Board Governance

We have an important mandate to carry out. Good governance is vital in ensuring that we have a well-managed organization that properly carries out the duties and functions that are conferred or imposed on it by the Accord Acts.

Our Board is guided by a governance charter that lays out their roles and responsibilities as Board Members. The charter also provides information on committees, codes of conduct, performance, and conflict of interest guidelines our Board Members follow. Download the document:

CNSOER Board Governance Charter

Board Members

Our Board is made up of up to seven members who are each appointed for a six-year fixed term. Two members may be appointed by the Government of Canada and two members may be appointed by the Government of Nova Scotia and additionally each government may appoint one alternate member. The Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia also jointly appoint the Chair of the Board.

Our Board Members do not act as representatives of either government. They act independently of the governments and are appointed based on merit with relevant backgrounds and expertise. To get to know our Board Members, click here.

Chair of the Board

The Chair of the Board is jointly appointed by both the Government of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia for a six-year term. Our Chair is responsible for the management of the Board and acts as the primary liaison between our Board and our Chief Executive Officer who is responsible for the day-to-day management of our staff and activities. Our Chair is also the primary liaison with the governments regarding policy and executive Board matters.

Board Committees

To effectively provide governance oversight of our organization, our Board has established three internal committees:

Audit, Evaluation & Human Resources Committee
Health, Safety & Environment Advisory Committee
Social Responsibility Committee

Our Audit, Evaluation & Human Resources Committee is responsible for reviewing our financial information, all audit processes, risk management
controls and policies, and our human resource strategies, plans and policies. Our Audit, Evaluation & Human Resources Committee also ensures our staff are conducting internal work processes in accordance with our management systems and controls.

This Committee is made up of at least three Board Members who are appointed annually. Committee meetings are attended by our Chief Executive Officer, our Advisor, Audit, Evaluation and Human Resources and other staff as and when needed. The Committee Chair reports on the outcomes of Audit, Evaluation & Human Resources Committee meetings to the Board.

To be eligible for appointment to the Audit, Evaluation & Human Resources Committee, members need to have an understanding of financial processes and reporting.

Our Health, Safety & Environment Advisory Committee is responsible for providing strategic direction, reviewing our regulatory instruments, policies and systems related to our health, safety and environmental protection responsibilities and reviewing and recommending potential candidates to be designated by the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia as Operational Safety Officers, Occupational Health and Safety Officers and Conservation Officers. It is also a responsibility of the Health, Safety & Environment Advisory Committee to review and ensure the decisions our organization makes recognizes safety and environmental protections as paramount.

This Committee is made up of at least three Board members who are each appointed for a fixed three-year term. Committee meetings are attended by our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Safety Officer, Director, Operations/Health, Safety & Environment, and other staff as and when needed. The Committee Chair reports on outcomes from Health, Safety & Environment Advisory Committee meetings to the Board.

All members on this Committee are expected to have some level of experience with offshore energy activities with a particular focus on health, safety and environmental protection.

Our Social Responsibility Committee is responsible for overseeing our efforts to engage and educate our stakeholders to build trust and confidence in our regulatory role. Our Social Responsibility Committee also considers the impacts our decisions and activities have on our stakeholders and ensures our efforts are in line with engagement and communication best practices.

This Committee is made up of at least three Board Members who are appointed annually. Committee meetings are attended by our Chief Executive Officer, Advisor, Communications and other staff as and when needed. The Committee Chair reports on outcomes from Social Responsibility Committee meetings to the Board.

All members on this committee are expected to have a solid understanding of the issues and concerns facing the organization and best practices for public and Indigenous communities’ engagement.