March 6, 2025 Halifax, Nova Scotia Natural Resources Canada
Healthy marine ecosystems and waterways ensure prosperous local economies for communities. The Government of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia are taking action to help ensure the diverse ecosystems and the good jobs that rely on them are protected.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson and the Honourable Trevor Boudreau announced that they have jointly directed the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator to prohibit the issuance of submerged land licences for the offshore wind energy at Georges Bank, thereby creating a moratorium on offshore wind projects in the Canadian portion of Georges Bank.
Georges Bank is a large ocean bank at the edge of the Atlantic continental shelf between Cape Cod and Nova Scotia that provides critical habitat for a wide range of fish, marine mammals and corals. As one of the world's most productive fishing grounds, Georges Bank also supports thousands of jobs and vital commercial fisheries.
This joint direction for an offshore wind moratorium stems from authorities created under recent amendments to the federal and provincial Canada-Nova Scotia Accord Acts to expand their scope to include the management and regulation of offshore renewable energy. The joint direction will align with the existing Canada and Nova Scotia moratorium on oil and gas activities on the Canadian portion of Georges Bank, which has been in place since 1988, in recognition of the ecological and socio-economic significance of the area.
The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia remain committed to developing offshore resources in a sustainable and responsible way to ensure the protection of the environment and the economy. The establishment of an offshore wind moratorium in the Georges Bank is another step in that direction.
