On September 11, 2025, Prime Minster Mark Carney announced the first group of ‘nation building’ projects that the newly established Major Projects Office will oversee development of. There were no projects selected from Atlantic Canada for this initial list; however, the Wind West Atlantic Energy project was highlighted as a ‘truly transformative’ strategy but is at an earlier stage and requires further development.

The Major Projects Office was tasked to ‘develop the regulatory certainty that attracts private investment and sets the course for long-term wind resources development in the Atlantic provinces.’

What is Wind West Atlantic Energy?

Wind West Atlantic Energy is a term coined by the federal government with an overarching goal of developing the over 60 GW of offshore wind energy potential in Nova Scotia and elsewhere in Atlantic Canada.

To do so, the region will required significant updates and additions to transmission infrastructure, with a goal of supply Eastern and Atlantic Canada with renewable electricity and exploring exports into the Northeastern United States. This project is a pillar of the Eastern Energy Partnership, which could also include interties between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, as well as Québec’s and Newfoundland and Labrador’s further development of Churchill Falls and Gull Island.

Wind West is building momentum

Support through the Major Projects Office is just one of a series of recent announcements as the Wind West project builds momentum and attention.

  • July 29: The Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia designated the first four offshore wind energy areas; Middle Bank, Sable Island Bank, Sydney Bight, and French Bank.
  • September 12: The Government of Nova Scotia released its Wind West strategic plan which includes detailed timelines, cost forecasts, transmission options and a process roadmaps to develop the project. By the end of 2025, the province aims to:
    • Secure federal support and designation;
    • Begin preliminary studies and data collection;
    • Start transmission routing;
    • Begin stakeholder consultations; and,
    • Finalize the criteria for Call for Bids.
  • September 20: The Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia announced that both governments provided Strategic Direction to the Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator (C-NSOER) to develop and implement and prequalification process and a Call for Information to attract investment. The C-NSOER will seek feedback from the public, Indigenous groups and stakeholders to inform this process.

Next steps

The Government of Nova Scotia still aims to issue a call for development bids by the end of 2025, with a goal of licensing 5 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030.

“Offshore wind is a game changer for Nova Scotia. We’re pleased to get the process underway for the first call for bids so we can harness this tremendous natural resource for the benefit of all Nova Scotians, and we have great confidence in the regulator to lead this work. We’re also pleased that our federal partners recognize Wind West as a nation-building project and look forward the next steps to make sure the clean energy from our strong and steady offshore winds is delivered to markets in need.”

Hon. Trevor Boudreau
Nova Scotia Minister of Energy