A suggestion from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) concerning the storage of CO2 in the geological layers beneath soil and farmland faced criticism from local farmers and landowners during a gathering where government officials aimed to receive constructive feedback.
In order to meet Canada’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050, the MNR is developing a set of guidelines and regulations for the injection of carbon dioxide at high pressure, 800 meters below the surface.
Although the Ontario area has experience with underground storage wells, particularly in Southern Ontario, a zone abundant in heavy industrial polluters, the newly suggested site for storage could possibly reach far beneath both Lake Erie and Lake Huron, a situation that has raised concerns.
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Don McCabe, the former president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and an advocate for lowering CO2 emissions, has voiced serious worries regarding the impact that a failure in storage could have on freshwater resources and aquatic ecosystems in the area suggested for underground storage.
When government representatives proposed that carbon capture and storage in the area could draw in industries and the potential for numerous high-paying jobs, local landowners appeared to recall the experiences from the Kathleen Wynne administration’s alleged green energy policy, which led to soaring electricity prices, making it financially advantageous for businesses to leave Ontario.
One of the other issues discussed during the meeting was the extent of “financial assurance” that should be supplied by the project proponent to address potential leakage, migration, or damages, as well as the timing of contributions to a mitigation fund.
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Additionally, following the Canadian province of Alberta’s declaration of ownership and its assertion of jurisdiction over deep pore space, as well as British Columbia’s allocation of rights to facilitate deep geological carbon storage beneath privately held land, the issue of regulating deep pore space was raised.
These uncertainties leave Ontario farmers wary of committing to practices that may affect their livelihoods, as they call for more transparency and thorough research before any decisions are finalized.
