Ontarion Pipeline Landowner Association (O.P.L.A.) was formed in 1994 in response to the Intercoastal proposal which was to convert Line 8 from oil to natural gas. After a long expensive NEB hearing, the NEB (now CER)  turned the project down. Thus it waas necessary to create a goup of Farmers, Ranchers, and Landowners to work together to ensure rights were not exploited.

Also to undertstand some the reasons an assocition was needed came about fom when the first line was installed in 1957. The 2nd and 3rd installed  in approximately.1960. Company at that time Interprovincial Pipelines Inc. Landowners were told to bring western oil to the east. You were considered a poor Canadian if you didn't agree. Farmers were very trusting and generally supported what they were being told although some questioned the project.

Farmers soon learned that there was a lot of 'fine print' to having a pipeline on their farms for example the NEB (now CER) application of the 'control zone' which added government restrictions to 30 meter (100 feet) on either side of the 18 meter (60 foot) easement. Then there was the whole issue of integrity digs in respect to frequency and compensation. Thus the drive by landowners for an integrity dig agreement, which took several years to accomplish.

As of today abandonment is a huge issue with all of the unknowns coming along with that. CER has said that one principal to abandonment was that landowners would not be responsible for any of the cost of abandonment. The big problem for many is that the companies want to 'gift' the landowners with the old pipes being left in the ground to rust away and eventually collapse. In simple termss the pipleine would be left to landowner to have. The problem is having to dig up the pipes. OPLA members see this as a big bucket of trouble!!