Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) has set out to expand its mandate beyond oil and gas and includes the regulation of offshore renewable energy.
Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson, and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology Andrew Parsons announced their intention to facilitate the transition to a clean economy and create sustainable jobs.
Both governments also committed to expediting the elimination of subsidies for fossil fuels, including for the offshore energy sector.
To address and capitalize on emerging opportunities, the two governments have agreed to work toward modernizing the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) which would expand its mandate to include the regulation of offshore renewable energy development in the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador offshore areas, such as offshore wind and clean hydrogen.
Modernizing the C-NLOPB is consistent with both governments’ commitments to diversify their economies and includes an intention to move forward by renaming it to the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Energy Board (C-NLOEB) to reflect its new mandate.
“Newfoundland and Labrador are perfectly positioned at this time of transition. We have an abundance of clean, green, renewable energy resources to further develop — such as wind and clean hydrogen,” Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, said. “We also have the lower carbon oil required to meet global demand, as our innovative offshore has among the lowest per-barrel GHGs in the world. The possibilities for renewable energy are endless in our province, and I look forward to this significant step forward in achieving our shared goals and diversifying the economy.”
The C-NLOEB will draw on existing regulatory experience, technical expertise, and administrative capacity. The new Board will become the lead regulatory body for offshore energy in the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador offshore areas.
This will allow offshore renewable projects to be expedited moving forward in support of the clean energy transition.
“Our Board members and dedicated regulatory staff look forward to this expanded mandate. We are all excited to work with the federal and provincial governments in support of the transition to lower carbon and renewable offshore energy sources,” says, Roger Grimes, chair of C-NLOPB.
In further support of this work, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change is initiating a regional assessment under the Impact Assessment Act for wind energy in Newfoundland and Labrador offshore. This regional assessment will be conducted in consultation with the C-NLOPB and assist in providing long-term regulatory certainty and clarity for investors.
“The Government of Canada is supporting Canada’s energy sector as it seeks to compete in the net-zero economy of tomorrow. By working with provincial partners like Newfoundland and Labrador, we are helping to grow the economy in a way that is compatible with our climate commitments,” Jonathan Wilkinson, the Minister of Natural Resources Canada, stated.
“The challenges before us are enormous — but so are the opportunities. We need to pivot. Canada and the world need low-emitting sources of oil and gas and reliable sources of renewables to meet our energy needs. Newfoundland and Labrador have the solution, and our workers are already on the job. Hype won’t get the job done — only hard work can do that,” Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Labour, added.