Alberta, like most other jurisdictions, requires polluters, including oil and gas operators, to pay cleanup costs once operations cease.  Unfortunately, the past few decades have shown that Alberta governments have not enforced these regulations.

Dr. David Swann will outline the tremendous liabilities that are falling to the public and future generations as the Orphan Well Association continues to delay essential cleanup (reclamation) of inactive sites, facilities, and pipelines, blocking land development. This also places both the environment and human health at risk. Recently, the provincial government has proposed what it calls the Mature Asset Strategy, which many, including rural municipalities, view as a continued deferral of the polluter pays principle, and continues to risk massive public funding.

Bio: David Swann is the former Chief Medical Officer of Health for Alberta (1987-2002) and MLA for Calgary-Mountainview (2004-2019), and proud father and grandfather of fourteen grandchildren. In retirement, he has focused on nonprofit board volunteering, including the Coalition for Responsible Energy - C4RE, which investigates these issues.