On September 20, 2025, in Halifax, Natural Resources Canada announced that the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia have issued Strategic Direction to the Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator.
The step follows the recent designation of Wind Energy Areas and moves both governments closer to Canada’s first offshore wind project.
According to the announcement, the Regulator will begin a prequalification process and a Call for Information to attract investment and allow the public, Indigenous groups and stakeholders to provide input.
These measures will shape the design of an upcoming Call for Bids for the designated offshore parcels, with an emphasis on environmental responsibility and sustainability.
The federal government also highlighted the recent launch of the Major Projects Office, which will work on regulatory frameworks to support projects of national importance, including Wind West Atlantic Energy. The project aims to develop wind resources in Nova Scotia and the broader Atlantic region, with potential transmission connections across provincial borders and with Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia jointly manage the offshore area through the Canada–Nova Scotia Accord Acts.
