Norfolk will receive $280,000 in provincial funding this year to help deal with the county’s abandoned oil and gas wells.
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The money is part of the Ontario government’s $23.6-million action plan to tackle the challenges related to old and inactive wells. The province is investing $7.5 million into the effort over three years.
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Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, who made the announcement on Thursday in the Norfolk County council chambers in Simcoe, said the government is committed to preventing another situation like the one in Wheatley. There was an explosion in the Chatham-Kent community in August 2021 after a hydrogen sulphide leak in the area injured people and destroyed and damaged multiple downtown buildings. Three wells were plugged in the aftermath of the explosion.
“We heard from municipalities across Southern Ontario that they need help addressing the complex challenges related to inactive oil and gas wells in their communities,” said Smith.
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He said the money will help a handful of municipalities, including Norfolk, Brant County and Haldimand, purchase gas monitoring and health and safety equipment, provide health and safety training to staff and develop an education campaign for residents.
There are about 27,000 old and inactive oil and gas wells – primarily on private land — on record in Ontario, including more than 2,630 in Norfolk.
“Norfolk appreciates the province’s support with this regional matter and the acknowledgment that municipalities need to be equipped to address issues like this that cross multiple municipal boundaries,” said Norfolk Mayor Amy Martin. “Community safety remains our shared top priority. The funding provided to Norfolk will help us better communicate the dangers associated with abandoned wells and monitor problematic wells.”
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Other municipalities approved for Year 1 funding are Chatham-Kent, Lambton County, Oxford County, Elgin County, Essex County and the Regional Municipality of Niagara.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry administer the Abandoned Works Program, which supports the plugging of old and inactive oil and gas wells that are at heightened risk to public safety or the environment by providing financial assistance to eligible landowners.
To date, the province has invested $29.5 million to plug 415 wells in Ontario.
Smith said he encourages property owners with property on their land to reach out for government assistance.
“This isn’t about trying to assign blame or fault on anyone. This is an exercise in safety. The money announced in 2023 is all to make sure people feel comfortable in doing the right thing and reaching out to us so we can better understand the risks or potential lack of risks any individual well may pose.”
Smith said potential risks vary greatly among wells and assessments help ensure “time, attention and money” is spent on those that may pose the most danger.
“Each one requires its own assessment for what the remedy is.”
Smith said efforts to plug an old gas well on Forestry Farm Road in Norfolk has been challenging. The Ministry of Natural Resources said in 2022 it would spend up to $750,000 to cap the well, which was spewing dangerous amounts of hydrogen sulphide gas.
“We will invest what it takes to get the job done and get it done correctly,” said Smith.
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