Ontario invests $23.6M into province-wide strategy addressing abandoned oil and gas wells
Chatham-Kent is getting $2.5 million from the province as part of a $23.6 million investment to address risks posed by abandoned oil and gas wells.
The Ontario government announced the funding Friday to develop a province-wide strategy that includes identifying and plugging old oil and gas wells. Chatham’s funding is to help assist with emergency management costs from the 2021 explosion in downtown Wheatley.
“We are continuing to listen to our residents and local leaders to ensure our government’s plan addresses the needs of communities across Ontario, including Chatham-Kent,” Trevor Jones, MPP for Chatham-Kent-Leamington, said in a news release. “This funding will help municipalities address the risks posed by old oil and gas wells and help keep communities safe.”
To date, the province has invested $25 million to support the investigation, recovery and monitoring activities in Chatham-Kent as well as support businesses and residents evacuated.
According to the province, the $23.6 million will be used to develop an “oil and has action plan” to address the risks of old wells and conduct research to better understand the risks they pose.
The funding includes:
- $7.5 million over three years to directly support municipalities in their efforts to reduce risks and enhance emergency preparedness within their communities. Eligible municipalities will be invited to apply for funding for these activities in the coming weeks.
- Doubling of the existing Abandoned Works Program over three years to $6 million to support the plugging of old oil and gas wells.
- $2.5 million will go directly to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent to help with ongoing emergency management costs associated with the Wheatley explosion.
“This investment represents the first step in our government’s action plan to address the challenges and risks old oil and gas wells pose to communities across Ontario,” Graydon Smith, minister of natural resources and forestry, said in a news release. “With this funding, Chatham-Kent and other affected municipalities will be able to help keep their communities safe and prevent petroleum-related emergencies in the future.”
The province says the action plan will be guided by ongoing engagement and feedback from industry, municipalities, Indigenous partners, other key stakeholders, and the public.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Man convicted of involuntary manslaughter in father's drowning, told police he was baptizing him
A Massachusetts man who told police he was exorcising a demon and performing a baptism when he shoved his father's head under water multiple times has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in his death.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Hubble Space Telescope marks 34 years with new portrait of a 'cosmic dumbbell'
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning new image of the glowing gas ejected from a dying star, which in this case happens to resemble a 'cosmic dumbbell.'