CALGARY -- Premier Jason Kenney says a $100 million government loan to the Orphan Well Association (OWA) will create about 500 jobs and speed up investment in Alberta’s energy sector.

Kenney made the announcement alongside energy minister Sonya Savage at Total Energy Services in Leduc Monday.

"This $100 million dollar investment and the 500 jobs we believe it will create will be a difference maker for many Albertans who are struggling right now," said Kenney.

The premier explained the money will help the OWA decommission about 1,000 wells and begin assessments on an additional 1,000 wells. The government had previously loaned the OWA $235 million for cleanup, which Kenney says started being repaid in 2019.

As of November 2019, the OWA lists more than 3,400 orphan wells and 3,530 pipeline segments that are awaiting abandonment.

The premier also outlined part of the government’s Blueprint for Jobs plan. According to Kenney, the five steps of the initiative include:

Unleashing the private sector

Reducing red tape

Building infrastructure

The Skills for Jobs program

Selling Alberta to the world

"We Albertans have been through five tough years," said Kenney, "and this is our plan to get Alberta back to work."

The premier’s announcement comes on the same day provincial finance minister Travis Toews spoke to a room of business leaders in Calgary. Toews spoke about the government’s new budget, which was tabled last week, and faced questions about a possible sales tax and the province’s reliance on higher energy prices.

"Right now we’re experiencing a global economic shock with the coronavirus," said Toews as he acknowledged that the government could adjust its forecast if the outbreak continues to cause "volatility" in the energy sector.

When asked about the possibility of introducing a provincial sales tax to shift away from the reliance on energy revenues, Toews said the government isn’t looking to introduce PST — for now.

"We made a commitment to Albertans that we were not going to be introducing a sales tax in this province during this term," said Toews. "We need to have an ongoing conversation about the best structures — tax structures — that will serve Albertans in the best possible way."