Weights and Measures Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. W-6)

Marginal note:Ministerial regulations

• 10.1 (1) The Minister may make regulations authorizing the use of a unit of measurement that is not otherwise authorized under this Act if new technologies use such a unit.

• Marginal note:Expiry

  (2) A regulation made under subsection (1) ceases to have effect on the earliest of

  • (a) the day on which a regulation made under paragraph 10(1)(m) that has the same effect as the regulation comes into force,

  • (b) the third anniversary of the day on which the regulation made under subsection (1) comes into force, or

  • (c) the day on which it is repealed.

Reference and Local Standards

Marginal note:Reference standards

• 11 (1) The reference standards for use in Canada are those described in Schedule IV.

• Marginal note:Additions to and deletions from Schedule IV

  (2) The Governor in Council may by order amend Schedule IV

  • (a) by adding thereto any standard that is to be used as a reference standard; or

  • (b) by deleting therefrom any reference standard.

Marginal note:Calibration and certification of standards

• 12 (1) The reference standards and other standards of measurement that are retained under the authority of the Minister for the purpose of determining the accuracy of local standards or of standards that are used by inspectors under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act shall, at the request of the Minister, be calibrated and certified by the National Research Council of Canada in terms of the units of measurement set out and defined in Schedule I or II.

• Marginal note:Idem

  (2) The National Research Council of Canada may request the Minister to forward to the Council for calibration and certification any standards referred to in subsection (1).

Marginal note:Designation of local standards

• 13 (1) The Minister may designate as a local standard any standard that has been calibrated and certified in relation to a reference standard as accurate within prescribed tolerances.

• Marginal note:Calibration and certification of local standards

  (2) Every local standard shall be calibrated and certified within such periods of time as may be prescribed.

Marginal note:Replacement or restoration of standards

14 If a local standard that is owned by Her Majesty in right of Canada or a reference standard is lost, destroyed, defaced or damaged, the Minister shall take such action as may be necessary to replace or restore the standard.

Examination of Devices

Marginal note:Examinations within prescribed periods

• 15 (1) Every trader who uses a device in trade, or possesses a device for trade, shall cause it to be examined, within the prescribed period, by an inspector.

• Marginal note:Extensions

  (2) The Minister may, in the prescribed circumstances, grant to a trader an extension of the period.

Marginal note:Request for examination

15.1 An inspector may examine a device at the request of the owner or the person who is in possession of it.

Marginal note:Adjustments and alterations to devices

16 When an inspector examines a device, they may, with the consent of the owner or person who is in possession of it, make any prescribed adjustments or alterations to that device.

Administration and Enforcement

Designation

Marginal note:Power to designate

• 16.1 (1) For the purposes of the administration and enforcement of this Act, the Minister may designate persons, or classes of persons, to exercise powers in relation to any matter referred to in the designation.

• Marginal note:Training and qualification

  (1.1) The Minister shall ensure that, for each particular sector, all persons designated under subsection (1) are trained and qualified in the same manner and that all examinations made by these persons are conducted consistently.

• Marginal note:Limitation

  (2) The Minister may designate only persons employed in the federal public administration to exercise powers under any of sections 17 to 18, subsection 19(3) or section 21 or subsection 22.11(1).

• Marginal note:Suspension and revocation

  (3) The Minister may suspend or revoke a designation made under subsection (1).

Powers

Marginal note:Authority to enter and other powers

• 17 (1) An inspector who has reasonable grounds to believe that an object to which this Act applies is located in or on a place, including a vehicle, or that an activity regulated by this Act is conducted in a place, including a vehicle, may, for the purpose of verifying compliance with this Act,

  • (a) enter the place;

  • (b) examine the place or anything found in or on the place;

  • (c) seize and detain anything in or on the place;

  • (d) use any means of communication in the place or cause it to be used;

  • (e) use any computer system in the place, or cause it to be used, to examine data contained in or available to it;

  • (f) prepare a document, or cause one to be prepared, based on the data;

  • (g) use any copying equipment in the place, or cause it to be used;

  • (h) direct any person to put anything in or on the place into operation or to cease operating it; and

  • (i) prohibit or limit access to all or part of the place.

• Marginal note:Certificate to be produced

  (2) The Minister shall provide the inspector with a certificate of their designation, and on entering the place, the inspector shall, on request, produce the certificate to the person in charge of that place.

• Marginal note:Duty to assist

  (3) The owner or person in charge of the place and every person in the place shall give all assistance that is reasonably required to enable the inspector to verify compliance with this Act and shall provide any documents, data or information that are reasonably required for that purpose.

Marginal note:Warrant for dwelling-house

• 17.1 (1) If the place is a dwelling-house, the inspector may not enter it without the occupant’s consent except under the authority of a warrant issued under subsection (2).

• Marginal note:Authority to issue warrant

  (2) On ex parte application, a justice of the peace may issue a warrant authorizing an inspector who is named in it to enter a dwelling-house, subject to any conditions specified in the warrant, if the justice is satisfied by information on oath that

  • (a) the dwelling-house is a place referred to in subsection 17(1);

  • (b) entry to the dwelling-house is necessary to verify compliance with this Act; and

  • (c) entry was refused by the occupant or there are reasonable grounds to believe that entry will be refused or that consent to entry cannot be obtained from the occupant.

Marginal note:Entry on private property

• 17.2 (1) For the purpose of gaining entry to a place referred to in subsection 17(1), an inspector may enter private property and pass through it, and is not liable for doing so. For greater certainty, no person has a right to object to that use of the property and no warrant is required for the entry, unless the property is a dwelling-house.

• Marginal note:Person accompanying inspector

  (2) A person may, at the inspector’s request, accompany the inspector to assist them to gain entry to the place referred to in subsection 17(1) and is not liable for doing so.

Marginal note:Use of force

17.3 In executing a warrant to enter a dwelling-house, an inspector shall not use force unless the use of force has been specifically authorized in the warrant and the inspector is accompanied by a peace officer.

Marginal note:Examining vehicle

• 18 (1) A member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or of any provincial or municipal police force may, at the request and in the company of an inspector, stop and detain any vehicle so that the inspector may examine it for the purposes of verifying compliance with this Act.

• Marginal note:Vehicle to be moved

  (2) The inspector may require the operator of the vehicle to proceed with it to an appropriate place, if doing so is necessary to conduct the examination.

Marginal note:Certificate

• 19 (1) If an inspector examines a device, they shall issue to the owner or person who is in possession of it,

  • (a) in the case of a device that is or is to be used in trade, a certificate showing whether the device meets the requirements of this Act and the regulations; and

  • (b) in the case of a device other than a device described in paragraph (a), a statement showing the results of the examination.

• Marginal note:Marking of devices — requirements met

  (2) If an inspector determines that a device referred to in paragraph (1)(a) meets the requirements of this Act and the regulations, they shall mark the device as prescribed and

  • (a) attach the prescribed seals that are intended to indicate any adjustments to the device; or

  • (b) if those seals are already attached to the device, verify that they can indicate any adjustments and, in the case of electronic seals, collect the information that is necessary to detect any adjustments.

• Marginal note:Idem

  (3) Where an inspector determines that a device referred to in paragraph (1)(a) does not meet the requirements of this Act and the regulations, the inspector shall, in the manner and circumstances prescribed, attach to the device such tags and seals as may be prescribed to prevent the use of that device.

Examination Fees and Charges

Marginal note:Payment of fees and charges

• 20 (1) The fees and charges payable by a person in respect of an examination or other service performed by an inspector under this Act are payable, subject to the regulations, after the examination or service is performed.

• Marginal note:Fees recoverable

  (2) All fees and charges payable under this Act may be recovered as a debt due to the Crown.