Nova Scotia’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Trevor Boudreau says several global and domestic factors have aligned to make it the right moment to pursue offshore natural gas development.
Speaking with reporters while Premier Tim Houston is away on a trade mission to Europe, Boudreau said conversations with international energy companies have been “very encouraging.”
“We’ve been out of the game for a little while,” Boudreau said. “This is about making sure that industry across the globe knows that we’re very motivated to see the petroleum sector offshore move to fruition.”
Boudreau pointed to three key reasons why he believes the timing is right: global instability in energy markets, new cooperation with Ottawa, and the province’s need for energy security.
“The invasion of Ukraine has changed things for Europe,” he said. “They’re looking for partners they can trust — partners that share the same values that we have here in Canada. And let’s not forget, Nova Scotia also imports every drop of natural gas that we use right now in the province. For us, it’s also about energy security.”
He added that a more receptive federal government is also part of the shift. “We’re very pleased the federal government has alignment with our government in terms of natural resource development, including natural gas,” he said. “We feel the timing is right now to be putting this forward and to look to industry to see what’s possible.”
While Premier Houston focused his European trip on offshore opportunities, Boudreau said that onshore natural gas remains a live file for the government. “It’s been a long time since we’ve looked at hydraulic fracturing and onshore gas,” he said. “We’re looking at best practices across other jurisdictions and reviewing the regulatory regime. Industry has been reaching out and showing interest.”
When asked about why the last call for bids under a previous government was rejected, Boudreau declined to comment on past decisions but said his focus is on the current opportunities. “We’ve had success with natural gas offshore in the past, where there’s been billions of dollars in royalties and thousands of jobs for Nova Scotians,” he said. “We see that potential again, and it’s important that we’re looking at it.”
The comments follow Premier Houston’s appearance at the World Energies Summit in London, where he met with executives from leading international energy companies to promote Nova Scotia’s potential for offshore exploration near Sable Island.
The province’s call for bids, issued in July, covers 13 offshore parcels adjacent to previously productive fields such as Sable and Deep Panuke.
Boudreau said the government’s position is clear: “Nova Scotians deserve us to be looking at what the opportunities are with natural resource development. The timing is right, and we’re moving forward.”
