Weeds on Oil and Gas Wellsites: Toward a Clearer Compliance Path

ADM Town Hall on April 2, 2026

The ASBPC has pressed for a practical, enforceable solution to weed control and cost recovery on active, inactive, and abandoned oil and gas sites. Municipalities and landowners have long faced uncertainty and unpaid bills when companies fail to meet their obligations.

The Province has now signalled a move toward a more formal, legislative solution by addressing weeds on wellsites through the Oil and Gas Conservation Act, administered by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), with:

• Explicit reference to the Weed Control Act and Agricultural Pests Act; and
• Clear authority for “reasonable care and measures” orders where companies fail to control weeds or reimburse municipalities.

A key advantage of this approach is a structured path that can ultimately link problem sites to the Orphan Well Association (OWA) funding mechanisms, improving the likelihood that municipalities will be compensated for necessary work.

While the detailed step‑by‑step process (from municipal notice through to AER involvement and potential OWA recourse) is still being finalized, implementation is targeted for May 1. Senior officials in Energy, the AER, and Agriculture are now working against tight timelines to map out the operational workflow for ministerial approval.

To support effective rollout, the AER has requested from Agriculture a prioritized “top ten” list of the worst offending companies. ASBs and municipalities have been asked to provide this information promptly so that enforcement efforts can begin where the need is greatest.

Municipalities can now submit evidence of weed issues through the AER online form that is enabled for mobile or desktop users : Weed and Pest Referral – Evidence Submission Form

The ASB Provincial Committee will continue to work with provincial partners to ensure the weeds on wellsites framework is workable, enforceable, and responsive to on‑the‑ground realities.

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