The Ontario government is investing $23.6 million to develop a province-wide strategy that includes identifying and plugging old oil and gas wells to keep communities safe.
An additional $2.5 million will be allocated to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent to assist with costs associated with emergency management from the 2021 explosion in the community of Wheatley.
The $23.6 million will be used to develop an oil and gas action plan to help address the risks of old wells and conduct science and research to better understand the risks that old oil and gas wells 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.
An additional $2.5 million will go directly to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent to help with ongoing emergency management costs associated with the Wheatley explosion. To date, Ontario has invested over $25 million to support the investigation, recovery and monitoring activities in Chatham-Kent, as well as support for eligible businesses and residents who were evacuated from their homes.
Ontario has records for approximately 27,000 oil and gas wells, primarily on private land in southwestern Ontario.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry administers the Abandoned Works Program, which supports the plugging of 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, this program has spent $29.5 million to plug 415 wells across the province.
The provincial action plan will continue to be guided by ongoing engagement and feedback from industry, municipalities, Indigenous partners, other key stakeholders, and the public.
Click here to see a full map of well locations across Ontario.