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The rising number of abandoned oil and gas wells has left the Alberta government in a fix. It’s estimated that about one-third of the 450,000 wells that have been drilled in the province have been abandoned or left inactive by industry.

It’s a problem that defies an easy solution, given that wells that haven’t been suitably sealed could pollute groundwater or soil. Complicating matters further is the fact that some of the companies responsible for mitigating the risk of environmental damage have gone bankrupt.

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Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall faces the same problem next door, and has asked the federal government to commit $156 million to clean up old wells in his province as part of an economic stimulus package to address the growing numbers of laid-off oilfield service workers.

We’re sympathetic to the plight of such employees, but we agree with Rachel Notley’s government that the companies responsible for sealing the wells should be the ones paying the bills, not taxpayers. Government spending is a problem at all levels in this country, and if we’re going to embrace so-called stimulus spending, let’s at least take on debt for important infrastructure, such as building a new cancer centre in Calgary and expanding rapid transit.