GI-2024-17-reg1: New Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant Exclusion Regulations (Parts I, II and III of the Canada Labour Code and the Non-smokers’ Health Act)

The primary affected workplace is NB Power's Point Lepreau nuclear generating station, though the new rules are written to cover any future nuclear power plant built in New Brunswick. Workers in the on-site facility fire brigade (FFB) will see a meaningful change: they will no longer be able to refuse work simply because fighting a fire is dangerous, since that is now formally recognized as a normal condition of their job — though they can still refuse if, for example, they lack proper protective equipment. For the employer and plant operators, the regulation is largely administrative — updated references to current provincial legislation replace outdated ones, and construction-related provisions that no longer apply have been removed. No new compliance costs are expected for the employer, and provincial occupational health, labour standards, and smoke-free workplace rules continue to govern day-to-day operations.