters and components (EGIA s.2(1) “meter”, “apparatus”).

• Small businesses and retailers (e.g., grocers, fuel stations, scale users)

  • You must use approved and examined devices in trade; the Minister can allow temporary use without approval, but that permission can be suspended or revoked after notice and a chance to respond (WMA s.8, “Temporary permission”).
  • Inspectors can enter business sites (including remotely), review data, order equipment to start or stop, and limit access to areas, at reasonable times and with notice to the person in charge (WMA s.17(1)–(1.1), (4)–(6)).
  • If your device fails requirements, inspectors must tag/seal it to prevent use (WMA s.19(3)).
  • You may be ordered to take corrective or preventive measures or to develop and implement compliance plans following Ministerial directions (WMA s.19.1–s.19.3).
  • Fees for inspections or services are payable after the work and can be collected as debts; specific fee amounts will be set by regulation (WMA “Fees and Charges”; s.10(1)(q)).

• Utilities and energy retailers

  • You must ensure meters are approved and verified or have explicit permission to use them without approval; conditions may apply (EGIA s.9(1)–(3)).
  • Authorized service providers (including former accredited meter verifiers) can verify, seal, reverify, and reseal meters; they must keep records available for inspection (EGIA s.10; s.15(1); s.17).
  • Only an inspector may break a seal when a meter’s correctness is in dispute (EGIA s.15(1.2)).
  • The President can approve classes/types of meters, set conditions, and suspend or revoke approvals, permissions, and authorizations, after notice and an opportunity to make representations (EGIA s.9(1.1); s.12.3).
  • You may need to report service pressures for gas at set intervals if required by regulation (EGIA s.8).

• Equipment suppliers and service providers

  • The Minister may authorize entities to calibrate and certify reference standards, expanding who can perform this work beyond the National Research Council (WMA s.3.1; s.12(1)).
  • Accredited meter verifiers automatically become “authorized service providers” on the coming-into-force date; past work remains valid (Transitional “Authorized service providers”).

• Timing

  • Most provisions take effect on dates set by the Governor in Council; exact dates are not provided in the bill text (Coming-into-force clauses).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• No fiscal note or cost estimate is included in the bill text. Data unavailable.
• The bill allows the government to set and collect fees for administration and enforcement after services are performed; amounts will be set by regulation (WMA s.10(1)(q); “Fees and Charges”; EGIA s.28(1)(e); “Fees and Charges”).
• Inspectors’ expanded functions and the creation of a President role are administrative changes within Measurement Canada; no appropriations are stated. Data unavailable.
• Repeal of certain regulatory parts may reduce administrative burden, but no quantified savings are provided. Data unavailable.

Proponents' View#

• Modernizes the law to cover new technologies, including software-based meters and components, improving clarity for smart grids and advanced metering (EGIA s.2(1) “meter”, “apparatus”).
• Speeds up approvals and maintenance by allowing verification and reverification by sampling and by permitting temporary or indefinite use under conditions, which can reduce delays (EGIA s.9(2)–(3); s.12.1–s.12.2; WMA “Examination by sampling”).
• Strengthens consumer protection by clarifying inspectors’ authority to calculate correct charges when devices are inaccurate and by adding offences for ignoring orders (WMA s.21(3); new offence “Failure to comply”; EGIA s.23(2.1); s.33(1)).
• Improves compliance through clear powers to order corrective and preventive measures and to require compliance plans, potentially reducing repeat violations (WMA s.19.1–s.19.3; EGIA s.26.5–s.26.7).
• Enhances transparency by requiring Ministerial and Presidential directions to be public and mandating a 10-year legislative review with reports to Parliament (WMA s.15.3(3); s.19.2(2); “Review of Act”; EGIA s.12.2(3); s.29).

Opponents' View#

• Broad inspection powers, including remote access to places and data systems, stopping vehicles with police assistance, and limiting access to premises, may burden businesses and raise privacy concerns (WMA s.17(1), (1.1), (4), s.18; EGIA s.26.1(2)(d)–(i), (4), s.26.4–s.26.5).
• Sampling-based examinations and reverifications could lead to class-wide actions based on samples; opponents may question accuracy for individual devices (WMA “Examination by sampling”; EGIA s.12.1–s.12.2). Assumption: sampling improves efficiency without undue error.
• Temporary or indefinite permissions to use meters or devices without prior approval, verification, or sealing could increase the risk of inaccurate billing if conditions are not strict (EGIA s.9(2)–(3); WMA “Temporary permission”). Assumption: permissions will be used judiciously.
• Directions issued by the Minister or President are not subject to the Statutory Instruments Act, which may reduce formal oversight of important operational rules (WMA s.15.3(4); s.19.2(3); EGIA s.12.2(4); s.26.6(3)).
• New and expanded fee authorities may increase compliance costs for traders, contractors, and utilities, with potential pass-through to consumers; specific amounts are not provided (WMA s.10(1)(q); “Fees and Charges”; EGIA s.28(1)(e); “Fees and Charges”). Assumption: regulated entities pass costs on.