Marine Renewables Canada Welcomes Hydro-Québec RFI Exploring Nova Scotia Offshore Wind
Halifax (Nova Scotia), March 25, 2026 – Marine Renewables Canada (MRC) welcomes Hydro-Québec’s Request for Information (RFI) to assess options for the supply and transmission of electricity generated by offshore wind farms located off the coast of Nova Scotia.
This signal from one of North America’s largest utilities represents an important step toward unlocking the next phase of clean energy collaboration between provinces and strengthening Canada’s long-term energy security.
“Hydro-Québec’s interest in Nova Scotia offshore wind demonstrates that Canada’s marine renewable energy resources are increasingly recognized as strategic assets,” said Elisa Obermann, Executive Director of Marine Renewables Canada. “As electricity demand continues to grow across the country, we need to think beyond traditional sources and provincial boundaries. Offshore wind can play a meaningful role in meeting future demand while strengthening reliability and resilience.”
Hydro-Québec has indicated that it intends to meet forecasted electricity needs through 2035 largely through new onshore wind development in Québec. Beyond that timeframe, additional supply will be required to meet growing domestic demand and export commitments, including to New England states. Nova Scotia’s offshore wind resource – among the strongest and most consistent in North America – represents a significant opportunity to contribute to that future supply mix.
An RFI is an early-stage market engagement process designed to gather information and assess industry capacity. While it does not guarantee a future procurement process, it provides a clear and positive signal that major buyers are evaluating offshore wind as part of their long-term planning.
“This is exactly the type of market signal developers and investors need to see,” said Jonathan Robinson, Senior Policy Advisor at MRC. “As we approach Canada’s first offshore wind Call for Bids in Nova Scotia, industry needs to see a clear path to market including large-scale offtake opportunities and transmission infrastructure.”
Interprovincial transmission will be critical to enabling this opportunity. Expanded grid infrastructure would not only unlock offshore wind development, but also enhance system flexibility and reliability across Atlantic Canada and Québec – supporting power flows where and when they are needed most.
Canada’s electricity demand is already accelerating and is projected to double – or even triple – in the coming decades as industries electrify, clean fuels scale up, and data centre capacity expands. Meeting this growth while maintaining affordability, reliability, and climate commitments will require significant new sources of large-scale clean generation, along with stronger interprovincial transmission connections.
Recent resource assessments indicate that Nova Scotia alone holds up to 938 GW of offshore wind potential – a resource that vastly exceeds Canada’s current national electricity demand. Marine Renewable Energy Sector Vision 2050 shows that harnessing even a fraction of this capacity could help meet skyrocketing demand for clean power, support approximately 6,400 jobs across Atlantic Canada by 2040, and position Canada as a competitive exporter of renewable electricity.
Marine Renewables Canada encourages developers, transmission proponents, and supply chain companies to review the RFI and participate in the process.
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About Marine Renewables Canada
Marine Renewables Canada is the national association for tidal, offshore wind, wave and river current energy, representing technology and project developers, suppliers, utilities, Indigenous organizations, researchers, and communities. We strive to champion Canada’s growing marine renewable energy sector through advocacy, engagement, and education and expand market opportunities across the country and globally. Learn more at www.marinerenewables.ca.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Anastasia Smolentseva
Senior Director, Communications
Marine Renewables Canada