Definitions

1   In this Act:

"BC Online" means the system that enables information or service transactions by electronic means and that is known as BC Online;

"operator" means

(a) a person other than the government that under an agreement referred to in section 2 is authorized to operate BC Online, or

(b) if no person other than the government is authorized under an agreement referred to in section 2 to operate BC Online, the government.

Agreement for operator to retain fees

2   (1) Despite the Financial Administration Act, Treasury Board may authorize a person that enters into an agreement to operate BC Online to retain, as consideration for the payments to the government by the person under the agreement, all or part of the money to be levied and collected under the enactments specified by the regulations.

(2) An operator other than the government is

(a) an agent of the government for the purpose of receiving money on behalf of and remitting to the government that portion of the money collected by the person that is not to be retained by that person under an agreement authorized under subsection (1), and

(b) an agency of the government for the purposes of the Auditor General Act in respect of money collected under an agreement under subsection (1).

When operator fees are payable to government

2.1   If the government is the operator of BC Online, the following are payable to the government:

(a) money payable under an enactment to the operator of BC Online;

(b) money described as an operator fee or operator charge in an enactment specified in the regulations.

Power to make regulations

3   (1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations referred to in section 41 of the Interpretation Act.

(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations as follows:

(a) specifying those enactments for which and the circumstances in which, despite the enactment, money to be paid to the government or to a public officer for a service or information may be collected by and retained in whole or in part by an operator other than the government under an agreement under this Act;

(b) specifying those enactments for which and the circumstances in which money to be paid under the enactment for a service or information is payable to the government under section 2.1 when the government is the operator of BC Online.

Commencement

4   This Act comes into force by regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.