Appointment to Utility and Review Board

Halifax lawyer Peter Gurnham has been appointed to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Mr. Gurnham is a Queen's counsel and is a partner with the Halifax law firm Cox Hanson O'Reilly Matheson, where he has practised since 1977. He has extensive experience in administrative and regulatory law and has appeared before a variety of tribunals. Mr. Gurnham's appointment is effective immediately.

The appointment was approved by Executive Council, which accepted a recommendation from an independent review panel. The panel followed a process similar to that used for the appointment of provincial court judges. Fifty applicants responded to an advertisement for the position. The panel interviewed nine candidates and recommended four, one of whom withdrew. It is the first time this process has been applied to the selection of a board member.

The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that reports to the legislature through the minister of Environment and Labour. It makes decisions regarding both regulatory and adjudicative issues. The regulatory component of the board's work includes the regulation of public utilities and licensing of public passenger carriers. The board also conducts hearings relating to gaming control, liquor control and film classification. The adjudicative work includes appeals or applications relating to property assessments, expropriation compensation claims, planning and subdivisions, and municipal boundaries.