Agriculture Appeal and
Review Board Act

Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Agriculture Appeal and Review Board Act. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 1.

Interpretation

2 In this Act,

"Board" means the Agriculture Appeal and Review Board established by this Act;

"Chair" means the Chair of the Board;

"member", unless the context otherwise requires, means a member of the Board, and includes the Chair and any vice-chairs of the Board;

"Minister" means the Minister of Agriculture;

"vice-chair" means a vice-chair of the Board. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 2.

Agriculture Appeal and Review Board established

3 The Agriculture Appeal and Review Board is established. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 3.

Board composition and members

4 (1) The Board consists of not more than 10 members appointed by the Governor in Council.

(2) Subject to the regulations, a member holds office for such term as the Governor in Council determines.

(3) A member of the Board may be reappointed to the Board and, subject to any limitations prescribed by the regulations, may serve consecutive terms as a member of the Board.

(4) Members of the Board are entitled to such remuneration and to be reimbursed for such reasonable expenses incurred by them in carrying out their duties as the Governor in Council determines.

(5) A vacancy on the Board does not impair the ability of the Board to act. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 4.

Chair and vice-chairs of Board

5 The Governor in Council shall designate a Chair and one or more vice-chairs from among the members of the Board. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 5.

Duties, functions and powers of Board

6 The Board shall perform the duties and functions required or authorized to be performed by the Board, and may exercise such powers as may be conferred on the Board, under this Act, the regulations or any other enactment, including

(a) the Animal Protection Act;

(b) the Crop and Livestock Insurance Act;

(c) the Farm Practices Act;

(d) the Fur Industry Act; and

(e) the Meat Inspection Act. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 6.

Clerk of Board

7 (1) The Minister shall appoint an employee of the Government as clerk of the Board.

(2) Where the employee to be appointed as clerk of the Board is not an employee of the Department of Agriculture, the Minister shall, before making the appointment, obtain the consent of the employee and the department or office in which the employee is employed. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 7.

Panel of Board

8 (1) The Chair may assign one or more members to constitute a panel of the Board and may designate a member to chair the panel.

(2) Two or more panels of the Board may be constituted and may act simultaneously.

(3) A panel of the Board constitutes a quorum of the Board.

(4) Where a panel of the Board consists of more than one member, a decision of the majority of the members of a panel is the decision of the Board, but where there is no majority, a decision of the chair of the panel is the decision of the Board.

(5) A panel of the Board acts on behalf of the Board and, with respect to any matter before the panel, may exercise all the powers of the Board under this Act, the regulations or any other enactment.

(6) Any decision, determination, direction, declaration, order, interim order or ruling of, or any act or thing done by a panel of the Board is a decision, determination, direction, declaration, order, interim order or ruling of, or an act or thing done by, the Board. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 8.

Practice, procedure and forms

9 The Board may, with the approval of the Minister,

(a) make rules governing its practice and procedure in relation to matters coming before it; and

(b) prescribe forms for use in relation to matters coming before it. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 9.

Hearings

10 The Board may determine the manner in which a hearing before it is conducted and whether a hearing is open to the public. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 10.

Professional or technical assistance

11 (1) The Board may engage persons to provide professional or technical assistance to the Board.

(2) For the purpose of determining a matter before it, the Board may direct a person engaged by the Board under subsection (1) to conduct a site visit and provide a report to the Board respecting the site visit. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 11.

Regulations

12 (1) The Governor in Council may make regulations

(a) respecting the qualifications that must be met by members, including requiring that one member or a specified number of members meet certain qualifications;

(b) prescribing or limiting the term of appointment of a member;

(c) limiting the number of consecutive terms that a member may serve;

(d) respecting conditions applicable to the appointment of a member;

(e) respecting the jurisdiction of the Board and conferring additional powers, functions, duties and responsibilities upon it;

(f) respecting the duties and powers of the Chair and a vice-chair;

(g) respecting the composition of a panel of the Board;

(h) respecting applications to the Board, including prescribing or restricting the time in which an application may be made and prescribing or restricting the form and manner of application;

(i) respecting hearings before the Board;

(j) respecting practice and procedure in relation to matters coming before the Board, including prescribing deadlines by which specified actions must be taken in respect of a matter before the Board;

(k) respecting orders that may be made by the Board before, during or at the conclusion of the hearing of a matter;

(l) respecting the disposition of matters before the Board;

(m) respecting the publication of decisions or summaries of decisions of the Board;

(n) respecting the keeping of a record of matters or proceedings before the Board;

(o) respecting fees payable in relation to matters coming before the Board under any enactment, including the refund of such fees;

(p) respecting appeals of decisions of the Board;

(q) defining any word or expression used but not defined in this Act;

(r) further defining any word or expression used in this Act;

(s) respecting any matter necessary or advisable to carry out effectively the intent and purpose of this Act.

(2) The Governor in Council may make different regulations for different matters or categories of matters coming before the Board.

(3) The exercise by the Governor in Council of the authority in subsection (1) is a regulation within the meaning of the Regulations Act. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 12.

Boards abolished

13 The following boards are abolished:

(a) the Animal Welfare Appeal Board established under the Animal Protection Act;

(b) the Crop and Livestock Arbitration Board established by the Arbitration Proceedings Regulations under the Crop and Livestock Insurance Act;

(c) the Farm Practices Board established under the Farm Practices Act;

(d) the Meat Inspection Board established under the Meat Inspection Act. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 13.

Member of abolished board is member of Board

14 Notwithstanding subsections 4(1) and (2), a person who, immediately before the coming into force of this Act, was a member of a board abolished by Section 13 is a member of the Board and holds office as a member of the Board for the remainder of the term for which the person was appointed to the abolished board. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 14.

Board may complete proceedings

15 (1) Any proceeding, hearing, matter or thing commenced by a board abolished by Section 13 that would, where commenced after the coming into force of this Act, be dealt with by the Board, may be dealt with or completed by the Board.

(2) The documentation, information, records and files pertaining to any proceeding, hearing, matter or thing to be dealt with or completed by the Board under subsection (1) becomes the documentation, information, records and files of the Board. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 15.

Decision of abolished Board remains valid

16 Any decision, determination, direction, declaration, order, interim order or ruling of a board abolished by Section 13 that is valid and of full force and effect immediately before the coming into force of this Act continues to be valid and of full force and effect notwithstanding the abolition of the board and is deemed to be the decision, determination, direction, declaration, order, interim order or ruling of the Board. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 16.

Reference to abolished board means Board

17 Where in any agreement, instrument or document or in any enactment other than this Act or the regulations, reference is made to a board abolished by Section 13, it must be read, unless the context otherwise requires, as a reference to the Board. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 17.

Animal Protection Act amended

18 to 23 amendments

Crop and Livestock Insurance Act amended

24 to 26 amendments

Farm Practices Act amended

27 to 35 amendments

Fur Industry Act amended

36 and 37 amendments

Meat Inspection Act amended

38 to 41 amendments

Proclamation

42 This Act comes into force on such day as the Governor in Council orders and declares by proclamation. 2025, c. 16, Sch., s. 42.