Canada's first offshore wind energy areas designated off Nova Scotia

Canada’s first four offshore wind energy areas have been designated in Nova Scotia’s offshore waters, the Province of Nova Scotia said recently.

The Province of Nova Scotia and the Government of Canada jointly designated the areas – French Bank, Middle Bank and Sable Island Bank off mainland Nova Scotia and Sydney Bight off Cape Breton – on Tuesday, July 29.

“With some of the top wind speeds in the world, Nova Scotia has the potential to become a clean energy superpower,” said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston.

“With the right infrastructure, we’ll have the opportunity to send our wind west to power other parts of Canada. By becoming an energy exporter, we can secure long-term prosperity for Nova Scotians.”

The designation comes after the public was asked for feedback on five proposed areas in the spring. The input contributed to the decisions to designate four areas and make the French Bank and Sydney Bight areas slightly smaller.

The next step in developing offshore wind energy is identifying the parcels within the designated areas that will be included in the first call for bids later this year.

The aim is to license five gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030.

After the first round of licences are awarded, four other areas identified in the January 2025 regional assessment of offshore wind development will be revisited. They include Western/Emerald Bank, which was the other area shortlisted in the spring.