Northern Pipeline Agency Canada

Info Source

Sources of Federal
Government Information
2008

Northern Pipeline Agency Canada

General Information

Background

The Northern Pipeline Agency (NPA) was created with the proclamation of the Northern Pipeline Act in April 1978 to oversee planning and construction of the Canadian portion of the Alaska Highway Gas Pipeline Project by the Foothills Group of Companies. The Minister of Natural Resources is responsible for the management and direction of the Agency. Pending resumption of planning and construction of the pipeline, the only office in the NPA that is staffed is the Office of the Commissioner, which maintains a small support staff.

Responsibilities

The NPA's mandate is twofold. First, it carries out Government of Canada responsibilities in relation to the pipeline and facilitates the efficient and expeditious planning and construction of the pipeline, taking into account local and regional interests, in particular those of native people. Secondly, it maximizes the social and economic benefits from the construction and operation of the pipeline while at the same time minimizing any adverse effect on the social and environmental conditions of the areas most directly affected by the pipeline.

The NPA acts as a single window between federal authorities and the Foothills Group of Companies, and between provincial and territorial governments, and the Government of the United States. In keeping with the Act, many regulatory powers of other Government of Canada departments and agencies related to the pipeline project are delegated to the NPA. This is not the case for those powers reserved exclusively to the National Energy Board or shared between the Board and the NPA.

Legislation

Northern Pipeline Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-26

Organization

Office of the Commissioner
As NPA headquarters, the Office of the Commissioner provides support to both the Minister responsible for the NPA and the Commissioner. The Office develops and consults on major policy issues between the United States, the provinces, and Government of Canada departments and agencies, concerned with the planning and construction of the Canadian portion of the Alaska Highway Gas Pipeline Project.

Office of the Administrator
The Office of the Administrator exercises such powers and performs such duties and functions as the Minister may specify.

Office of the Designated Officer
The Office of the Designated Officer carries out responsibilities as required under the Northern Pipeline Act, and as may be delegated by order of the National Energy Board from time to time.

Information Holdings

Institution-Specific Classes of Records

Advisory Councils
Description: Information on relations with Advisory Councils to assist the Minister and Commissioner in carrying out the objects of the Northern Pipeline Act.
Document Types: Yukon Advisory Council; Federal-Provincial Advisory Council.
Record Number: NPA ADM 015

British Columbia Regional Office
Description: Information on all aspects of planning and construction of the Alaska Highway gas pipeline in British Columbia with emphasis on liaison between the Government of Canada, and provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as individuals.
Document Types: Construction operations; native groups; pipeline manpower; special interest groups; surveillance; special projects and incidents; American pipeline information.
Record Number: NPA ADM 025

Delegated Authorities
Description: Information on the exercise and performance of certain powers, duties and functions delegated to the Northern Pipeline Agency by other government departments.
Document Types: Delegation of authority from the National Energy Board; delegation of authority under the National Energy Board Gas Pipeline Regulations; delegation of authority under the Northern Pipeline Act.
Access: Files arranged by subject and construction zone.
Record Number: NPA ODO 040

Engineering and Operational File
Description: Information on all engineering aspects associated with the operational phase of the pipeline.
Document Types: Analyses and tests; compressor stations; meter stations; pipeline stress; engineering surveillance; pipeline crossings.
Record Number: NPA EDU 100

Engineering Design and Development
Description: Information on the Engineering Design and Development necessary before the construction of the pipeline.
Document Types: Specifications and codes; analyses and tests; materials engineering; geotechnical design; pipeline design.
Record Number: NPA EDU 095

Environment
Description: Information on all aspects of the Environment, including climatic conditions in areas through which the pipeline passes and any changes and their effects on pipeline construction.
Document Types: Environmental impact settlement; biological effects; wildlife; pollution; permafrost, frost heave, and ice.
Record Number: NPA SEE 070

Government Programs
Description: Information on the powers and authorities delegated to the NPA by other Government of Canada departments and agencies, except the National Energy Board.
Document Types: Permits and orders; land tenure and use; field surveillance scheduling and administration.
Record Number: NPA TRA 050

Industrial Benefits
Description: Information on the economic benefits to Canada of the construction of the Alaska Highway gas pipeline through the purchase of pipeline material.
Document Types: Pipe procurement; valve procurement; turbine-compressor packages; fittings procurement; Canadian content.
Record Number: NPA TRA 055

Legal Affairs
Description: Information on the administration of legal matters; also opinions and decisions.
Document Types: Policy; Commissioner of Oaths; interpretation and application of legislation.
Record Number: NPA ADM 030

Logistics Transportation
Description: Information on logistical plans and activities from the standpoint of their effects on transportation systems.
Document Types: Transportation – pipe; air transportation systems; rail transportation systems.
Record Number: NPA TRA 045

Policy
Description: Information on federal-provincial, intergovernmental and international relations and negotiations.
Document Types: financing; construction; agreements; tariffs, gas export and legislation.
Record Number: NPA COM 005

Project Scheduling and Monitoring
Description: Information on regulatory matters, construction scheduling and monitoring, cost control and critical path planning for the project.
Record Number: NPA SRU 090

Public Affairs
Description: Information on NPA public relations, community information, media liaison and employee communications.
Document Types: Information services; advertising; communications strategies.
Record Number: NPA ADM 035

Right-of-Way
Description: Information on the acquisition of land for the construction of the pipeline or of any facilities associated with it.
Document Types: Service of land owners; land acquisition status reports; Right-of-Way; grant of easement; applications for leave to take additional lands; acquisition of work space; public hearings.
Record Number: NPA SRU 085

National Pipeline Agency Operations
Description: Information on all formal communications between NPA operational headquarters and regional offices, the Foothills Group of Companies, federal, provincial and territorial governments, industry and the public.
Document Types: Corporations, companies and firms; government liaison; public relations.
Record Number: NPA ADM 010

Social and Cultural Issues
Description: Information on social and cultural matters, particularly as they relate to the effect of pipeline construction on the culture and livelihood of the Native peoples living along its route.
Document Types: Trap-line compensation; loss of livelihood; harvesting; archaeological sites; protection of recreational areas; burial sites.
Record Number: NPA SEE 065

Socio-economic Issues
Description: Information on Socio-economic Issues such as workforce, social services and employment opportunities; also issues related to the existence of the pipeline.
Document Types: Social, economic and environmental effects; plans and plan schedules for pipeline construction; social services; opportunity measures; business opportunities; communities.
Record Number: NPA SEE 060

Surveillance Information
Description: Information on the day-to-day operations associated with pipeline and station construction.
Document Types: Diaries and reports; daily field orders; construction progress reports; equipment reports; reports of non- compliance.
Record Number: NPA SRU 080

Workforce
Description: Information on Workforce planning, requirements, reporting, recruiting, training, orientation and compensation as they relate to construction of the Alaska Highway gas pipeline.
Document Types: Information and recruitment; hiring and opportunities for Native peoples; training and hiring preferences; Workforce inventory; health plans, housing and work camps; contractor-union undertakings; woman employees; statistics; staff counts; construction staff reports; surveillance staff reports.
Record Number: NPA SEE 075

Yukon Regional Office
Description: Information on all aspects of planning and construction of the Alaska Highway gas pipeline in the Yukon with emphasis on liaison between the Office and the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as individuals.
Document Types: Construction operations; Native peoples groups; pipeline workers; special interest groups; surveillance; special projects and incidents; American pipeline information.
Record Number: NPA ADM 020

Standard Classes of Records

Please see the Introduction to this publication for the descriptions of Standard Classes of Records.

Access to Information and Privacy Requests

Human Resources

Recruitment and Staffing

Institution-Specific Personal Information Banks

Access Request Data Bank
Description: The bank refers to access request forms received from individuals requesting access to their files, the replies to such requests and information related to processing.
Class of Individuals: Employees, applicants for employment, and individuals providing services under contract.
Purpose: The bank provides information on access requests.
Consistent Uses: The bank records requests for access and provides information on periodic reports on requests.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Records are maintained for two years then destroyed.
RDA Number: 98/001
Related Record Number: NPA PRN 930
TBS Registration: 00740
Bank Number: NPA PPU 020

Application for Employment
Description: The bank refers to an inventory of applicants from the general public or the Government of Canada for employment with the Northern Pipeline NPA. It includes applications for employment, curricula vitae, letters of reference and other personal information. Individuals are identified by name. The Office of the Commissioner is responsible for this bank.
Class of Individuals: Applicants for employment in the NPA.
Purpose: The bank is used to identify applicants, their skills and abilities, work histories, or education for possible future appointments to the NPA staff.
Consistent Uses: The bank is used in the staffing of NPA positions.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Records held for two years past receipt or last administrative action, are then destroyed.
RDA Number: 98/001
Related Record Number: NPA PRN 929
TBS Registration: 00737
Bank Number: NPA PPU 005

Expenditure Records
Description: The bank refers to documentation in support of expenses incurred by employees in the performance of their duties including authorization for expenditure, advances and claims.
Class of Individuals: Employees of the institution.
Purpose: The documentation in the bank is used to support payments to employees and is retained for the purposes of audit.
Consistent Uses: The bank is used in the administration and verification of expense claims of employees.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Records held for six years past the fiscal year in which the expense occurred are then destroyed.
RDA Number: 98/001
Related Record Number: NPA PRN 921
TBS Registration: 00739
Bank Number: NPA PPU 015

Service Contract Files
Description: The bank refers to information about individuals or firms engaged under contract. The files contain data referring to curricula vitae, rates charged for service, dollar values of contracts, terms of contracts and previous contracts.
Class of Individuals: Individuals performing services for the NPA either directly or through their firms.
Purpose: The bank was established to record information relating to individuals and firms providing services to the NPA under contract.
Consistent Uses: The bank is used to record information relating to persons and firms providing services to the NPA under contract and to control payments for such services.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Information is retained for 2 years, then is destroyed.
RDA Number: 98/001
Related Record Number: NPA PRN 920
TBS Registration: 00738
Bank Number: NPA PPU 010

Classes of Personal Information

Human Resources Planning and Management
Personal information about employees is also maintained in other departmental files and databases held by various organizations involved in the human resource planning and management functions. Such systems are used to provide aggregated reports for the purpose of human resource planning and management and to assist in analysis of trends or developments. Although some of the information may be retrieved by a personal identifier, the databases are not used to provide information about individual employees nor to make any administrative decisions affecting individual employees.

Mailing Lists
This class includes correspondence and request cards from individuals regarding departmental mailing lists for publications. The information is used for amending addresses and to add or delete individual names on mailing lists that are retained permanently. The correspondence and request cards are retained until the mailing list has been amended.

Public Opinion Research
This is a class of records generated by departmental officials who conduct public opinion research on a vast spectrum of topics related to the mandate and mission of the Department of Natural Resources. Retrievable records consist of data- gathering instruments, such as, but not exclusively, questionnaires that may contain personal information revealing the identity of the research subject. Data contained in this class of records are not used for administrative purposes. Individuals seeking access to these records must provide the title of the research project in which they participated, the location and the date of the research, and any other data that may help to identify and locate the personal information they are seeking.

Manuals

1982 Operations and Maintenance Expense Budget, Zone 7 and 8
Alaska Highway Gas Pipeline Project Report on Transportation and Logistics – August 1, 1980, and March 1, 1981; also February 27, 1981
Alaska Highway Pipeline Project, Logistics - August 1980
Commissioning
Compressor Stations
Consolidated Monthly Progress Reports
Crossings
Designated Items – Procurement Program
Engineering and Technical Orders
Engineering Design
Environmental Terms and Conditions
Final Design Cost Estimate Phase I, Eastern Leg – December 1980
Final Design Cost Estimate Prebuild, Western Leg – April 1980
Final Design Cost Estimate Prebuild, Western Leg Re-submission – September 1980
Flow Studies
Leave to Open
Manual of Internal Administration
Monitoring Procedures
Office of the Designated Officer
Operator's Manual
Phase 1 Progress Report
Pipeline and Compressor Testing and Acceptance Plans
Policy and Programs
Regulatory Submission Schedules
Reports of Non-compliance Issued to Foothills by Surveillance Officers
Schedule III to the Northern Pipeline Act
Scheduling and Regulatory
Socio-economic Terms and Conditions
Station Construction Reports
Stress Analyses, Frost Heave, Settlement, Muskeg, Pipe Stability, Earthquake

Additional Information

Please see the Introduction to this publication for information on access procedures under the provisions of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

For additional information about the programs and activities of the Northern Pipeline Agency, please contact:

NRCan ATIP Coordinator
580 Booth Street, 11th Floor, B3
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E4

Telephone: 613-995-1305
Facsimile: 613-995-0693

Reading Room

In accordance with the Access to Information Act, an area on the premises of this institution has been designated as a public reading room. The address is:

NRCan ATIP Secretariat
580 Booth Street, 11th Floor, DI
Ottawa, Ontario

Northern Pipeline Agency Canada

Info Source

Sources of FederalGovernment Information2008