Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response
Norfolk County is seeking provincial support to address the growing risks and uncertainties surrounding aging, privately owned natural gas infrastructure in rural areas.
Where we're at
In many rural areas, including parts of Norfolk, privately owned natural gas infrastructure is aging and often lacks clear ownership, particularly when it was historically installed through community or regional partnerships or when records were not properly maintained during past service transitions. This creates significant uncertainty regarding:
- Who is responsible for inspections, maintenance, and upgrades?
- Who is liable in the event of a safety failure?
- Whether municipalities or private landowners may be held accountable for systems they neither control nor benefit from directly
Norfolk asks that the Province work with TSSA to:
- Clarify ownership responsibilities for legacy and orphaned gas infrastructure, particularly in rural and unincorporated areas.
- Establish a process to review and resolve disputed infrastructure ownership cases in a timely and coordinated manner.
- Provide support to municipalities that may be facing financial or liability risks through no fault of their own due to unclear historical records.
Norfolk is ready.
We can grow Ontario, together.
Read more related to gas wells
Our Priorities