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Department of Environment and Labour
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Chapter 2: Organization and Responsibilities
Department of Environment and Labour
Date of issue: September 15, 2002
Most recent review: January 8, 2008
Government of Nova Scotia
Management Guide
Department of Environment and Labour
WORKERS' ADVISERS
PROGRAM
Chief Worker Adviser
MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER
COMMUNICATIONS
Director
CORPORATE SERVICES
UNIT
ALCOHOL & GAMING
Executive Director
PUBLIC SAFETY
Director
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Director
HUMAN RESOURCES
Director
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
Director
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
& SAFETY
Director
LABOUR SERVICES
Executive Director
ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING &
COMPLIANCE
Executive Director
ENVIRONMENTAL & NATURAL
AREAS MANAGEMENT
Executive Director
INFORMATION &
BUSINESS SERVICES
Director
PENSION REGULATION
Superintendent of Pensions
LABOUR STANDARDS
Director
OFFICE OF COMPETITIVENESS
& COMPLIANCE
Director
POLICY
Executive Director
Other Agencies, Boards,
Commissions, & Tribunals
Workers' Compensation Board
LEGAL SERVICES
ASSISTANT DEPUTY
MINISTER
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2-42
Chapter 2: Organization and Responsibilities
Department of Environment and Labour
Date of issue: September 15, 2002
Most recent review: January 8, 2008
Government of Nova Scotia
Management Guide
Responsibilities
ALCOHOL AND GAMING REGULATION
Responsible for licensing, regulating, and controlling gaming activities, liquor-licensed
establishments, and amusement activities throughout Nova Scotia.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Develops and enforces policies, codes, and standards. Conducts inspections,
investigates fires and explosions, maintains a statistical data base on provincial fire
losses. Develops and delivers a certification process and educational programs and
advises and consults on life safety issues for fire prevention, fire suppression, and
electrical and LP gas safety. Develops and enforces safety standards for public safety in
the area of boilers, pressure vessels, elevators, lifts, amusement rides, and related
equipment operators through consultation and education, certification, and inspection
and review of facilities, equipment, and programs. Adopts and develops a provincial
building code and provides a related appeal process and interpretive service.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Based on a system of internal workplace responsibility, provides programs and
services in health and safety; clarifies responsibilities under the law; provides support
to workplaces; and intervenes to ensure workplace standards are met.
LABOUR SERVICES
Offers a variety of services and programs to encourage harmonious labour practices,
including impartial conciliation/mediation and preventive mediation. The Labour
Services Division also provides administrative support for the non-binding arbitration
program developed by the Labour Management Forum and to the following agencies,
boards, commissions, and tribunals: the Labour Relations Board and Construction
Industry Panel, the Labour Standards Tribunal, the Occupational Health and Safety
Appeal Panel, the Crane Operators Appeal Board, the Power Engineers and Operators
Appeal Committee, the Elevators and Lifts Appeal Board, the Nova Scotia Insurance
Review Board, and the Pay Equity Commission.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE
Provides for the delivery of environment-related programs and services in regional
offices throughout Nova Scotia, primarily through approval, inspection, monitoring, and
enforcement activities. Also responsible for implementing the province’s Solid Waste–
Resource Management Strategy supporting recycling and composting programs.
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Chapter 2: Organization and Responsibilities
Department of Environment and Labour
Date of issue: September 15, 2002
Most recent review: January 8, 2008
Government of Nova Scotia
Management Guide
ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL AREAS MANAGEMENT
Develops and delivers environmental management programs directed at sustainable
development. Protects, manages, and enhances the environment by providing a strong
environmental management framework to environmental issues in the province.
Develops and implements a comprehensive approach to the protection and
sustainable use of Nova Scotia’s air, water, and terrestrial resources, including
protected areas.
INFORMATION AND BUSINESS SERVICES
Provides services in support of departmental operations in the area of information
management including records management,library services,database management,
website development and maintenance, information access and privacy, and business
services including purchasing, inventory and facility management.
PENSION REGULATION
Safeguards benefits promised under pension plans through monitoring funding and
insuring that minimum benefit standards are provided. Will also facilitate the
extension of pension plan coverage.
LABOUR STANDARDS
The division’s main responsibility is to enforce the Labour Standards Code. The code
provides minimum standards for all employees under provincial jurisdiction and the
program provides dispute resolution for all except those under collective agreements.
The main activities carried out by the division include: communicating information
about the code by telephone, in person, mail and the internet; conducting workplace
audits to determine compliance; receiving complaints and attempting to settle them
and/or investigating complaints and rendering decisions; collecting and disbursing
moneys resulting from settlements and orders; and attending appeal hearings, as
required.
COMPETITIVENESS AND COMPLIANCE (CCI)
The objective of this division is to achieve regulatory excellence across all programs.
CCI ensures regulations are well designed, clearly communicated and administered,
and enforced with consistency and dependability. Streamlining processes will also
reduce administrative complexity and costs.
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Chapter 2: Organization and Responsibilities
Department of Environment and Labour
Date of issue: September 15, 2002
Most recent review: January 8, 2008
Government of Nova Scotia
Management Guide
POLICY
Provides departmental coordination of policy and planning for the department,
including legislative review and policy development, preparation of ministerial and
deputy briefing material, research and policy analysis, and departmental liaison for
national or international issues.
COMMUNICATIONS
Provides strategic communications planning and advice to the Minister and senior
managers. The division is also responsible for all external communications functions
carried out for the department, including issues management, advertising, and media
relations, and shares responsibility within the department for internal communications.
The day-to-day functions of the division include preparing communications plans,
writing press releases, writing speeches, planning and executing special events like
news conferences, providing input and advice on print and electronic publications, and
preparing briefing notes for the Minister and Premier on key issues.
CORPORATE SERVICES UNIT
Provides financial, human resources, and IT services to client departments and
agencies of the Resources CSU, including the Departments of Agriculture and
Fisheries, Environment and Labour, Natural Resources, Energy, and the Emergency
Measures Organization of Nova Scotia.
WORKERS’ ADVISERS PROGRAM
Provides legal services to injured workers under the Workers’ Compensation Act.
Agencies, Boards, Commissions, and Tribunals
•
Arbitration Advisory Committee
• Board of Examiners for Certification of Blasters
• Construction Industry Panel
• Crane Operators Appeal Board
• Crane Operators Examination Committee
• Elevators and Lifts Appeal Board
• Environmental Assessment Board
•
Film Classisfiers
• Fire Safety Advisory Council and Fire Safety Appeal Board
• Fire Services Advisory Committee
• Fuel Safety Board
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Chapter 2: Organization and Responsibilities
Department of Environment and Labour
Date of issue: September 15, 2002
Most recent review: January 8, 2008
Government of Nova Scotia
Management Guide
• Labour Relations Board
• Labour Standards Tribunal
•
Minimum Wage Review Committee
• Nova Scotia Building Advisory Committee
• Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Council
• Occupational Health and Safety Appeal Panel
• On-Site Services Advisory Board
• Pay Equity Commission
• Power Engineers and Operators Appeal Committee
• Power Engineers and Operators Board
• Radiation Health Advisory Committee
• Resource Recovery Fund Board
• Utility and Review Board
• Workers Compensation Board
Acts Administered
Amusement Devices Safety Act
Building Code Act
Court and Administrative Reform Act (NSEL administers only the Labour Relations Board
Order Regulations (NS Reg. 31/97))
Crane Operators and Power Engineers Act
Electrical Installation and Inspection Act
Elevators and Lifts Act
Environment Act
Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act
Fire Safety Act
Gaming Control Act
Health Act (NSEL administers only the Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations (N.S.
Reg. 14/81 and OIC 82-92) and the Radiation Ionizing Devices Regulations (NS Reg.
29/60)
Labour Standards Code
Liquor Control Act
Occupational Health and Safety Act
Pay Equity Act
Pension Benefits Act
Remembrance Day Act
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Chapter 2: Organization and Responsibilities
Department of Environment and Labour
Date of issue: September 15, 2002
Most recent review: January 8, 2008
Government of Nova Scotia
Management Guide
Special Places Protection Act (The act is jointly administered with Departments of
Tourism, Culture and Heritage and Natural Resources.
Steam Boiler and Pressure Vessel Act
Teachers’Collective Bargaining Act
Theatres and Amusements Act
Trade Union Act
Water Resources Protection Act
Wilderness Areas Protection Act
Other Legislation under the Responsibility of the Minister
Workers’ Compensation Act (jointly administered by NSEL and the Workers
Compensation Board)