The Record Episode 10

Episode 10 of The Record starts with an interview with Geoff Clarke, Director of Sustainability and Economic Development with Port Hawkesbury Paper, about his company’s Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm Project.

Clarke said the wind project will provide 168 megawatts (MW) of power and will be located near the communities of Upper Big Tracadie and Lincolnville.

“It’s going to supply 60 percent of the power that’s required to run normal operations for Port Hawkesbury Paper,” Clarke said.

The Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm will be located in Guysborough County on lands that are under a sustainable forest management license to Port Hawkesbury Paper.

According to Port Hawkesbury Paper, the project received ministerial approval in March 2023 as a result of a “vigorous” environmental assessment process and will harness renewable and efficient energy to contribute to the long-term viability of the Port Hawkesbury Paper facility, one of the Strait region’s largest employers.

The wind project team and members of the Community Liaison Committee hosted two community open houses to share progress to date, including environmental, wildlife and other studies underway or completed, as well as road and construction preparation and timelines.

Clarke said vegetation has been cleared for the roads leading to the project and the turbines, and in Phase 1, the company will establish 24 turbine sites with a capacity to generate 7 MW of power. He said they are hoping to have power flowing to their operation by 2026.

Then we spoke with Darcy Demarsico, Director General of Blue Economy Policy, with Fisheries and Oceans Canada about the Blue Economy Regulatory Roadmap which outlines actions the Government of Canada will take to support innovation and economic growth in Canada's oceans.

“Canada has the potential to harness energy from tides, from ocean waves, and from offshore wind,” Demarsico said.

It focuses on five main areas: marine renewable energy and environmental protection; marine spatial planning; maritime autonomous surface ships; ocean technology; and sustainable fishing gear and practices.

In 2022, DFO the Blue Economy Regulatory Review was launched, looking at how regulation affects ocean innovation. The review examined regulatory practices that are bottlenecks to economic growth and innovation while continuing to prioritize health, safety, security, and environmental responsibilities in the blue economy.

As a part of the review, Canadians were invited to share their views on how regulation affects ocean innovation, barriers to environmentally sustainable growth, and ways to develop agile regulations to address concerns of future-oriented ocean industries.

The DFO said the roadmap responds to what they heard from Canadians during months of public consultation and offers paths to support communities and businesses that rely on the ocean economy to make long-term investments in solutions that enable innovation and advance sustainability.

Demarsico said the road map commits the government to developing the marine regulatory process for clean growth projects, encourage businesses to pursue net zero solutions, and to grow the clean economy in Canada.

Finally, we attended the regular monthly meeting of Richmond Municipal Council on June 24 in Arichat.

One of the first topics discussed was the adoption of a Committees Policy, a Low-Income Tax Exemption Program Policy, and amendments to the Purchasing and Tendering Policy, as well as to the Flag Policy.

On the low-income tax exemption, Warden Amanda Mombourquette said “It essentially outlines an opportunity for people who would qualify in low-income situations for a tax exemption.”

Next, the warden wanted to discuss a climate emergency plan for the municipality which she said was also tied to coastal protection.

As far back as 2019, municipalities across Canada started declaring climate emergencies and the municipality’s climate plan was last updated in 2013, Mombourquette noted.

“We probably need to start factoring in emergency management planning,” she told the council.

The warden said there are funding programs currently available and others coming up that the municipality can access.

“I’d like for us to be well positioned to be able to take advantage of them,” she noted.

Council then fielded grant requests from the Louisdale Lions Club, the Johnstown's Harbour Wharf, the South Mountain Arm of Gold Community Association, River Bourgeois Community Services, the Richmond River Roots Market Garden Society, and the River Bourgeois Mariner Society.

After approving $10,000 to the Portuaire de Petit de Grat for a project at the wharf, Deputy Warden Shawn Samson again raised the funding request with the council.

With the budget approved, council was able to discuss requests from Brela Homes and Lennox Place Ltd. to reimburse them for permit fees in connection with residential housing developments.