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Canada is taking bold steps to establish itself as a global energy superpower, with the development of renewable energy—particularly in the rapidly growing offshore wind sector—playing a central role in this vision.
On September 20, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, announced, on behalf of the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, alongside Nova Scotia Minister of Energy Trevor Boudreau, that both governments have issued Strategic Direction to the Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator. Following the recent designation of Wind Energy Areas, this marks the next step toward Canada’s first-ever offshore wind project.
The Regulator will now implement a prequalification process and a Call for Information to attract qualified investors while giving the public, Indigenous groups, and stakeholders a chance to provide input. This feedback will guide the design and implementation of an upcoming Call for Bids for the designated offshore parcels, which have been selected to ensure environmentally responsible and sustainable development.
Last week, the Government of Canada also announced that the Major Projects Office (MPO) will advance strategies to accelerate transformative projects of national importance, including the Wind West Atlantic Energy initiative. The MPO will provide regulatory certainty to attract private investment and pave the way for long-term offshore wind development across the Atlantic provinces.
The proposed projects will harness the world-class wind resources of Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada to deliver clean, reliable electricity to Eastern Canada, meet growing energy demand, and strengthen energy security and economic prosperity. Potential developments may include interties between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, transmission cables linking Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, and further expansion of Quebec’s and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Churchill Falls and Gull Island hydro resources.
