The Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia have formed the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Nova Scotia.
The members of the committee responsible for conducting the assessment are Graham Daborn, Steve Parsons, Lorraine Whitman, Ann G. Wilkie and James Wooder.
The final agreement and terms of reference were developed with input from the public, Indigenous peoples, and environmental, fishing, academic and industry organizations.
Under its terms of reference, the committee has 18 months to complete its work. During this time, it will engage with Indigenous peoples, other organizations and the public as well as gather and analyze information and advice from advisory groups. It will then prepare a draft regional assessment report for public review and comment, which will be finalized and submitted to the federal and provincial ministers.
“Nova Scotia offers some of the best offshore wind resources in the world with ample capacity to serve both local and international green hydrogen markets,” says Tory Rushton, Nova Scotia’s minister of natural resources and renewables. “This regional assessment will give us the knowledge we need to pursue offshore wind as one of many solutions to help fight climate change and grow our green economy. This is a promising opportunity for Nova Scotia.”
The main purpose of a regional assessment is to contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of future impact assessments of projects that are subject to the Impact Assessment Act. In this case, the assessment will allow for early analysis of future wind development offshore of Nova Scotia, as well as its potential environmental, health, social and economic effects and benefits. This will help inform planning and decision-making for future wind projects in the study area.
