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A couple of councillors are calling for quicker action to get Cape Breton Regional Municipality into the offshore wind business.
Several companies have been cleared to bid, once Nova Scotia opens up its water lots later this year, and CBRM is hoping its greenfield site in Sydney harbour will be developed along with the new industry.
At least one American offshore wind developer says modern port infrastructure will be critical in opening the industry in Canada.
“Sydney has the opportunity to be involved with the offshore wind and we need to get our ducks in a row, get organized [and] support whatever developer that wants to promote that greenfield site,” said Coun. Steve Parsons.
CBRM acquired the 1.74-square-kilometre site in 2012. For the last decade, a company called Sydney Harbour Investment Partners — also known as SHIP — has had an untendered, exclusive deal with the municipality to market the property as a location for a proposed container terminal.
Earlier this year, with no work visible, council ended that controversial agreement and directed staff to put out a call for expressions of interest to see if other developers want the site.
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Parsons said CBRM should act quickly now that other companies are lining up to get into the burgeoning offshore wind industry.
He said federal funding is expected to be made available for ports to develop and support the industry and the municipality is in danger of missing out.
“Without the infrastructure, you don’t have a project and I think the sooner we can get our ducks in a row, so to speak, we can avail of those federal government funds and play our part in this project.”
Parsons said “time is of the essence,” especially with Sydney Bight — 25 kilometres off the coast — targeted as one of the provincial water lots to be developed for offshore wind.
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Last week, Coun. Steven MacNeil tried to get the chief administrative officer to provide a public update on efforts to market the greenfield site, but his request to have that put on a council meeting agenda was denied.
“I thought it was really important that our CAO kind of come forth and let the community know what process council was going to move forward with,” MacNeil said Tuesday.
Several years ago, SHIP owners Albert Barbusci and Barry Sheehy sold 25 per cent of the company to Membertou First Nation.
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They formed a new company, Novaporte, which decided three years ago to pause the container terminal efforts, saying they had signed a deal with Blue Water Shipping of Denmark to begin marshalling parts for American offshore wind projects.
A privately owned company across the harbour subsequently launched its own offshore wind marshalling business.
In a news release Thursday, Novaporte said it had been prequalified by the Canada Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator, but no one from the company was available for an interview.
To be eligible, companies were required to meet certain financial, technical, legal and social criteria to prove they are capable of completing offshore wind projects.
Novaporte was not on the public list of qualified companies and the regulator said it could not comment on which companies might be qualified but had asked to have their status remain confidential.
CBRM, Novaporte met last week
CBRM councillors met with Novaporte last week and both Parsons and MacNeil said it was a good meeting.
MacNeil said company officials were told they could apply to develop the greenfield site once staff put out the call for expressions of interest.
The municipality has not yet said when it will put its harbour land up for tender, but last week Mayor Cecil Clarke told MacNeil he would look into it and provide an answer.
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