Resources and Technical Surveys Act

An Act respecting resources and technical surveys Short title This Act may be cited as the Resources and Technical Surveys Act. Definitions In this Act, Department means the Department of Natural Resources; (ministère) Minister with respect to technical surveys relating to any matter to which the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of the Environment extend by law, and any powers, duties and functions under this Act that relate to any such matter, means the Minister of the Environment, with respect to technical surveys relating to any matter to which the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans extend by law, and any powers, duties and functions under this Act that relate to any such matter, means the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and with respect to other technical surveys and all other powers, duties and functions under this Act, the Minister of Natural Resources; (ministre) technical surveys means geological, geophysical, geochemical, geographical, geodetic, topographical, hydrographic, hydrogeological, geotechnical, oceanographic, meteorological and other similar surveys. (levés) Duties of the Minister The Minister shall collect and publish statistics of the mineral exploration, development and production and of the mining and metallurgical industries of Canada, and such data regarding the economic minerals of Canada as relate to the processes and activities connected with their utilization, and collect and preserve records of mines and mining works in Canada; make detailed investigations of mining camps and areas containing economic minerals or deposits of other economic substances, for the purpose of determining the mode of occurrence and the extent and character of the ore-bodies and deposits of the economic minerals or other economic substances; make a full and scientific examination and survey of the geological structure and mineralogy of Canada; make the chemical, mechanical, metallurgical and other researches and investigations that are necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act and particularly to aid the mining and metallurgical industry of Canada; collect and prepare for exhibition such specimens of the different ores and associated rocks and minerals of Canada and other materials as are necessary to afford a knowledge of the geology and mineralogy and the mining and metallurgical resources and industries of Canada; and prepare and publish the maps, plans, sections, diagrams, drawings, documents and data that are necessary to illustrate and elucidate any reports of investigations and surveys made pursuant to this Act. Surveys The Minister may, for the purpose of obtaining a basis for the representation of the mineral and mining resources and of the geographical and geological features of any part of Canada, cause the measurements, observations, investigations and physiographic, exploratory and reconnaissance surveys to be made that are necessary for or in connection with the preparation of maps, sketches, plans, sections or diagrams. Distribution of specimens and publications The Minister may authorize the distribution or sale of products, data, duplicate specimens, maps and other documents produced or issued by or on behalf of the Department. Powers Subject to section 5 of the Department of Natural Resources Act respecting the powers, duties and functions of the Minister in relation to matters mentioned in that section over which Parliament has jurisdiction, the Minister shall be responsible for coordinating, promoting and recommending national policies and programs with respect to energy, mines and minerals, water and other resources, and, in carrying out the Minister’s responsibilities under this section, the Minister may conduct or cooperate with persons conducting applied and basic research programs and investigations and economic studies in relation to those resources, and for that purpose maintain and operate research institutes, laboratories, observatories and other facilities for exploration and research related to the source, origin, properties, development or use of those resources; and study, keep under review and consider recommendations with respect to matters relating to the exploration for, or the production, recovery, manufacture, processing, transmission, transportation, distribution, sale, purchase, exchange or disposition of, any of those resources, and with respect to matters relating to the sources of those resources within or outside Canada. Conservation, etc., of resources The Minister may, in exercising the powers and carrying out the duties and functions mentioned in section 6, formulate plans for the conservation, development and use of the resources specified in that section and for related research and the Minister may carry out those plans in cooperation with other departments, branches and agencies of the Government of Canada. Cooperation and agreements In formulating and carrying out any plans under subsection (1), the Minister may cooperate with the provinces and with municipalities; enter into agreements with any person or body, including the government of any province or any department, branch or agency of such a government, respecting the carrying out of those plans; and make grants and contributions and, with the approval of the Governor in Council, provide other forms of financial assistance. Consultation The Minister may, in exercising the powers and carrying out the duties and functions mentioned in this section, including in relation to technical surveys, consult with, and inaugurate conferences of representatives of, producers, industry, the universities, labour and provincial and municipal authorities. Logistic support, etc., relating to the Arctic region The Minister may coordinate logistics support and provide related assistance for the purposes of advancing scientific knowledge of the Arctic region and contributing to the exercise of Canada’s sovereignty in that region and its adjacent waters. Recovery of expenditures For the purposes of subsection (1), the Minister may make grants and contributions; and make recoverable expenditures on behalf of any other department, branch or agency of the Government of Canada or a province or any university, organization or person in respect of its share of the cost of any logistics support or related assistance.