Our op-ed on the big $1 B announcement last wk. It’s critical we support gov't initiatives to create employment for Cndns trying to stay afloat. However ... it is impt that even in the post-pandemic environment, the polluter-pay principle holds. 1/x #ableg https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-couple-orphan-well-aid-money-with-tougher-regulations/wcm/00dd7df7-09b2-46a1-9039-b4a95c3e078d/

The inactive and orphan-well problem is not minor. It has been decades in the making, w/ landowners and industry pitted against each other as O&G wells have been left unattended and in varying states of disrepair. There are 164,000 inactive or abandoned wells in Alberta 2/x

Premier Jason Kenney has praised this federal investment which, according to the fed announcement, includes a provincial commitment to implement strengthened regulations to prevent this problem from reoccurring. Strengthened regs are essential to prevent problem from growing 3/x

Strengthened regs would incl mandatory timelines that require companies to clean up sites by certain date, and robust security reqs going forward to ensure prov has funds for clean up. This is essential to prevent problem from growing. Anything less won't. 4/x

The federal-provincial agmt also calls for establishment of an independent committee tasked w/ overseeing the investment. We recommend this committee include broader representation to balance the need to address the highest-risk sites w/ cleaning the maximum # of sites. 5/x

This is a good opportunity to put ppl to work and deal w/ long standing issue. However, to be acceptable to all Canadians, this investment must be accompanied by regulatory changes at the provincial level to address the root of the problem. 6/x

[for another time: this announcement has nothing to do with the other big liability problem hanging over our heads: costs of oilsands reclamation. Phew! Thats an equal nightmare.]