The provincial government of Nova Scotia in Canada this week announced a decision to focus first on developing the regulatory framework for offshore wind energy in areas jointly managed with the federal government.
It is pausing any consideration of waters within provincial jurisdiction until the framework for shared offshore areas is in place, said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables.
Nova Scotia aims to offer licences for 5 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030, with a first tender in 2025. In June, it published the first module of its Offshore Wind Roadmap. The second module will be released in the spring.
The province, Natural Resources Canada and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada are currently working on a regional assessment of jointly managed waters.
“The regional assessment that’s ongoing will help inform our decisions for the regulatory framework for both areas, and I encourage Nova Scotians to continue participating and sharing their input. Our decision to focus on jointly managed waters first reflects that we are listening to the feedback through this process,” said Rushton.
