May 6, 2020
Dear Joe McFadyen,
In April, the Canadian government announced billions in financial assistance to help clean up orphan well sites across western Canada.
This included a $200 million loan to the Alberta Orphan Well Association and $1 billion in direct federal funding to the province. The Alberta government has used that direct funding to launch the Site Rehabilitation Program.
The program is expected to provide 5,200 jobs in Alberta.
On May 1, applications for the Site Rehabilitation Program opened allowing companies to apply for grants to perform well, pipeline, and oil and gas site reclamation work. These grants will cover 25 to 100 per cent of the cost of each project, depending on the economic shape of the companies doing the work. First round grant call is open until May 31 or until the funds have been allocated.
This program, which would directly benefit many of our contractors, could potentially provide thousands of jobs for Building Trades of Alberta members from several affiliated locals.
I would like to know what plans Construction Labour Relations Alberta have to assist our contractors in obtaining these grants for orphan well clean-up work.
I look forward to your response and am available to discuss ways we can get more BTA members working at any time.
Sincerely,
Terry Parker
Executive Director, Building Trades of Alberta
