Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia – The Ecology Action Centre (EAC) is pleased to see the federal government release the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) today after years of delays. The finalized regulations are an environmental victory that will help Nova Scotia reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector and continue on the path to more renewable energy. This energy future offers affordability and health benefits and economic opportunities for Nova Scotians.
“Although certain targets were watered down in the finalized regulation, it is certainly a step in the right direction, showing a commitment to a clean, reliable and affordable energy future for all Canadians,” explains Badia Nehme, energy coordinator with the EAC. “In addition to putting pressure on Nova Scotia to follow through on its plan to phase out coal, the regulations support developing renewable energy, which will decrease energy costs for households in the long term and create jobs. These are things that Nova Scotians want and deserve.”
According to a green jobs report commissioned by the EAC, onshore renewable energy, making homes greener and more efficient, and decarbonizing other sectors, like transportation, could add 15,000 jobs per year in Nova Scotia. Meanwhile, developing offshore wind power in Nova Scotia could create 34,000 direct jobs every year during construction and installation, and thousands more in ongoing operations and maintenance.
Although the CER puts pressure on provinces to stop using coal as an electricity source, Nehme says there is less regulation when it comes to another fossil fuel: natural gas.
“We’re concerned that the CER leaves room for provinces to add more natural gas to their grids, which will not achieve the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions we need to avoid the worst effects of climate change,” says Nehme. “The Nova Scotia government is now responsible for taking this opportunity to instead prioritize clean sources of energy, such as wind, solar and battery storage as well as facilitating energy import and export between provinces. These sources, not natural gas, will help Nova Scotia get to our legislated target of an 80 per cent renewable-powered grid by 2030.”
Earlier this year, the Nova Scotia government and Nova Scotia Power reached a “common understanding” on the CER with the federal government. Nehme explains that this is a positive sign of cooperation and a rejection of efforts to politicize the fight against climate change.
“Ad campaigns promoting false information about the CER, particularly from the Alberta government, are trying to keep Canadians dependent on costly and dirty fossil fuels. The fact of the matter is that renewable energy remains a reliable and affordable source of power, and the CER is not going to cause electricity rates in Nova Scotia to go up,” says Nehme. “These regulations are in fact consistent with the path Nova Scotia is on in terms of a green transition. The Ecology Action Centre is looking forward to the provincial government continuing its commitment to making our electricity grid cleaner, more sustainable, reliable and affordable while creating good jobs for Nova Scotians.”
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Badia Nehme
Energy Coordinator | Ecology Action Centre
badia.nehme@ecologyaction.ca
Sarah Moore
Communications Officer | Ecology Action Centre
sarah.moore@ecologyaction.ca
Additional Information
Atlantic Canada has 26 gigawatts of potential offshore wind generation, and Nova Scotia alone has 17 gigawatts. According to a report by the Public Policy Forum in 2023, every 15 gigawatts of offshore wind could create 30,000 direct jobs per year. This means offshore wind generation could create 52,000 direct jobs per year in Atlantic Canada, with 34,000 in Nova Scotia.