The Government of Canada has joined the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA). The governments of two Canadian provinces, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, have also become GOWA members as subnational governments.
In a press release on 13 February, the Canadian government said joining GOWA demonstrated “a collective positioning of Canada’s commitment and ambition to advancing offshore wind as a domestic source of clean and reliable energy.”
As a member of the Alliance, Canada will gain access to international and industry expertise that will help strengthen the foundations of the country’s offshore wind industry, the federal government said and highlighted that Canada had already made strides to expand its offshore wind industry, including the passage of Bill C-49 which created the legislative framework for offshore renewable energy in the Atlantic region and expanded the mandate of the existing joint management offshore petroleum regulators to include offshore renewable energy.
Canada has also passed offshore renewable energy regulations that establish safety and environmental protection requirements for project developers, and carried out regional assessments of offshore wind in Atlantic Canada, which will inform the country’s next steps on potential future development in Atlantic offshore areas.
“By joining GOWA and passing Bill C-49, Canada is positioning itself to seize the enormous economic opportunity that offshore wind presents for Atlantic Canadians. These steps will strengthen our domestic economy, enable the creation of thousands of Canadian jobs and attract billions in investments. Today’s announcement is another step forward for Canada as we act now to become a global supplier of choice for energy, very much including clean energy” , said Jonathan Wilkinson , Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.