Seven Pre-Qualified Bidders for Canada’s First Offshore Wind Auction Unveiled

The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator (CNSOER) has released the names of seven companies and consortia that qualified to bid in the country’s first offshore wind auction.

The regulator opened the pre-qualification period in October 2025 with a deadline for applications set for 13 January 2026.

The CNSOER has now shared the list of the companies that have pre-qualified to participate in the offshore wind Call for Bids NS25-1R, and highlighted that the names shared are only of the pre-qualified potential bidders that provided consent to have their status made public.

The pre-qualified companies and consortia are: DEME Concessions Wind N.V; a group comprised of DP Energy Canada Limited, Enterprize Energy Atlantic Pte. Ltd., Nova East Wind Inc., and SBM Renewables Holding SA; a group comprised of Hanwha Ocean Co, Ltd. and Q ENERGY France SAS; Jan De Nul nv; Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Limited; Northland Power Inc.; and Simply Blue Energy (OSW) Ltd.

The CNSOER also noted that the list would be updated as companies consent to having their pre-qualification status made public.

Commenting on the update, the Premier of Nova Scotia, Tim Houston, said that Nova Scotia’s first offshore wind call for bids will open later this year.

“By attracting companies with the experience and know-how to deliver large energy projects, we are setting the stage for a successful offshore wind industry here at home”, Houston said.

“Our Wind West plan represents a generational opportunity – one that will create good-paying local jobs, attract billions of dollars in new investment, generate new export revenues and drive significant economic growth across the region for decades.”

The federal and provincial governments designated the first four Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) off Nova Scotia in July 2025. Three areas are situated south of Nova Scotia’s eastern mainland, while the fourth is located to the east of Cape Breton Island.

The governments then instructed the CNSOER in September 2025 to formally initiate the process for the offshore wind auction within the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area.

At the beginning of this year, the government of Nova Scotia introduced legislation that would set bid fees and levies for offshore wind developers as part of the province’s broader offshore wind licensing regime.