Pan-Canadian energy corridor offers energy security, jobs and climate resilience for Atlantic Canada
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 5, 2026
Atlantic Canada – The Atlantic Offshore Wind Coalition, a collective dedicated to ensuring offshore wind development is done right in Atlantic Canada, applauds the recent announcement of a National Energy Corridor Agreement and looks forward to Newfoundland and Labrador joining this critical infrastructure initiative. The provincial and territorial cooperation reflected in this initiative can support the build-out of regional electricity infrastructure and create the right conditions for the success of offshore wind development in Atlantic Canada.
Energy and climate experts say stronger transmission connections between the provinces and territories could help balance electricity supply, improve reliability and allow renewable energy to move across regional markets. Regional assessments of offshore wind development have been conducted in Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator is expected to issue a call for bids related to offshore wind development later this year.
“This agreement is an encouraging step toward building the connected, resilient, clean electricity system Canada needs. Cooperation across provincial borders will be essential to unlock new renewable energy resources, strengthen transmission links and support the transition to a clean economy,” says Lisa Mitchell, Executive Director at East Coast Environmental Law. “At the same time, Newfoundland and Labrador’s absence from this agreement is concerning. It will be important to ensure all Atlantic Canadian provinces are part of these conversations.”
“Electricity transmission and interties will provide a strong backbone for the future of clean energy across Canada. We urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to act quickly to join this initiative and ensure that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians also reap the benefits of a Canada-first energy corridor,” says Shauna Kelly, NL Offshore Wind Coordinator at Sierra Club Canada. “In a province that has experienced repeated blackouts and rising energy bills, a national energy corridor, combined with renewable energy sources and local energy storage, can address affordability and help keep the lights on when the next storm hits.”
“Atlantic Canada has enormous potential to contribute to Canada’s clean energy future,” says Thomas Arnason McNeil, Senior Energy Coordinator at the Ecology Action Centre. “Ensuring that all Atlantic Canadian provinces and Quebec are part of these conversations will be essential as we begin planning the next generation of electricity transmission infrastructure. We are seeing commercial interest and good processes being put in place to set the stage for offshore wind in Nova Scotia, but it will be critical to figure out how the energy from these turbines can supply communities in the region, and what role the federal government will play to support the development of transmission infrastructure.”
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