Creating Jobs Through Remediating and Redeveloping Brownfields

The current process to discover, investigate, remediate, and redevelop brownfields is onerous, costly, and frustrating for local governments and does not encourage and incentivize the private sector to redevelop brownfields. 

The cost to remediate brownfields is quite onerous, often costing more than the property's value, resulting in private property owners choosing to leave brownfields vacant/dormant to avoid these costs, leaving brownfields and contaminated sites a detriment to business development, community growth and aesthetics in many communities.

1. Immediately implement all recommendations from the 2011 Brownfield Redevelopment Working Group;
2. Provide financial incentives to support municipalities in conducting environmental site assessments;
3. Develop a policy to manage old reclamation certificates deemed null and void and re-define the Orphan Well Association mandate to support legacy sites;
4. Create a provincial brownfield tax incentive program to match the province's education tax with municipal property tax to encourage eligible property owners to clean up brownfield properties; and,
5. Through the Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction, work to remove barriers for local government and the private sector to discover, investigate, remediate, and redevelop brownfields.