Nova Scotia bill would kick-start offshore wind industry without approval from Ottawa

The Nova Scotia government has introduced a bill aimed at jumpstarting the province's offshore wind industry without waiting for federal approval.

Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton said that amendments in the newly introduced omnibus bill will help ensure Nova Scotia stays on track to launch its first call for offshore wind project bids next year.

The province is aiming to issue project licences by 2030, with the goal of developing a total of five gigawatts of power from offshore wind.

Rushton noted that while the province would typically wait for the federal government to pass legislation for establishing a wind industry off Canada’s East Coast, that process has been moving "slowly."

Federal legislation to enable offshore wind farm development in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador has passed its first and second readings in the Senate and is currently under committee review.

Rushton added that Nova Scotia's bill closely aligns with the federal legislation, ensuring the province's offshore wind industry won't be delayed by the pace of developments in Ottawa.