N.S. introduces bill to allow local use of offshore energy

A Block Island Wind Farm turbine operates, Dec. 7, 2023, off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Julia Nikhinson

HALIFAX — The Nova Scotia government has tabled a bill that sets up the framework for developing offshore energy.

The bill introduced Friday, entitled “Powering the Offshore Act,” makes changes that would allow for energy produced by offshore wind to be purchased and used locally, although the energy minister still expects the majority of that energy would be exported.

It also makes changes to a marine renewable energy act that would allow for tidal energy projects to merge licences, which Energy Minister Trevor Boudreau says helps address business needs from the sector.

The bill also caps non-government onshore wind energy that can be added to the grid at a total of 1,140 megawatts to protect against oversupply.

This is the combined amount of energy allocated to four proposed renewable energy projects.

Government says the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator is starting the first phase of a licensing process to begin work toward producing 62 gigawatts of energy from Nova Scotia offshore projects.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2025.