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Overview

Bill S-3 would amend federal rules governing trade measurement devices and electricity and gas meters. It affects traders, electricity and gas contractors and purchasers, meter owners, service providers and inspectors.

The supplied text identifies the bill as passed by the Senate on March 11, 2026, while the stage is listed as first reading.

Weights and Measures Act

• Allows the Minister to authorize entities other than the National Research Council to calibrate and certify reference standards, and to permit temporary use of trade devices without approval or examination.
• Explicitly permits examination by sampling, with results applied to other devices of the same class, type or design under publicly accessible ministerial directions.
• Expands and clarifies inspection powers, including entry into relevant places or vehicles, remote access, examination of data, seizure, and orders to provide items or start or stop equipment. Police may stop vehicles at an inspector’s request and in their company.
• Allows inspectors to order measures to remedy or prevent suspected contraventions. The Minister or an inspector may also order regulated persons to implement plans or procedures under ministerial directions.
• Makes failure to comply with specified orders an offence. It also creates a presumption that a trader’s device is for trade use unless marked otherwise, subject to contrary evidence.
• Requires a review of the Act before the tenth anniversary of the relevant provision coming into force, and every ten years thereafter.

Electricity and Gas Inspection Act

• Broadens “meter” to include apparatus, including software or parts of apparatus, used to measure electricity or gas or establish the basis of a charge.
• Replaces the director role with a president and accredited meter verifiers with authorized service providers. The president may authorize service providers and grant contractors exemptions from most provisions, subject to specified conditions.
• Generally requires approval, verification and sealing before a meter is put into service. The president may permit temporary or indefinite use without those steps, subject to conditions.
• Requires reverification before eight years for electricity meters and seven years for gas meters, unless another period is specified. A shorter period requires ministerial approval and prior notice. The president may permit continued service without reverification or resealing for a specified period.
• Explicitly permits verification and reverification by sampling under public ministerial directions. Meter owners remain responsible for maintenance and applicable fees.
• Provides inspection, seizure, data-access and preventive-order powers broadly similar to those under the Weights and Measures Act. Inspectors cannot seize a meter in service. Entry into a dwelling without the occupant’s consent requires a warrant; force requires a peace officer and specific authorization in the warrant.
• Adds offences for failing to comply with specified orders and updates offences concerning meter verification and seals. A review is required every ten years.

Regulations, costs and safeguards

• Repeals Part IV and Schedule V of the Weights and Measures Regulations, and Part X and Schedule 1 of the Electricity and Gas Inspection Regulations. The supplied text does not describe their contents.
• Fees and charges for inspector examinations or functions are generally payable afterward and may be recovered as a debt to the Crown. The bill does not state specific amounts.
• Several ministerial directions must be public but are exempt from the Statutory Instruments Act. Certain permissions, approvals, authorizations and exemptions cannot be suspended, revoked or amended without notice and an opportunity for objections to be considered.

Transition and commencement

• Existing valid meter verifications, seals, permissions and approvals generally continue under the new framework. Existing accredited verifiers, the director and designated inspectors transition to corresponding roles.
• The provisions come into force on dates fixed by the Governor in Council; different groups may begin on different dates. The contractor-registration provisions cannot start before the main group of amendments.