Not necessarily. The Ontario Water Resources Act defines a well as any hole in the ground made to locate or to obtain ground water or to test or to obtain information in respect of ground water. So – if your intent in drilling the hole is to use or test water, even briefly, the hole is a well and must be treated accordingly.

However, some sections of the Regulation do not apply to wells which are to be abandoned within 30 days or within 180 days.