17 (1) The registrar or a person designated in writing by the registrar may conduct an inspection and may, as part of that inspection, enter and inspect at any reasonable time the business premises of a registrant, other than any part of the premises used as a dwelling, for the purpose of, (a)  ensuring compliance with this Act and the regulations; (b)  dealing with a complaint under section 16; or (c)  ensuring the registrant remains entitled to registration.  2002, c. 30, Sched. D, s. 17 (1). Powers on inspection (2) While carrying out an inspection, an inspector, (a)  is entitled to free access to all money, valuables, documents and records of the person being inspected that are relevant to the inspection; (b)  may use any data storage, processing or retrieval device or system used in carrying on business in order to produce information that is relevant to the inspection and that is in any form; and (c)  may, upon giving a receipt for them, remove for examination and may copy anything relevant to the inspection including any data storage disk or other retrieval device in order to produce information, but shall promptly return the thing to the person being inspected.  2002, c. 30, Sched. D, s. 17 (2); 2006, c. 34, s. 26 (2). Identification (3) An inspector shall produce, on request, evidence of his or her authority to carry out an inspection.  2002, c. 30, Sched. D, s. 17 (3). Assistance to be given (4) An inspector may, in the course of an inspection, require a person to produce a document or record and to provide whatever assistance is reasonably necessary, including using any data storage, processing or retrieval device or system to produce information that is relevant to the inspection and that is in any form, and the person shall produce the document or record or provide the assistance.  2002, c. 30, Sched. D, s. 17 (4); 2006, c. 34, s. 26 (2). Obstruction prohibited (5) No person shall obstruct an inspector conducting an inspection or withhold from him or her or conceal, alter or destroy any money, valuables, documents or records that are relevant to the inspection.  2002, c. 30, Sched. D, s. 17 (5). Use of force prohibited (6) An inspector shall not use force to enter and inspect premises under this section.  2002, c. 30, Sched. D, s. 17 (6). Admissibility of copies (7) A copy of a document or record certified by an inspector to be a true copy of the original is admissible in evidence to the same extent as the original and has the same evidentiary value.  2002, c. 30, Sched. D, s. 17 (7). Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2006, c. 34, s. 26 (2) - 01/04/2007 Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, the Act is amended by adding the following section: (See: 2017, c. 33, Sched. 5, s. 18) Inspection of non-registrants 17.1
(1) If the registrar has reasonable grounds to believe that an activity for which registration is required is occurring, the registrar, or a person designated in writing by the registrar, may conduct an inspection and may, as part of the inspection, enter and inspect at any reasonable time the business premises of a person or entity that is not a registrant, other than any part of the premises used as a dwelling, for the purpose of determining whether the person or entity is carrying on the activity. 2017, c. 33, Sched. 5, s. 18. Inspection of former registrants (2) The registrar, or a person designated in writing by the registrar, may conduct an inspection and may, as part of the inspection, enter and inspect at any reasonable time the business premises of a former registrant, other than any part of the premises used as a dwelling, for the purpose of ensuring compliance with this Act and the regulations by the former registrant. 2017, c. 33, Sched. 5, s. 18. Application of s. 17 (3) Subsections 17 (2) to (7) apply to an inspection described in subsection (1) or (2) of this section. 2017, c. 33, Sched. 5, s. 18. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2017, c. 33, Sched. 5, s. 18 - not in force