Nova Scotia’s offshore energy regulator takes a major step toward Canada’s first offshore wind farms by approving which companies can bid for seabed licences. Late Friday, the Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator releases the names of the bidders that qualify for the next stage of development. According to reports, the regulator identifies five individual companies and two groups of companies that have been approved after participating in the required process. The regulator’s decision moves the project planning beyond initial assessments toward formal licence bidding. Sources say the seabed licence bidding is expected to take place later this year, after this clearance of qualified participants. The approvals apply to the offshore wind farm development process in Nova Scotia waters, reflecting the province’s broader efforts to expand renewable energy and offshore generation. Overall, the announcements confirm that several entities are now eligible to compete for access to seabed areas needed to build and operate future offshore wind projects, subject to further regulatory and permitting steps.