New Legislation For Provincial Resource Development.
Legislation introduced today, February 18, will lift blanket bans and pave the way for dialogue to ensure natural resource development can happen safely, unlocking a path toward job creation, boosting the economy and making Nova Scotia more self-sufficient.
“The world is demanding critical minerals and other natural resources in the transition to net zero by 2050. Nova Scotia can be a safe, responsible and ethical source of those materials and we need to remove barriers to explore all our options,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources. “If we’re going to use natural resources here, we should be having the conversations about extracting them here and keeping all the jobs and economic benefits for Nova Scotians.”
An Act respecting Agriculture, Energy and Natural Resources is an omnibus bill that addresses five pieces of legislation:
- amending the Petroleum Resources Act to create the potential for hydraulic fracturing to access onshore natural gas
- repealing the Uranium Exploration and Mining Prohibition Act to allow research about uranium’s presence and distribution in the province
- amending the Public Utilities Act to extend Efficiency Nova Scotia’s demand-side management plan by one year while key changes to the electricity system are put in place
- repealing and replacing the Agrologist Act to better to address the agriculture industry’s needs
- modernizing the Agricultural Weed Control Act to better protect against noxious weeds.
“All natural gas currently used in Nova Scotia is imported, and it comes from places that use hydraulic fracturing,” said Trevor Boudreau, Minister of Energy. “We have banned an activity here while encouraging that activity elsewhere.”
While the province has a wealth of onshore natural gas potential, there is currently no production. Any hydraulic fracturing activity would be subject to strict regulations to minimize any environmental threat. And such activity would only happen after the Province had conversations about how to do it safely.
“Canada is one of 31 countries that signed a declaration to trip nuclear energy by 2050 – it is a key tool in the fight against climate change,” said Minister Rushton. “We can create jobs, make our economy more resilient to future Trump threats and join the global fight against climate change.”
Repealing the legislated prohibition on uranium exploration and mining allows for research to better understand opportunities for developing this resource. Having accurate data on the amount and location of uranium is the first step. It will also help protect Nova Scotians from health and safety risks. The repeal allows government research only. All industry activity regarding uranium will continue to be prohibited through an existing ministerial order that will remain in place under the Mineral Resources Act.
Quick Facts:
- Nova Scotia has seven trillion cubic feet of onshore natural gas and exploration could generate $100 million a year, with full production bringing in billions in royalties
- legislation for a prohibition on hydraulic fracturing in onshore shale was passed in November 2014; while it was not proclaimed, it sent the message to industry that Nova Scotia was closed for business
- uranium exploration is regulated provincially while mining and processing are regulated by the federal government through the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
- Canada is the world’s third-largest uranium producer, and while it is on Canada’s critical mineral list, it hasn’t been on Nova Scotia’s because of the prohibition
- demand-side management means using energy more efficiently to reduce strain on Nova Scotia’s power system
Source : Provincial Release
