More funds to manage Ontario’s risky old oil and gas wells

The Ontario government is investing another $7.5 million over three years to address risks linked to inactive oil and gas wells across the province’s southwestern region.

The funds are in addition to the province's broader $23.6-million action plan to confront challenges associated with legacy oil and gas wells, said the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in a statement.

The Ford government has been criticized for not acting fast enough to manage risks posed by old oil and gas wells following recent disasters. This includes an explosion in the summer of 2022 that devastated downtown Wheatley, Ont., and injured 20 people. The blast was believed to originate from an old, forgotten well beneath the town.

In the first year of the plan, the province will allocate $2 million to nine municipalities and counties, with a focus on enhancing emergency preparedness and risk prevention. This funding aims to empower communities by supporting efforts in training, acquiring equipment and designing risk mitigation strategies, the statement reads.

“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 Graydon Smith, minister of natural resources and forestry in Norfolk County, where the announcement was made.

Rob Grimwood, president of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC), said the group is pleased by the latest commitment. The dangers, as exemplified in Chatham-Kent in 2021, are serious, and this investment will aid municipalities in improving emergency preparedness and mitigating risks within their communities, Grimwood added.

The ministry says its commitment to environmental and public safety is evident through its $29.5-million investment to date, resulting in the plugging of 415 wells across Ontario. According to the statement, Ontario has records for approximately 27,000 oil and gas wells, mainly on private land in southwestern Ontario. The Ontario Petroleum Institute (OPI) reports that 4,400 of those wells pose a risk to landowners and public health and safety. The pressing need for funding is particularly pronounced in rural municipalities in this region, where local geology and naturally occurring petroleum resources pose potential risks to public health, safety, and the environment, the statement added.

— With files from The Canadian Press

This story was produced in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights for the Afghan Journalists-in-Residence program funded by the Meta Journalism Project.