Earlier this month, my colleague Andrew Weaver asked Hon. Michelle Mungall , Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, about orphan oil and gas wells in British Columbia. The Auditor General of British Columbia reviewed the situation in our province and reported that the number of orphan sites is dramatically increasing and the funds set aside by companies is falling well short of what is needed. We have a problem with the orphans, but it’s not just a problem in British Columbia. The $3 billion price tag that British Columbians will likely be on the hook for is small in comparison to the estimated $50-70 billion that Albertans can expect. Western provinces have a regulatory problem. Does the polluter pay? In our province, the Oil and Gas Commission regulates the industry. Apparently, we have a polluter pays principle. This means the company who is causing the mess is responsible for cleaning it up. However, in the case of ...
A discussion on political, economic and social issues in British Columbia, and Canada