Skip to content

New announcements in the Canada-Nova Scotia partnership for the clean energy future

By David Randell, Sadira E. Jan, Daniel Mowat-Rose, and Marina Luro1

Natural Resources Canada has released two important announcements relating to Nova Scotia’s transition to a green economy:

Collaboration framework for a sustainable future

Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, and Nova Scotia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables, the Honourable Tory Rushton, have released a new collaboration framework in furtherance of their ongoing partnership for a greener Nova Scotia: The Nova Scotia Regional Energy and Resource Table Framework for Collaboration on the Path to Net Zero (the “Collaboration Framework”).2

The Collaboration Framework builds on the existing Canada-Nova Scotia Regional Energy and Resource Table, a joint partnership between the Government of Canada, Province of Nova Scotia, and collaboration with Mi’kmaw partners and other stakeholders, and identifies six key opportunity areas for investment: hydrogen, marine renewables, clean electricity, critical minerals, forest bioeconomy, and carbon management.

The Collaboration Framework sets out some identified opportunities in each of the key opportunity areas, on which Canada and Nova Scotia have been working and will continue to work together to advance in the short term.

Investing in energy

Building on the unveiling of the Collaboration Framework, the Federal Government announced investment of over $192 million for the development of six clean energy projects in Nova Scotia. The projects include:

  • $117.6 million to Nova Scotia Power Inc. for the installation of three 50-megawatt (MW)/200-megawatt hour (MWh) battery energy storage systems (“BESS”) in Bridgewater, Spider Lake and White Rock, Nova Scotia, as well as other grid modernization upgrades. This includes funding from the federal Electricity Predevelopment Program, which specifically supports predevelopment activities such as site investigation work, grid integration planning and stakeholder engagement.

Members of Stewart McKelvey’s Energy Group recently published a Thought Leadership piece concerning this BESS project.

  • $25 million to Benjamin Mill Wind Limited Partnership to deploy a 33.6-MW wind energy project near Windsor, Nova Scotia, built in partnership with Natural Forces Developments and Wskijnu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency.
  • $25 million to Higgins Mountain Wind Farm Limited Partnership to deploy a 100-MW wind energy project on Higgins Mountain, Nova Scotia, built in partnership with Elemental Energy Renewables Inc., Sipekne’katik First Nation and Stevens Wind.
  • $25 million to Wedgeport Wind Farm Limited Partnership to deploy an 84-MW wind energy project in the municipality of the District of Argyle, Nova Scotia, built in partnership with Elemental Energy Renewables Inc. and Sipekne’katik First Nation and Stevens Wind.

These investments are made through Natural Resources Canada’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways (SREP) program, which invests in clean energy infrastructure across Canada, supporting a transition toward net-zero electricity emissions.

Key points

These announcements highlight several important features of the Canada-Nova Scotia plan for transitioning to a renewable, low-carbon economy in Nova Scotia. These include:

  • Partnership with Indigenous groups is a priority. Both the Federal and Nova Scotia governments have emphasized that collaboration with Indigenous groups, and the meaningful integration of Indigenous perspectives, is essential to creating a sustainable future. Foundational to the Collaboration Framework are the principles of “respect, recognition and reconciliation.” Renewable projects that operate on this basis will be supported by both levels of government.
  • Nova Scotians are at the forefront. The announcements emphasize that lowering energy costs and creating long-lasting, sustainable jobs for Nova Scotians are key features of the Collaboration Framework.
  • Net-zero is not so far off. Proactive steps are being taken to transition Nova Scotia toward an 80 per cent renewable energy sector by 2030, consistent with the Province’s Clean Energy Plan. With the investments into clean energy by both the Federal and Provincial governments, Nova Scotia is on track to reach this goal and approach net-zero energy emissions.

This client update is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have any questions about the above, please contact a member of our Energy Group.

Click here to subscribe to Stewart McKelvey Thought Leadership.

1 At time of publication, Marina Luro was employed with the Firm as a summer student.
2 A link to the Federal Government news release is here.

SHARE

Archive

Search Archive


 
 

Client Update: Adopting the changes – amendments to the New Brunswick Family Services Act lead to opening of sealed adoption records

June 4, 2018

Vasu Sivapalan and Meg Collins On May 5, 2017, An Act Respecting the Opening of Sealed Adoption Records (“Act”) received royal assent, leading to significant changes for birth parents and adoptees across the province. As…

Read More

Client Update – Protecting the innocent in property insurance: recent amendments to Nova Scotia’s Insurance Act limit “criminal or intentional act” exclusion clauses

May 29, 2018

Jennifer Taylor Recent amendments to the Nova Scotia Insurance Act are designed “to protect the financial interests of an innocent person when the person’s property is damaged by another person with whom that person shares…

Read More

Countdown to Cannabis: A Stewart McKelvey Newsletter: The legalization of cannabis: 7 reasons why employers should take notice

May 24, 2018

Brian G. Johnston, QC Cannabis legalization is coming. The legislation is expected to pass by July with legalization becoming effective by September. Employers should take notice because: 1. There is already a lot of cannabis…

Read More

Client Update: Negligence: what is reasonably foreseeable?

May 24, 2018

Janet Clark and Sean Seviour A recent decision from the Supreme Court of Canada clarifies determination of what is “reasonably foreseeable”: Rankin (Rankin’s Garage & Sales) v J.J., 2018 SCC 19.  The case involved two…

Read More

Client Update: Limitation periods & denial of LTD benefits: the NSSC decision in Cameron

May 9, 2018

Jennifer Taylor & Michelle Chai A recent Supreme Court decision tackled two issues that have proven complex in Nova Scotia law: summary judgment and limitation periods. The Plaintiff in Cameron v Nova Scotia Association of…

Read More

Client Update: Medical marijuana found to be undue hardship in safety sensitive positions – the problem of residual impairment

May 1, 2018

Brian G. Johnston, QC The Arbitrator in Lower Churchill Transmission Construction Employers’ Association and IBEW, Local 1620 dismissed a grievance on April 30, 2018 concluding: The Employer did not place the Grievor in employment at…

Read More

Client Update: Benefits plans really do not have to cover the sun, the moon and the stars (and medical cannabis)

April 13, 2018

Rick Dunlop and Richard Jordan Employers, and benefit providers on their behalf, make policy decisions as to what drugs or benefits (including monetary limits) will be covered by benefit plans. The Board of Trustees in…

Read More

Client Update: Court Confirms: Credibility is a Key Factor In Personal Injury Awards (Ryan V. Curlew, 2018 NL SC)

April 10, 2018

Erin Best The decision of Justice Handrigan in Ryan v. Curlew is the first motor vehicle accident personal injury decision to come out of the Newfoundland and Labrador courts in quite some time. The case…

Read More

Client Update: Does your business need a spring privacy tune-up? Breach reporting and Europe’s GDPR are about to hatch

April 6, 2018

Rob Aske The arrival of spring should bring thoughts of renewal… to your privacy practices. Breach reporting under PIPEDA Canada’s federal privacy law known by the acronym PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act)…

Read More

Client Update: Untenable tenure: discrimination complaint from Indigenous professor dismissed

March 22, 2018

Chad Sullivan Overview An Indigenous law professor filed a human rights complaint against the University of British Columbia claiming the university discriminated against her in failing to consider her less traditional scholarly work as akin…

Read More

Search Archive


Scroll To Top