Capacity Building for the Sustainable and Inclusive Development of Nova Scotia's Offshore Wind Resource

Offshore wind (OSW) remains an untapped renewable energy resource in Nova Scotia that has interest growing in the industry alongside the need for renewable energy sources. Tapping into OSW will require support from and cooperation between communities, governments, local industries, and OSW proponents.

In 2022, Net Zero Atlantic began Capacity Building for the Sustainable and Inclusive Development of Nova Scotia’s Offshore Wind Resource – a project developed to build local capacity in Nova Scotian communities to meaningfully participate in discussions regarding development in Nova Scotia’s offshore environments. 

Project objectives

The project will build capacity in rural and Mi’kmaq communities to ensure an inclusive approach to offshore wind development in Nova Scotia, in two phases:

• Phase 1 will build capacity at two (2) Mi’kmaq organizations, the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq and the Unama'ki Institute of Natural Resources, and Net Zero Atlantic. These groups will collectively facilitate educational forums and workshops that will be used to socialize the topic, build relationships, and create a community outreach plan. [Complete]
• Phase 2 will implement the outreach plan, furthering offshore wind capacity building in rural, Mi’kmaq, and other marginalized communities. [Ongoing]

Key project outcomes

1. Internal capacity building for the project team to enable facilitation of information sessions and workshops that will be used to socialize offshore wind-related topics, build relationships, and create a community outreach plan.
2. Phase 1 community capacity building through open dialogue around key issues, potential concerns and unknowns around OSW development.
3. Executable outreach plan for phase 2 community capacity building. 
4. Phase 2 community capacity building sessions to enable communities to meaningfully participate in OSW development discussions.

Support for this project

Funding for this 3-year project (April 2022 - March 2025) is being provided by Natural Resources Canada – Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program - Capacity Building Stream, which aims to enable the future of renewable energy in communities. Further information is available in this news release.