BONNYVILLE – The Orphan Wells Association (OWA) has requested property tax exemptions from the Town of Bonnyville for properties that have been acquired - and for those they are still in the process of acquiring – due to a methane leak.
The Town of Bonnyville tabled the matter until more details can be provided.
“The OWA has reviewed numerous options to decommission the Trican Well and has determined that the best course of action is to re-enter the well with a drilling rig. In order to bring in a drilling rig, we need to remove several homes to facilitate access . . . The OWA is requesting the Town of Bonnyville's support for our efforts by removing the property tax associated with homes purchased by the OWA for demolition,” reads the request letter from the OWA.
The OWA has reported purchasing two of the units that will be demolished and is in negotiations to purchase two more properties. Lakeland This Week reached out to one of the owners of an affected property, who stated they were unable to provide any comment.
CAO Renee Stoyles presented the request to council, and explained that as the properties are purchased, the OWA is turning off utility services and boarding up the properties until they are removed.
“In the past, we have cancelled taxes in the case of a fire where the home is no longer inhabitable,” said Stoyles.
Coun. Neil Langridge raised concerns that the timeline with the OWA is unknown, and there is the possibility that they could purchase the houses and have them sit for an undetermined period before demolition.
“In the meantime, we’d still be providing services even though they're saying they're shutting in the houses. Correct me if I'm wrong, if we have other properties around town that have been boarded up, we still charge those properties full taxes - so I'd be more comfortable saying after they're demolished to make them exempt, maybe that'll speed up the affair a little bit,” said Langridge.
Langridge made a motion to table the matter until more information could be provided, which council approved.
