New Fire Safety Act Introduced
A new fire safety act, introduced in the House of Assembly today by Labour Minister Angus MacIsaac, will mean greater peace of mind for Nova Scotians.
An Act to Protect and Encourage Fire Safety formally adopts the National Fire Code and proposes new standards for fire officials and personnel who install and service fire protection and control devices and systems.
The proposed legislation comes as a result of the first complete review of the Fire Prevention Act in more than 20 years. The purpose of the review was to examine fire safety law and its processes and make recommendations to the Minister of Labour.
"The proposed fire safety act will support efficient, effective program delivery and decrease red tape, while achieving the principal goal of fire safety," Mr. MacIsaac said. "I am proud to introduce this new act, not only on behalf of the Department of Labour, but also on behalf of the many Nova Scotians who assisted in its creation."
The revision process began in February of 1996 under the auspices of the Fire Prevention Advisory Council. An external stakeholder group, consisting of representatives from all types of fire prevention and service personnel, municipal councils, insurance industry, engineering, construction, investment property, and design industries, was established to identify problems and suggest options for changes.
"The legislation I tabled today would not be as effective without so much valuable input from various stakeholder groups," Mr. MacIsaac said. "The act relates to matters beyond that of fire prevention and the desire is to create an internal and external environment that supports a proactive approach to all the elements of fire safety."
Over the past five years the Department of Labour, through the Fire Prevention Advisory Council, has held meetings, published reports and received recommendations and proposed changes from a broad community of stakeholders. The result was a report of recommendations contained in the final report sent to all interested parties in August of 1997.
"There is no question the current legislation is outdated. We needed to add clarity," the minister said. "Roles in fire prevention and fire safety are better defined and the ultimate result is more peace of mind for everyone in the province. The process is ongoing, I tabled the bill today, but second reading will not take place until a later session of the House. During this interval, we are encouraging Nova Scotians to have a look at the new legislation and let us know what they think."