The US state of Massachusetts and the Canadian province of Nova Scotia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation on offshore wind development, seeking to align planning, workforce training, transmission planning and supply chain development across the North Atlantic region.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston signed the agreement on 5 February, committing both sides to staff-level discussions on the next steps, including information sharing, coordination with relevant grid and transmission planners, and engagement with industry and other stakeholders.
Healey said the MoU builds on nearly two decades of offshore wind development in Massachusetts, including progress on projects such as Vineyard Wind 1, which began producing power in 2025 and will soon be completed and put into full operation.
“With the Vineyard Wind project nearing completion, Massachusetts is well positioned to share its sector experience with Nova Scotia” , said Massachusetts’s Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony . “This partnership creates an opportunity to learn from each other and coordinate on grid integration, ports, and workforce needs to support successful offshore wind deployment across the region.”
Nova Scotia is currently advancing its first competitive offshore wind licensing round. In October 2025, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator (CNSOER) launched a call for information and pre-qualification as a precursor to a formal call for bids, which is expected in the coming months.
Houston said the agreement between the US state and the Canadian province was a signal to developers that markets for Nova Scotia’s future offshore wind output are maturing, potentially supporting exports to New England.
“We’re on the verge of our first call for bids to license the first offshore wind projects in Canada, and we’re advancing Wind West to build the transmission infrastructure to send that clean energy to markets”, said Houston. “Our agreement with Massachusetts signals to developers that markets for their clean energy are solidifying, giving them even more confidence to invest in our new offshore wind industry. I look forward to sharing this clean energy with Massachusetts, powering economic opportunities for the New England region, and creating thousands of jobs and billions in investment in Nova Scotia.”