a Thank you.
If the member would like, all she has to search in Google is “AER orphaned wells”. The first website that pops up explains a little bit about what “orphan” means in this. AER is the Alberta Energy Regulator. That is the source to go to for all the facts and information on this.
Part of why I was reading this is that I actually don't think there is a full understanding from members of this committee that there is actually a difference between abandoned and orphaned wells. About the 1,600 number, we're not quite sure, and then you say, “The number of abandoned wells in Alberta are set to increase by an additional 1,800 to 2,000”. Well, you're saying that there are 1,600 in Alberta, and then it says that the number in Alberta will increase from 1,800 to 2,000. Is it 1,600? Is it 1,800? Is it 2,000? Where are they getting these stats from? It's not from the Alberta Energy Regulator.
It just falls into this space. It doesn't actually recognize the fact that, according to the Government of Alberta and from what I've been able to see, the program that was put forward during COVID to clean up orphan wells actually did clean out orphan wells. According to the Orphan Well Association, in 2023-24 they actually closed—fully closed, not partially closed—622 sites, which was up 44% from the year prior.
I share this because it's important to look at and not assume something based on a news article. This is something that a lot of people who work in the energy industry continually get frustrated with. This is something that has a real impact in my community and I know in the community of my neighbour to the south, Mrs. Stubbs. We have a number of first nations communities. There is heavy oil in the basin that surrounds Lac La Biche and the Municipal District of Bonnyville. Shannon and I actually share the MD of Bonneville. Our riding splits it. I represent part of it and she represents the other part. This is where a large part of the original wells were being drilled when they were trying to find wells.
This isn't something that is so complicated. Back in the 1920s, when they were finding oil just by putting a pipe in the ground in Texas and oil was coming up Beverly Hillbillies style, a whole bunch of speculation and prospecting went on. Some of these wells don't have quite as complex a system as others. Some wells are actually really easy to clean up. They actually require a limited amount of work. Some of these wells do actually exist on first nations land, which has complicated the cleanup process, because the federal government has created layers of red tape that have not necessarily benefited the indigenous communities.
For one of the programs, the way the Government of Alberta chose to roll out its program was to actually consult with first nations, listen to them, listen to the chiefs and pick sites that were of importance to them. It wasn't just “let's clean up the easiest wells to clean up first, and we'll get to the harder ones later.” This was actually a noted point in making sure that what they were putting forward was something that would actually be able to serve communities now and in the long term into the future.
The chiefs wrote very clearly that they were united. The chiefs of treaties 6, 7 and 8, which are rarely united in writing to a government, wrote that they were:
...united in calling for Government of Canada to transfer the $134 million held by Alberta to the [first nations site rehabilitation program] in order for us to continue the extraordinary work and economic benefits to Treaty 6, 7 & 8 Nations in Alberta. We ask that you set political considerations aside to rekindle the spirit of collaboration, and to do the right thing for the environment, for First Nation economies, and for the lands that our Nations hold sacred. We implore your government to work with Alberta to ensure that the $134 million dollars is made available to First Nations who require these funds to continue this work.
We are happy to address any specific questions you might have and if you require any additional information, please contact us. We look forward to an immediate resolution to this matter.
This letter was signed by Chief Roy Whitney from Tsuut’ina Nation, Chief Aaron Young from Chiniki Nation, Chief Darcy Dixon from Bearspaw First Nation and Chief Clifford Poucette from Goodstoney First Nation.
This was dated December 20, 2023, and sent to the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. It was copied to the Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, Patty Hajdu, the Premier of Alberta and my colleague on the provincial side, the Honourable Brian Jean, Minister of Energy and Minerals for the Province of Alberta. It's worth noting that Brian Jean is also the legislature member for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche, which is an area with a large number of the first nations cleanups that happened on the territory. This was something designated as important.
That is part of the frustration with all of this. Just a couple of weeks ago, when the very first meeting on this came forward, the minister wrote a letter saying that the committee on natural resources is basically wrong. However, it doesn't say, “basically wrong”. He actually writes, “factually wrong and frankly nonsensical”. That is incredibly damaging.
The members opposite in the Liberal Party can continue—