Sustainable Marine Energy Canada is pulling its floating turbine platform out of the Bay of Fundy off the coast of Nova Scotia. CEO Jason Hayman accused the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) of standing in the way of the company’s progress. The DFO has deemed the company’s horizontal turbines “likely” to harm marine species, despite no evidence being shown to Sustainable Marine. The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has put up bureaucratic barriers that have forced the company to withdraw. According to Hayman, the federal DFO has issued several Fisheries Act authorisations for these types of tidal energy projects in the Bay of Fundy, including four for this proponent. Premier Tim Houston criticised the federal government for not pursuing meaningful positive change.
The Marine Renewable Energy Act of 2015, which introduced specific legislation to support tidal energy, is not matched by similar federal legislation. This leaves only the Fisheries Act, which doesn’t specifically address the technological advancements in the industry, and is “purely a regulatory challenge”, said Elisa Obermann, executive director of industry group Marine Renewables Canada.
“This isn’t just about a project,” said Obermann. “It’s about how this project and the industry can also have a positive impact on fighting climate change or reaching net zero targets. It’s a challenge for DFO right now, but I think to solve it, governments need to come together.”