Industry committee  I'm just talking about the last three years, but we've been doing inspections for 20 years. Basically, our inspections remain the same. The only changes we make are to ensure that when we sometimes need to adjust something technically, we do it. But it's always driven by technical, scientific evidence.

Industry committee  As far as the content of Bill C-14 is concerned, we always focus on accurate measurements and regulatory requirements. As for the title of the act, we are much more concerned about what this bill will allow. It is not up to us to determine whether or not the title is appropriate.

Industry committee  Up until now, we have held consultations and we will be doing this again for the regulations. A mandatory consultation must be held when the regulations are submitted. So this group will be consulted along with the others. As for the Régie du bâtiment and the regulations—simply to underscore that there will be no duplication and that the emphasis is really being put on other issues in addition to accuracy—I would like to mention that our inspections do not demonstrate that the compliance rates are significantly better in Quebec than in any other provinces, in terms of equipment accuracy.

Industry committee  No, that is not something that we decide. The minister would be in a better position to answer this question. We are not the ones who decide on the name of the bill. It is still called the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and the Weights and Measures Act. Those names will not change.

Industry committee  We have to keep in mind that over the last three years, Measurement Canada inspectors inspected 48,000 gas pumps out of a population of 130,000 gas pumps. That's a huge number. These were done by Measurement Canada inspectors using certified equipment, certified test procedures, approved by our engineering groups and our standing committees.

Industry committee  Yes, just over the last three years.

Industry committee  Currently, only service stations in Quebec do not have to meet inspection requirements.

Industry committee  No. There are no requirements in terms of follow-up. There are initial inspection requirements but once the devices are operating, there are no longer any requirements. As you mentioned, the Régie du bâtiment specifies that these devices should be calibrated every two years. That calibration applies to various factors related to inventory reconciliation, in order to ensure that there are no leaks.

Industry committee  We have been told that in many cases, the Government of Quebec accepts Measurement Canada certification. Given that Bill C-14 requires inspections every two years, this certification could be used for compliance with the standards of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec. No doubt the same organizations could do the inspections.

Industry committee  Yes, absolutely. We conducted a very broad sector review, we had very in-depth consultations with consumers, on issues such as the retail price of oil—which we are discussing—or other sectors. We held discussions with representatives from eight other sectors. With respect to the retail oil sector, we met with the organizations that appeared before the committee this week.

Industry committee  Thank you. We reviewed the requirements under the Régie du bâtiment du Québec regarding environmental safety. This is a lengthy document that contains several requirements, including one on calibration. We also looked into organizations that are certified by the Province of Quebec in this area.

Industry committee  Several factors explain the $50 to $200 spread. There are gas pumps, but there are also other devices. The complexity of the devices can also be a factor impacting upon the inspection fees. One must realize that at present, there are in the system a lot of authorized service providers, but there is not much work.

Industry committee  Earlier, when I talked about temperatures, I rather had in mind the impact on the mechanics involved, but you are right: the temperature has an impact on the volume of any liquid, including gasoline. In Canada, the great majority of gas pumps are corrected to 15 degrees, which means that the variation in temperature is taken into account.

Industry committee  The pumps correct the effect of the temperature, such that temperature variations cannot change the quantity received.

Industry committee  You are talking about the issue of monetary penalties. At present, the only mechanism is the laying of charges. In fact, our aim is to ensure compliance. That means that if cases of non-compliance arise, we wish to have a progressive application of the law. It is an important tool allowing us to impose fines in cases of negligence or inaccurate devices.