On November 25, the Ontario government introduced legislation that, if passed, would help communities reduce the risk and impacts of wildland fires and hazardous oil and gas wells. The Resource Management and Safety Act, 2024 would also help attract more land surveyors to the profession to support building more homes and other infrastructure and would enable and regulate the use of carbon storage technology.
"Our government is helping communities protect precious resources by taking steps to minimize the adverse environmental, economic and health impacts of wildland fires and hazardous oil and gas wells," said Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources. "This legislation will also help accelerate the building of critical infrastructure like hospitals, schools and homes while protecting the environment and support new ways to safely manage CO2 emissions while creating good paying jobs."
The Resource Management and Safety Act, 2024 includes the following legislative changes:
- Modernizing the Forest Fires Prevention Act to enhance wildland fire prevention and preparedness, including with new requirements for wildland fire management plans and stricter penalties for those who don't follow wildland fire laws, to reduce the risk of unwanted human-caused fires.
- Changes to the Oil, Gas, and Salt Resources Act that would allow the ministry 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.
- To support Ontario's rapid infrastructure and housing development needs, the province is proposing to amend the Surveyors Act to enhance the vital role land surveyors play in the province's development and growth and help attract more surveyors to the profession to support their key role in helping ensure access to safe and affordable housing options.
"Our forestry sector is vitally important to Ontario, producing critical building materials, and managing and renewing Ontario's forests, which can play an important role in reducing the risk of wildland fire," said Kevin Holland, Minister of Forestry and Forest Products. "These new protections allow the province to help job creators build Ontario and provide better service for communities."
As part of this legislation, the Ontario government is also proposing a new act that would support innovation and help manage emissions. The Geologic Carbon Storage Act, if passed, would enable the regulation of commercial-scale geologic carbon storage which involves injecting captured CO2, that would have otherwise been emitted into the atmosphere and injecting it into deep underground rock formations for permanent storage. This advanced technology would help energy-intensive industries reduce greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 5 to 7 million tonnes per year, create upwards of 4,000 short-term jobs, and reduce the price Ontario industries pay on carbon by close to $1 billion a year while ensuring public safety.
The ministry will continue to consult with stakeholders and Indigenous communities to refine the proposed framework as commercial scale projects are proposed by industry.
"Carbon storage is new to the province, and the ministry is developing a framework that will ensure it is done responsibly, with measures in place to safeguard people and the environment," said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Natural Resources. "By mitigating emissions, carbon storage has the potential to transform Ontario's essential natural resource industries into internationally recognized global suppliers of clean building materials while creating new good paying jobs."
If the Resource Management and Safety Act, 2024 is passed, the province will continue to consult and develop supporting regulations to implement changes, where necessary.
Quick Facts
- The Forest Fires Prevention Act has not received significant updates since 1999. These amendments will enable the use of more modern enforcement tools.
- The Surveyors Act has not substantially changed since 1987. Changes will allow companies to leverage technology and other modern business practices to deliver services.
- During the 2024 wildland fire season, which runs from April to October, there were 480 fires, and 89,841 hectares of forests were burned.
- According to the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute - an international think tank seeking to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture and storage - there are almost 400 carbon capture and storage projects at various stages of development worldwide in 2023 and close to 300 million tonnes of CO2 has already been injected underground.
Quotes
"The Association of Land Surveyors of Ontario is pleased to see the Ministry of Natural Resources' proposed changes to the Surveyors Act. These changes will modernize and enhance the skilled profession of land surveying in Ontario, and allow our association to continue to advance our mandate of protecting the public. As the demand for safe, affordable housing and infrastructure continues to rise, land surveyors will remain essential in building the future of our province. I thank the province for their efforts in supporting our profession, and helping us meet the demands of a growing economy."
- Al Jeraj, Executive Director, The Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
"The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada applauds the Ministry of Natural Resources on the continued progress towards enabling commercial-scale geologic storage of carbon in the province. The chemistry sector is transforming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions and carbon storage is an essential component. Carbon storage is recognized and supported by the federal government and is operational elsewhere in Canada."
- Don Fusco, Regional Director, Ontario and Corporate Secretary, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
"This legislation demonstrates our commitment to helping Ontario's energy-intensive industries remain competitive while reducing emissions and driving economic growth. It proves there's a better way than the federal carbon tax one that captures carbon, fosters innovation, and creates good-paying jobs. By enabling geologic carbon storage, we're not only helping industries cut emissions responsibly but also creating opportunities for families and supporting good-paying jobs that build a stronger future for Ontario."
- Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries
"AMO applauds provincial action to modernize wildfire management. More frequent and intense wildfires due to climate change create significant risks for people and resources. Provincial-municipal partnership to prevent, prepare for, mitigate and respond to wildfires is needed to protect our forests and keep our communities safe."
- Robin Jones, President, Association of Municipalities of Ontario and Mayor of Westport
"The Ministry's proposed amendments to the Forest Fires Prevention Act sends a clear message: protecting our forests and reducing human-caused fires is a shared responsibility that requires strong action and commitment from everyone. Expanding prevention efforts marks a critical step in safeguarding our communities and the environment."
- Mayor Wendy Landry, President, Northwestern Ontario Municipalities Association
"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. The legislative changes proposed are a necessary step to protecting our resources and enhancing community safety."
- Darrin Canniff, Mayor of Chatham-Kent
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