OTTAWA –
The governments of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador have told a Senate committee they would like to see quick passage of federal legislation that would help establish a wind industry off Canada’s East Coast.
Tory Rushton, Nova Scotia’s minister of natural resources, told the committee that changes to implementing the Atlantic Accords are “pivotal” to helping his province reduce its fossil fuel use.
Rushton says Nova Scotia would like to see the bill pass without amendments so his government can put in place mirror legislation this fall and then issue its first call for project bids in 2025.
The proposed federal amendments would enable the development of offshore wind farms by allowing for government regulation, and they would expand the mandates of each province’s offshore petroleum boards to include renewable energy.
Andrew Parsons, Newfoundland and Labrador’s energy minister, says the legislation would allow his province to build a new energy sector that will create jobs and reduce carbon emissions.
However, groups including the union for fishers in Newfoundland and Labrador and the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs called for more time to consult on changes to ensure offshore renewable energy development does not harm the fishery or the environment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2024.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
