Nova Scotia eyes 2 bays under provincial jurisdiction for wind farms - Action News
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Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia eyes 2 bays under provincial jurisdiction for wind farms

The Nova Scotia government has identified two bays under provincial jurisdiction where it will consider marine wind farms, but both are home to active inshore fisheries. The province insists nothing will proceed until fishermen are consulted.

Chedabucto, St. Georges bays under consideration, but province says consultation needed

People stand around a table studying maps of different bays in Nova Scotia.
A public information session on offshore wind in Shelburne last week. Ottawa and Nova Scotia are working to establish rules for marine wind power development. The province is proceeding outside this process to develop wind farms inside bays under exclusive provincial jurisdiction. (Coldwater Lobster Association)

The Nova Scotia government has identified two bays under provincial jurisdiction as potential sites formarine wind farms.

They are Chedabucto Bay, at the Atlantic entrance to the Strait of Canso, and St. Georges Bay, in the Northumberland Strait.

But the governmentinsists nothing will proceed until fishermen are consulted.

"We know that there are major winds there and something could happen there," saidNatural Resources and RenewablesMinister Tory Rushton.

Chedabucto and St. Georges bays under consideration for wind farms in N.S.

11 months ago
Duration 2:17
The race to get Nova Scotia off coal by 2030 is on. The provincial government has picked two bays where it will consider allowing marine wind farms. But its assuring the fishing industry nothing will proceed until fishermen are consulted. Paul Withers reports.

"But I want to be very clear.There is nothing going into work until the regulations are all put in place,until the proper consultation is done with the fishers."

Both bays are home to active inshore fisheries.

They were identified by the province in a briefing with fishing industry representatives last month. Thescenarios wouldseean initial capacity of 400 megawatts and ultimately up to one gigawatt of electricity production the equivalent of 310 large-scale wind turbines.

A man wearing a suit sits behind a long wooden podium in front of a screen and Nova Scotia flags.
Tory Rushton is Nova Scotia's minister of Natural Resources and Renewables. (CBC)

"Those are numbers that have been discussed," Rushton said.

That would represent 20 per cent of the province's stated goal of issuing leases for fivegigawatts of electricity from offshore wind by 2030.

Sea-bed leases

Rushton saidthe province is in no hurry to proceed despite an offshore wind road map releasedin June that called for sea-bed leases as early as 2024 in bays that are under exclusive provincial jurisdiction.

The bays wereidentified as Bras d'Or Lake in Cape Breton, St. Georges Bay in Antigonish, Chedabucto Bay, St. Margarets Bay, Mahone Bay and St. Marys Bay. They have now been narrowed down to Chedabucto and St. Georges.

"There's a lot of conversations that still have to go on before this would take place," Rushton said. "I have to emphasize once again we are not looking to pit another industry against the other. We have a thriving fishing industry. We do not want to jeopardize that."

Fishingindustry 'encouraged'

Rushton's comments have been well received by fishing industry representatives.

"At this point we are encouraged to hear this type of language coming from the government," said industry spokespersonKris Vascotto, of the Nova Scotia Fisheries Alliance for Energy Engagement.

Vascotto hopes Rushton will not authorize anything inside bays before a separate federal and provincial regional assessment is completed that will help draw up rules for offshore wind power development in Nova Scotia.

"If you just look at these areas there's a lot of fishing activity. There's not a heck of a lot of extra room that's so-called not being used, but there is some," Vascotto said.

"So really, this is a question about being able to identify those places together and say, 'Well, perhaps this spot over here,because of the layout of the land, is ideal for offshore wind and because of the wind potential, and at the same time this would have minimal impact on the fishing industry.'"

The five-member offshore regional assessment committee is holding information sessions across the province and will submit interim recommendations in the spring.

One set of rules

Housing Minster Sean Fraser, Nova Scotia's representative in the federal cabinet, said there should be one set of rules for wind development. St. Georges Bay is inside his Central Nova riding.

A man in a blue suit and tie speaks at a microphone. Two Canadian flags hang behind him.
Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser, whose Central Nova riding includes St Georges Bay, says there should be one set of rules for wind development. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

"I'd like to have an opportunity to engage in particular, not just the community, but specifically the local fishermen," Fraser said. "This is a big deal. When I talk to people on the ground there is some consternation.

"Working with the provincial government to establish a process that's familiar to industry and that allows communities to participate in it is the right approach."

Maine lobster fishermen score win

Earlier this month, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management removed inshore Maine waters from areas available for wind development.

Large parts of what is known as Lobster Fishing Area 1 were included in the original call for development released in April.

The area was removed after lobbying by lobster fishermen, the Maine congressional delegation, including Sen.Susan Collins, and some environmentalists.