Chatham-Kent’s mayor is thanking the provincial government for revised legislation aimed at protecting communities from hazardous oil and gas wells.
Officials with the Ontario government say, if passed, the revamped Resource Management and Safety Act would help attract more land surveyors to the profession. The previous bill died on the table when Premier Doug Ford called an early election in late January.
The new legislation, along with changes to the Oil, Gas, and Salt Resources Act, would allow the Ministry of Natural Resources to take immediate action to address hazardous oil and gas wells that pose a public safety risk when an operator is not compliant with a ministry order in certain circumstances, such as death or bankruptcy, and recover costs of any action taken on the well.
“Chatham-Kent is thankful that the Government of Ontario is supporting our community by continuing to make changes to prevent or reduce the impact of oil and gas well emergencies in the future,” said Mayor Darrin Canniff in a news release. “The legislative changes proposed are a necessary step to protecting our resources and enhancing community safety.”
Ministry official say they will continue to engage with stakeholders and Indigenous communities to develop supporting regulations and revise the proposed framework.
