In a legal twist, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia are using the Impact Assessment Act — or the dreaded Bill C-69 — to make amendments to the Atlantic Accords that gave them control over offshore oil resources to include offshore renewable energy.

The proposed amendments to the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act and the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act will change the respective names of the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board and the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board to the ’Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator’ (CNSOER) and ‘Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Energy Regulator’ (C-NLOER).

In addition to establishing new authorities to support Ottawa’s marine conservation agenda, each will be granted new powers to regulate offshore renewable energy projects such as floating windmills and subsea tide turbines.