HUNTS POINT – A large crowd was on hand on Thursday, February 26th at White Point Beach Resort for the announcement of the Mersey River Wind Project, which will see construction and installation of 33 wind turbines with related grid connection infrastructure. The wind farm is expected to supply 148.5 MW of zero-emission electricity, capable of powering more than 50,000 homes.

The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) is providing a $206 million loan to a partnership between Slate Asset Management and funds managed by Hamilton Lane to develop a wind farm at Mersey River. Project partner Renewall Energy Inc. will sell electricity to end customers in Nova Scotia.

The announcement was made by the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, and the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

This large-scale project will help support the province’s energy transition, as Nova Scotia moves from coal-based electricity generation to clean electricity by 2030. The wind farm is expected to avoid approximately 220,000 tonnes of emissions per year, equivalent to 1.5% of Nova Scotia’s carbon output in 2022.

Renewall secured Nova Scotia’s first renewable-to-retail program licence to sell electricity from 100% renewable sources directly to end customers. This licence gives residents, public institutions, commercial and industrial customers the ability to achieve emissions reductions and sustainability objectives. Construction will take place in two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed in 2027. More than 200 workers are expected to be employed at the peak of construction activities.

Dan Roscoe, Renewall

The project is being financed under the CIB’s Clean Power priority sector, which addresses financing gaps in low-carbon emissions projects such as renewables, district energy systems and energy storage.

Minister Hodgson also announced that NRCan will provide nearly $5 million in funding to Net Zero Atlantic for the Data Analysis and Modelling for Atlantic Offshore Wind and Transmission project, to support the next stage of offshore wind planning and the proposed Wind West and Atlantic Energy Strategy.

The Province of Nova Scotia’s contribution is both financial and in-kind support, valued at nearly $700,000.

Jessica Fancy, Member of Parliament for South Shore—St. Margarets, presided over the event, stating “Renewall is bringing greater choice and affordability to Nova Scotia electricity consumers for the very first time. With the support of the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Government of Canada, the Mersey River Wind project will harness our province’s natural wind power advantage to provide clean renewable power to Nova Scotia families and businesses for decades to come.”

MP Jessica Fancy

Speakers also included Mike Shoen, Director of Investments at Canada Infrastructure Bank The Honourable Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia; Dan Roscoe, President of Renewall Energy Inc; and Scott Christian, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality.

Lobster fishermen leave Port Medway early on a November morning to set their traps. (Rick Conrad)

The Canada-China trade deal may be only a few days old, but it’s already having an effect on what lobster fishermen are getting for their catch, according to South Shore-St. Margarets MP Jessica Fancy.

“I’ve been talking to some of the executive directors for some of the different lobster associations in the area and they’re saying as quick as (Sunday), the price has been starting to go up. So they’re seeing this as a huge win.”

The Liberal politician spoke to QCCR on Monday about what the deal means for South Shore lobster and crab fishermen.

About $540 million worth of lobster was caught in the lucrative fishing grounds along the South Shore and around southwestern Nova Scotia last year.

And with the crab industry accounting for another $300 million, Fancy says that protecting those industries is vital for the area.

“Anytime you can get a better price, and not have to be dinged with the tariffs, that’s a good deal for me.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement on Friday that would immediately reduce seafood tariffs to 15 per cent from 25 per cent. 

And on March 1, the tariffs on lobster and crab are set to disappear altogether. The deal lasts until the end of this year. The deal also affects canola, peas, steel and aluminum.

In exchange, Canada will drop its 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles and allow 49,000 into the country each year.

“I was in Shelburne on Saturday night at one of the volunteer firefighter smoker events, and when I stood up to give my remarks, I had five or six men stand up and clapped for me in regards to the tariffs, and I had to stop for a second because I thought, ‘Wow, I, never thought I’d get a standing ovation in Shelburne County’, but it spoke to the importance of that deal, and the hard work that we’ve been doing, since October, in regards to trying to secure it.”

Fancy said she and her provincial counterparts, as well as representatives from the fishing industry, pushed the federal government to get a deal done.

Rick Perkins, the former MP for South Shore-St. Margarets, criticized the deal on his Facebook page. He called Chinese EVs “government-made spy machine cars” and questioned what happens to seafood tariffs next January.

“In regards to the term ‘spy machine’,” Fancy says, “I mean, we’re probably both holding a cell phone right now. So it’s kind of null and void and it’s unhelpful rhetoric in regards to the trade deal or what we are allowing in or out of the country.”

Fancy says the Canadian government plans to take the next nine months to continue talking trade with China, to try to get a longer term deal done.

“I’m going to use the analogy, as an educator, you know, when you have people in the playground, and they get upset with each other, and they have a fight, and you bring them in and you talk to them, you’re not going to repair that relationship overnight. So you’re not going to put in these lock and step long-term deals. You’re going to wait and look at how that relationship redevelops.”

She said she’ll travel to Ottawa later this week for Liberal caucus meetings where MPs will get a look at the deal in more detail. But she said she hopes this is just the beginning of more trade for South Shore fishermen.

“We’re seeing this as a huge win. … And it paves the way to resolve some of those long-standing trade barriers that were affecting different sectors.”

China is Canada’s second-largest trading partner after the United States. The government says it wants to increase exports to China by 50 per cent by 2030.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Members of Queens Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing join local politicians on Monday as governments announced millions in funding for a co-op housing project in Liverpool. Pictured are QNCH’s Eric Goulden and Susan MacLeod, South Shore-St. Margarets MP Jessica Fancy, Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian, Queens MLA Kim Masland, QNCH housing consultant Michael Blair, QNCH’s Janice Wentzell, Randi Dickie, housing consultant Earl Mielke and Queens Coun. Jack Fancy. (Rick Conrad)

As crews worked in the background, politicians from all levels of government on Monday officially announced millions in funding for a new co-operative housing development in Liverpool.

Queens Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing is building 30 rental units on Lawrence Street in Liverpool that will likely be ready by November 2026.

South Shore-St. Margarets MP Jessica Fancy, Queens MLA Kim Masland and Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian were among those on hand for the announcement of $11.91 million from the federal and provincial governments for the development.

Fancy said the federal contribution of $6.96 million in low-interest loans through CMHC’s Co-operative Housing Development Program will help secure affordable housing for many in the area.

“It’s a chance for a fresh start for many, including some of our most vulnerable people in our community.”

Fancy said the Liverpool co-op housing project is one of seven approved across Canada. It’s being built by Bird Construction.

The province is contributing $4.95 million through its Department of Growth and Development.

Masland applauded the “passion, dedication, effort and grit” of the co-op’s board members to make the project a reality.

“Plain and simple, we need more affordable housing in our community, and it is because of organizations like Queens Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing that more people will have a safe and affordable place to call home.”

The co-operative got approval for the federal and provincial funding earlier this year, but Monday’s announcement was the first time they could speak about it publicly.

The Region of Queens sold four lots to the group in 2023 for $1 and rezoned the area to pave the way for the development. It also committed $203,000 for project management and architectural fees.

Other funding includes:

• $175,000 from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
• $343,500 from the Nova Scotia Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund
• $400,000 from Efficiency Nova Scotia
• $75,000 from the Nova Scotia Community Housing Growth Fund

Mayor Scott Christian said the municipality is looking at other properties it can give to groups like QNCH to help spur more affordable housing in Queens.

“This is a step in the right direction. We all know that we need to do a lot more. We have a lot of folks who need access to affordable, accessible, barrier-free housing, and I commend these folks in terms of their environmental stewardship and working toward net-zero emissions too, because we also need to build homes in a way that’s climate resilient and is appropriate for the future.”

Planning for the project began about four years ago, with most of the work on design and funding happening in the past two and a half years.

The 30 fully accessible apartments will include one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units. It will be targeted toward seniors, with about 70 per cent occupancy set aside for older residents, but available for anyone who meets the application criteria.

Rents will be based on income, but the maximum charged for a one-bedroom will be $790 a month, $1,004 for a two-bedroom and $1,100 for a three-bedroom.

Queens County is in desperate need of affordable housing. Data from the 2021 census showed that 35 per cent of renters in Queens spend more than 30 per cent of their income on housing.

And 34 per cent of Queens residents have considered leaving the community due to housing issues, according to a report from the South Shore Housing Action Coaltiion.

To keep pace with population growth, the report projected that the county will need 555 new units by 2027.

On Monday, even the project’s construction foreman was interested when he heard about the rents. 

Michael Blair, a housing consultant working with the co-op on the Lawrence Street project, said the group’s ultimate goal is to try to build 100 affordable units throughout Queens County.

“We’re thrilled to finally have the funding both by the CMHC through the Co-operative Housing Development Program and through the province with the Nova Scotia Department of Growth and Development announced. Now we’re able to tell the story about the exciting new neighbourhood that we’re building.”

He said the apartments’ net-zero, passive design means that tenants won’t have to worry as much about rising energy costs.

“Building with highly energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, triple-glazed windows, extra insulation, all those things contribute to the long-term sustainability of the co-op, of the neighbourhood, and kind of insulates it to a certain degree from increasing energy costs, which thus make (us) able to keep … (the units) affordable long-term.”

Rental applications will probably be posted on the housing co-op’s website in the spring. 

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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