Hello. My name is Christine Bonnell-Eisnor. I am the chief executive officer of the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board.
I am located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am in Mi'kma'ki, the traditional territory of the Mi'kmaq people.
Thank you for the invitation to come and speak to you today about Bill C-49, which outlines the accord act amendments required for the expansion of our mandate to include the regulation of offshore renewable energy. We support these amendments and are actively preparing for the completion of the bill and becoming the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore energy regulator.
The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board is the independent joint agency created by the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia. Federally, we work with Natural Resources Canada and, provincially, with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.
We have more than 30 years of experience regulating offshore oil and gas exploration and development activities in the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area. We are the lead regulator and oversee all activities through the life cycle of an offshore oil or gas project, from exploration through development and, finally, to abandonment. We do this by recognizing that safety and environmental protection are paramount, and we make sure the operators who work in our offshore area do too.
When it comes to any offshore oil and gas activity that an operator proposes to conduct in the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area, we go to great lengths to ensure that regulatory requirements are met before granting an authorization that would allow activities to commence. We implement effective monitoring programs to confirm that operators comply with these requirements during the execution of a program. We ensure compliance with the legislated requirements so that exploration and development of our offshore resources are completed in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
We will do the same for offshore wind and other offshore renewable energy activities. Leveraging the similarities and managing the differences between oil and gas and offshore wind is critical to the success of delivering on an expanded mandate to regulate the broader energy industry in our offshore area. There are similarities in the geotechnical studies and the assessment of metocean conditions, the approach to risk management, environmental considerations and the need to coexist with indigenous communities, fisheries and other industries and ocean users.
The majority of what we do is directly transferable to offshore wind. We recognize that each section of the ocean is unique and each project is unique. The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board has the technical and regulatory experience and expertise necessary to regulate offshore renewable energy. We are committed to continuous improvement and invest in building and maintaining the technical competencies and expertise of our staff through training programs offered locally and globally.
We work closely and are in regular contact with the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, the Canada Energy Regulator, other government departments and international regulators, and continue to learn from regulatory peers, including those who are already regulating offshore wind.
As we have for the past 30 years, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board will continue to work with indigenous communities, fishers and other stakeholders to provide information about our regulatory role and to understand their unique and specific insights, which should be taken into consideration prior to making decisions. This remains a commitment as we transition to becoming the lead and life-cycle regulator of the offshore energy industry in the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area.
The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board is committed, and we will be ready to be the lead regulatory agency and deliver on this new and expanded mandate. We are trusted and recognized for the high standards to which we hold the oil and gas industry accountable and will continue to deliver regulatory excellence as our mandate is expanded to include offshore renewable energy.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.