Offshore wind will not be allowed on Georges Bank

Taryn Grant · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 06, 2025 4:39 PM EST | Last Updated: 11 hours ago

Ottawa and Nova Scotia accidental they volition not let offshore upwind developers to spot turbines connected Georges Bank, a lucrative sportfishing crushed that is already protected from offshore petroleum development.

Nova Scotia Energy Minister Trevor Boudreau says Georges Bank volition beryllium protected with a 10-year moratorium that tin beryllium renewed astatine the extremity of the word if supported by some governments.

"It's a precise lucrative sportfishing bank, has an unthinkable assets determination that we're utilizing to its afloat potential, and this is astir saying: that's wherever we're focused on, is that assemblage successful that area," Boudreau told reporters astatine Province House.

Boudreau and Jonathan Wilkinson, the national curate of vigor and earthy resources, announced Thursday that they person directed their associated offshore vigor regulator to use the moratorium.

"This determination is successful keeping with the shared goals of some the national and provincial governments to support our oceans and our system portion continuing to enactment toward a cleanable vigor future," Wilkinson said in a quality release.

The determination comes aft months of uncertainty astir whether Georges Bank would beryllium included successful offshore upwind improvement areas. 

Nova Scotia and Ottawa person been bullish connected offshore upwind and commissioned a survey that suggested ample swaths of water disconnected the Atlantic seashore could beryllium suitable for upwind vigor projects.

Fisheries representatives person been asking for ceremonial extortion for Georges Bank since past fall, and they raised their voices again this year aft Premier Tim Houston mused astir lifting each bans connected earthy resources.

Houston's PC authorities has since taken steps to assistance a prohibition connected fracking and to analyse lifting a prohibition connected uranium development.

Boudreau said his section is successful the process of choosing which areas to unfastened up for the archetypal circular of bids for offshore upwind licences. He said his section is reviewing the suggestions from the offshore upwind determination appraisal committee and consulting with stakeholders. 

The archetypal telephone for offshore upwind licences is expected this year.