Enforcing the Rules

At the Canada Energy Regulator, we hold companies to some of the strictest safety and environmental standards in the world.

Companies must follow the all the rules in the CER Act and its regulations.

Before a pipeline is allowed to operate, companies need to show us they have detailed plans for things like:

• Safety
• Protecting the environment
• Responding to emergencies and
• How they will keep the pipeline safe for life.

We review these plans regularly and make sure they are doing what they should.

On top of all this, we do targeted audits and more than 150 inspections every year.

This is in addition to 100+ technical meetings and training exercises.

We call these, compliance verification activities.

These activities can happen in the field, in corporate offices or any place where companies are doing work, at any stage of a project.

Audits and inspections help us spot potential issues, and take action before they become problems.

If we find any, we do what it takes to get companies back on track and to keep them from repeating the same mistakes in the future.

We have powerful tools to make sure companies correct what is wrong.

We can issue a written notice or a financial penalty. We can also restrict how a pipeline is allowed to operate or even totally shut it down if necessary.

Want to learn more about enforcement and how the CER works for you? Visit us online or contact us directly.