Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in industry and the academic community.
PO023: Building community capacity for the sustainable and inclusive development of offshore wind in Nova Scotia
Shannon Wood, Project Manager, Net Zero Atlantic
Abstract
Nova Scotia is advancing the sustainable development of its offshore wind resource, but its success depends on ensuring that rural and Mi’kmaw communities can participate meaningfully in shaping the sector. Net Zero Atlantic, together with the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources, and the Cape Breton Partnership, led a capacity-building project designed to strengthen knowledge, create space for two-way dialogue, and gather feedback on offshore wind development. Conducted in two phases (Phase 1: Sept 2023–Mar 2024; Phase 2: Sept 2024–Mar 2025), the project combined internal capacity building with extensive engagement across 24 rural and 14 Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia. In Phase 1, 36 engagement sessions were held in 19 rural and 12 Mi’kmaw communities, laying the foundation for tailored outreach and ensuring diverse voices were represented early. Phase 2 built on this groundwork with 13 Mi’kmaw community events and 17 rural community information sessions; rural information sessions engaged 133 participants who contributed 454 comments and questions across 33 topic areas. Feedback revealed seven major themes: fisheries coexistence, offshore wind technology, social and economic impacts, electricity end use, governance and responsibilities, environmental effects and climate change, and communication and outreach. Recommendations emphasized the need for coordinated engagement, timing tailored to community contexts, accessible data and visualizations, and sustained access to credible information. This work provides an evidence base to inform Nova Scotia’s offshore wind policy and industry practice and sets a standard for data collection from community engagement sessions.
No recording available for this poster.
