Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk a little bit about a disturbing trend that has potential to be extremely damaging to the residents of the Northwest Territories. That trend is an increasing number of home heating oil spills.
Legislation in the NWT requires all homeowners who experience home heating fuel spills to report it to ENR. In 2007, there were 20 home fuel spills reported to ENR. In 2008, there were 32 home fuel spills reported to ENR. Already in 2009, there have been 43 home fuel spills reported to ENR.
These numbers may be lower than the actual as some people may choose not to report due to the fear of the potential costs of a clean-up. All homeowners are responsible under legislation to clean up their property when they have had an oil spill. Unfortunately, cleaning up oil spills on your property could be far more devastating to the pocketbook than most people might think. The reason is the standard insurance policy requires that the insurer cover the damage to existing dwelling and property; property does not include land. As a result, homeowners are on the hook for the costs of cleaning up their land. The cost for cleaning up even the smallest of leaks is generally around $10,000. Where the cost of living is already high, this can be a bill that pushes homeowners past their financial brink. I know of one Yellowknife resident who had a spill that is going to cost in excess of $60,000.
Due to the increasing number of spills, the insurance industry is expecting to tighten up this practice considerably, sooner rather than later. This suggests to me that homeowners will likely receive less coverage than they currently do. This is more bad news. I’ve talked to a number of businesses in town, in Yellowknife, involved in installing fuel tanks. They have indicated that leaks are definitely on the rise, particularly with single-walled tanks. One brand of oil tank that is causing problems and presenting challenges is known as Tidy Tank. It’s my understanding that their single-walled tanks use lighter gauge metal than most other brands and they are springing leaks as early as one to three years after being installed.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to send a message to the residents of the Northwest Territories: please keep an eye on your tanks. Go out and check them on a regular basis. Don’t let them get to the point where they leak, especially if you happen to have a Tidy Tank, they only offer a 12-month warranty.
If you are concerned with your tank, swap it for a new one, preferably a double-walled or double-bottomed tank. If you must go to a single-walled tank, please consider going to one made of a higher grade metal.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted.
If you must go to a single-walled tank, please consider going to one made of a higher grade metal. If you have the resources, consider going to a pellet boiler and avoid the possibility of oil leaks on your property altogether.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will have some questions for the Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, where I’ll be seeking his commitment to prepare and release a public awareness campaign warning homeowners of the risks and potential ramifications of home heating fuel leaks. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
