Marine Renewables Canada’s Executive Director Elisa Obermann spoke to Economic Development Committee members at a November 26^th meeting in Halifax, presenting on potential opportunities for Indigenous participation in offshore wind projects in Nova Scotia.

She told committee members that opportunities and benefits could include 30,000 potential direct jobs during construction, as well as continued employment across the (25-30-year) life cycle of a potential wind project. Employment benefits of offshore wind are greater than onshore turbines, Elisa explained, because operation and maintenance require more labour than onshore turbines, providing more long-term employment.

Elisa identified investment and equity partnerships, local hiring and training, and opportunities for Indigenous-owned business to participate as potential benefits from Indigenous participation in the project.

A supply chain assessment carried out by Marine Renewables identified support for Indigenous involvement in wind generation industry development as a priority, achieved by educating developers on Indigenous equity options, and by integrating Indigenous business into a potential supply chain.

Committee Questions

The committee asked about the environmental impact, and heard that the seismic, drilling and construction stages are where the most environmental impacts would be felt, with the turbines disrupting wildlife minimally once operational.

Elisa, and committee members and chairs discussed the costs, and the benefits relative to other forms of generation, particularly how offshore wind generation is quickly becoming a competitive option, price-wise, and how KMKNO’s existing and ongoing renewable energy initiatives could integrate into a potential offshore wind generation project.

The committee also asked the export opportunities, learning that Nova Scotia has been identified as well-suited to build a supply chain to export wind generated electricity in a report by Xodus Consulting and partners.

Context

Nova Scotia itself doesn’t have any offshore generation infrastructure, but is is ideally situated, with good wind speeds and a suitable seabed for wind turbines.

The motivation for developing offshore wind electricity in Nova Scotia includes the need for clean electricity, decarbonization and electrification of buildings and industry, energy security and resiliency to meet demand and protect against volatility.

Committee members heard that an offshore wind project could generate economic opportunities for workers, capitalizing on Nova Scotia’s existing expertise, experience and infrastructure. Elisa described the different kinds – fixed and floating – of offshore wind turbines, the evolution of the technology to produce more power at a lower cost, as well as the planning, construction, operations and maintenance and eventual decommissioning of any offshore wind turbines.

Potential markets for marine wind-generated electricity include the Nova Scotian, and national grids, as well as possibly even the American electrical grid. The power generated from offshore turbines can also be used in the production of green fuels, such as hydrogen and ammonia, and utilized by heavy energy-intensive industries.

With the necessary regulations in place, energy areas designated for potential wind farms, and ongoing engagement underway, any potential project is in early stages, with a call for bids expected from the regulator in early 2026.

The first call for bids will focus on three areas – Sydney Bight, Middle Bank and French Bank – with the intent to generate between three and five gigawatts of electricity.

Marine Renewables Canada is a 200-member national industry association for offshore wind, tidal, wave and river current technology, advocating, developing and educating on renewable energy.

The Justice, Economic Development, Sports and Recreation and Social Working Tables were all approved for funding. The Project Fund will subsidize each working table’s projects.

In the coming months each working table will be rolling out their plans – we look forward to seeing the results and wish them all the best in their endeavours.

Read on for some general information on each working table’s project entails.

Sports and Rec

The Sports and Recreation Working Table’s project is a bid to increase community wellbeing by increasing the participation of Mi’kmaq women and girls in meaningful sport, recreation and physical activity opportunities.

This will be carried out through a forthcoming Mi’kmaq Women and Girls Participation in Sprot, Recreation, and Physical Activity Action Plan. This plan will be drafted with the help of a consultant, tasked with gathering information, engagement and writing.

Social

The Social Working Table is planning a Homelessness Symposium with its Project Fund support.

The Homelessness Symposium, focused on Mi’kmaq communities and helping the most vulnerable in the community, will identify gaps and barriers, creating an actionable, decolonized approach to dealing with homelessness.

The symposium – expected to include 100 attendees – will bring together Community Members who are experiencing (or who have experienced) homelessness or housing insecurity and the people who work with them those people and their communities.

Ec Dev

The Economic Development working table is going to use its Project Fund support to host an Economic Knowledge and Capacity Symposium.

The two-day event aims to inspire and equip those who attend with relationships and knowledge to bring positive change in their communities.

The symposium aims to find economic development and employment opportunities in the critical miners, green hydrogen, renewable energy and tourism sectors – and it will involve economic development officers, Indigenous employment officers from the 13 Nova Scotian First Nation, the Economic Development Working Committee, Indigenous organizations and federal and provincial funders.

Justice

The Justice Committee’s Glooscap Stories (Gluskabewimk) Project aims to establish Mi’kmaq laws and legal principles based on ethics, rules, principles values and laws found within the teachings of traditional Glooscap stories.

The committee will work with L’nuwey Tplutaqan Wikuom (the Indigenous Law Lodge) at Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law to analyze the Glooscap stories and discern teachings that can be codified into laws.