OIC Number: 2002 - 286

Date of Order: Jun 17, 2002

Statute: Public Service Act

OIC Text: The Governor in Council on the report and recommendation of the President of the Executive Council dated June 17, 2002, pursuant to

Chapter 376 of the Revised Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1989, as amended, the Public Service Act, and all other authority in her vested, is pleased, effective June 17, 2002, to: (

a) create a Department of Energy and prescribe the name of the department to be the Department of Energy; (

b) direct that the Department of Energy shall be presided over by the Minister of Energy, who has the supervision, direction and control of all affairs and matters relating to the Department and who shall supervise the performance of the functions of the Department; (

c) assign to the Department of Energy and the Minister of Energy all affairs and matters which have heretofore been assigned or belonged to (

i) the Petroleum Directorate and the Member of the Executive Council responsible for the Petroleum Directorate including, but not limited to, the Energy Resources Conservation Act, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation (Nova Scotia) Act, the Offshore Petroleum Royalty Act, the Pipeline Act, the Petroleum Resources Act, the Petroleum Resources Removal Permit Act, the Gas Distribution Act and the Underground Hydrocarbons Storage Act, (ii) the Department of Natural Resources and the Minister of Natural Resources, only as they relate to matters respecting petroleum including, but not limited to, the Gas Storage Exploration Act, and to matters administered by the Energy Utilization

Section of the Mineral Development Division, Mines and Energy Branch, Department of Natural Resources, including, but not limited to, the Energy-efficient Appliances Act; (

d) direct that the Minister of Energy has, unless specifically assigned to another Member of the Executive Council, the supervision, direction and control over all affairs and matters relating to energy resources, including oil and gas, electricity and renewable energy and other natural resources when used for the production of energy, including (

i) developing and implementing energy policies and programs, (ii) conducting research and analysis related to the effective management, including exploration, development and use, of the Province's energy resources, (iii) liaising with other governments, departments, organizations, advisory groups, regulators and associations to advance the interests and concerns of the Province and facilitating coordinated energy policies, activities and programs, (iv) managing the Province's energy resources in order to achieve optimum economic, social and environmental value from the energy sector, including issuing rights to use the Province's oil and gas resources and monitoring the use of these rights, (

v) promoting the efficient, effective and environmentally sound use of energy, (vi) the administration of Acts, orders and regulations relating to the matters referred to in subclauses (

i) to (v), and (vii) such other matters as may be assigned to the Minister by the Governor in Council or by statute; (

e) authorize the appointment of a Deputy Minister of Energy who shall be paid a salary as the Governor in Council determines, who shall perform such duties as are, from time to time, prescribed by the Governor in Council, who shall be an employee in the public service with the status of a deputy head, and to whom the provisions of the Civil Service Act relating to a deputy or deputy head shall apply and who may be described as the Deputy Minister of Energy; (

f) abolish the Petroleum Directorate; and (

g) direct that a reference in any Act of the Legislature or in any rule, order, regulation, by-law, ordinance or proceeding or in any document whatsoever to a department or to a Minister or Deputy Minister of that department to which affairs and matters have been transferred, and the name of which has been changed by this Order, whether the reference is by official name or otherwise, shall with respect to any subsequent transaction, matter or thing be held and construed to be a reference to the department or to the Minister or Deputy Minister, as the case may be, of that department to which the affairs and matters have been transferred and the name of which has been changed.

Department(s): Executive Council