Province Investing $280,000 this Year to Help Niagara Region Manage Emergencies
News from the Constituency Office of Niagara West MPP and Associate Energy Minister Sam Oosterhoff
Posted June 17th, 2024 on Niagara At Large
Niagara West ConservativeMPP and Associate Minister of Energy Sam Oosterhoff
BEAMSVILLE in Niagara, Ontario – The Ontario government is investing $280,000 this year to help the Regional Municipality of Niagara better manage the hazards posed by old and inactive oil and gas wells.
The local funding is part of a $2.5 million investment in 2024 to help nine municipalities across Southwestern Ontario enhance emergency preparedness.
“There are several old and inactive oil and gas wells across Niagara, especially in the Southern part of the Region,” said Hon. Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy and MPP for Niagara West,
This renewed funding will help protect our local environment, manage risks associated with abandoned wells and help keep communities safe.”
“On behalf of Regional Council, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the provincial government for their investment of $280,000 to assist in safeguarding our environment from the impacts of inactive oil and gas wells,” said Jim Bradley, Chair of the Regional Municipality of Niagara.
“This renewed funding is a testament to the government’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the protection of our natural resources.”
This year’s investment will also allocate a portion of funding to support collaborative projects and partnerships between municipalities that pursue research, public education and outreach campaigns.
“As we enter this next chapter of our action plan to tackle the challenges related to legacy oil and gas wells, I am pleased to see how municipalities are finding new and innovative ways to address risks and enhance local emergency planning,” said Hon. Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources.
“We understand the significance of this issue in Niagara and across Southwestern Ontario and that is why we are continuing to make investments to help keep communities safe.”
In 2023, the province provided the nine municipalities with close to $2 million to purchase emergency response equipment, enhance municipal staff health and safety training and increase public education and awareness.
The Regional Municipality of Niagara used last year’s funding to purchase equipment to support emergency response and provide additional health and safety training to staff.
The Ontario government will continue to work alongside municipal partners and actively seek their input to ensure future funding remains adaptable to the needs of communities.
Quick Facts:
*This year’s funding is part of a three-year, $7.5 million investment to help communities enhance emergency preparedness and is the next step in the government’s $23.6 million action plan to help protect communities from petroleum-related emergencies.
*Ontario has records for approximately 27,000 oil and gas wells, primarily on private land in Southwestern Ontario.
*The greatest need for funding is predominantly in rural municipalities in Southwestern Ontario where local geology and naturally occurring petroleum resources can pose risks to public health and safety and the environment.
*The Ministry of Natural Resources administers the Abandoned Works Program, which provides financial assistance to eligible landowners to support the plugging of oil and gas wells that are a high risk to public safety or the natural environment. To date, the province has invested $33 million to plug 440 wells across Ontario.
NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.
“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders
Niagara At Large 
It’s good that these abandoned gas and oil wells are being capped and/or cleaned up but I wonder why we, as taxpayers, are footing the cost for this. Why isn’t our provincial government going after oil and gas companies to clean up the mess they have made? No need to answer this rhetorical question, we only need to look at who funds the Conservative Party.
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