Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm
Port Hawkesbury Paper Wind and Wskijinu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency
The Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm is a landmark renewable energy project that exemplifies the profound impact infrastructure can have on communities, economies, and the environment. As the largest wind farm in Atlantic Canada and a symbol of innovative public-private partnership, this 168 MW project is redefining utility-scale energy development—not only through its sheer scale and technical advancement but by its deep commitment to social equity, sustainability, and regional revitalization. It deserves to be recognized as the Utility Project of the Year for the transformative benefits it brings to Nova Scotia and beyond. COMMUNITY-CENTERED INNOVATION AND INCLUSIVE FINANCE At a cost of $450 million, the Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm represents a masterclass in innovative project structuring and blended finance. It leverages both public and private capital to achieve a shared vision: decarbonizing Nova Scotia’s power grid while uplifting local and Indigenous communities. Co-developed by Port Hawkesbury Paper Wind (PHPW) and Renewable Energy Systems (RES), with financing from Stonebridge Financial and the Canada Infrastructure Bank, the project is a beacon of cross-sector collaboration. As the largest wind farm financing by Canada Infrastructure Bank to date committing $224 million, the project is also the largest financing completed in Stonebridge’s history, an excellent way to cap off the firm’s 25th anniversary year. In the process, Stonebridge’s latest infrastructure debt fund (SIDF II) closed with PHP Wind as its final investment made. The fund closed at $617 million, 300% larger than its inaugural fund’s size. Such fund is a vehicles for LPs to diversify their portfolios by accessing high quality, private debt enabling investors such as insurers, pensions, government agencies, municipalities, universities, foundations, the ability to assist new infrastructure projects they may not have exposure to otherwise. Aside from partnership with CIB on project financing, the project also includes among the first ITC bridge loans in Canada, which passed legislation just six months earlier. The project is also RES’s first in Nova Scotia. The project introduces North America’s largest onshore wind turbines to date—24 state-of-the-art, cold-climate Nordex 163 7.0 MW units equipped with anti-icing blade technology. At 180 meters in height (comparable to a 50-storey building), each turbine can generate enough power for 2,000 homes. This investment in cutting-edge technology ensures reliability and efficiency even in Nova Scotia’s challenging winter climate, showcasing innovation that directly enhances long-term community benefit. Moreover, through a groundbreaking Indigenous equity arrangement, 13 Mi’kmaq First Nations hold a 10% ownership stake via the Wskijinu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency Ltd. (WMA). This structure guarantees lasting economic participation and enables reinvestment into local Mi’kmaw communities—demonstrating how major infrastructure can be structured to promote social impact and economic reconciliation. ADVANCING QUALITY OF LIFE AND SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY Port Hawkesbury Paper (PHP), one of Nova Scotia’s largest industrial employers, consumes up to 25% of the province’s electricity during peak demand. The Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm will directly power this facility, substantially reducing its carbon footprint and enabling more sustainable manufacturing. This direct connection between renewable generation and industrial decarbonization enhances energy security, controls costs, and makes environmentally responsible industry more viable. PHP employs over 1,200 full and contract staff in forestry and related sectors, anchoring the economy of Eastern Nova Scotia as one of the largest private sector employers in the province. Ensuring this facility’s commercial competitiveness through clean, self-supplied energy not only stabilizes employment but also reinforces community resilience in an era of economic transition. With the current installed wind farm capacity in the province of 640MW, this project is increasing the province’s capacity by over 25%, which helps the province reach its target of achieving 80% of the region’s energy needs from clean energy sources by 2030. In this way, Goose Harbour Lake contributes to a healthier, lower-cost, lower-emission energy future for all Nova Scotians. MINIMIZING IMPACT AND MAXIMIZING LOCAL BENEFITS From the start, the project team prioritized minimizing construction disruption while maximizing local opportunity. RES and PHPW have committed to creating 150 full-time construction jobs and up to five permanent positions once the facility is operational. These jobs will primarily benefit residents of Guysborough County and surrounding areas, reinforcing the community’s economic base. In addition to employment, the project will generate approximately $1.4 million per year in direct tax and lease payments, injecting long-term, stable revenues into the local economy. These funds can support community services, infrastructure, and development programs that raise the quality of life well beyond the project site. Environmental management during construction has also been a cornerstone, with the use of cutting-edge turbine technology reducing noise, minimizing land use, and ensuring durability in local climate conditions. Community consultations and ongoing engagement with local and Indigenous leaders have further ensured that development is inclusive, responsive, and welcomed. SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP The environmental impact of the Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm is both immediate and long-term. By generating zero-emission electricity, it is projected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 350,000 tonnes annually—roughly 2.4% of Nova Scotia’s total 2021 emissions, or the equivalent of taking 74,000 cars off the road every year. The wind farm’s generation will cover about 60% of PHP’s energy demand, displacing coal and other fossil fuels that have historically dominated the provincial grid. This represents a pivotal shift in Nova Scotia’s energy transition—one that aligns local industry with climate goals, public health improvement, and intergenerational responsibility. The project's ecological benefits are further amplified by PHP’s commitment to sustainable forestry practices, which ensure a holistic, low-impact industrial footprint. The alignment of clean energy production with responsible resource management underscores the project’s integrated approach to sustainability. INNOVATION IN PROCUREMENT, STRUCTURE, FINANCE, AND RISK MANAGEMENT The Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm demonstrates a highly innovative approach to procurement, project structure, and risk management that sets a precedent for future utility-scale infrastructure in Canada. Procurement was designed to be inclusive, agile, and strategically aligned with public policy objectives. The project was structured to incorporate early partnership with Indigenous communities, public financial institutions, and industry-leading private players, enabling a shared governance model that balanced commercial returns with public interest outcomes. The 25-year power purchase agreement with Nova Scotia Power provides stable cash flows to its owners, including its Indigenous partners where such cash flows may be reinvested back into their communities. From a financial standpoint, the project broke ground with one of the first Investment Tax Credit (ITC) bridge loans issued in Canada following recent federal legislation—providing a critical new tool in the capital stack that reduces financing risk and accelerates the commercial viability of clean energy investments. The bridge loan was paired with senior debt financing from Stonebridge and a $224 million commitment from the Canada Infrastructure Bank—their largest wind project investment to date—representing a bold vote of confidence in the project's structure and its long-term benefits. Effective risk assessment and transfer were embedded from the outset, with contractual frameworks that allocated construction, operational, and regulatory risks to the parties best equipped to manage them. RES, with its global expertise in engineering and construction, brought robust delivery risk controls, while PHP’s direct involvement ensured long-term offtake certainty. Indigenous partners were also protected through legal and financial mechanisms that secure returns over the project's lifecycle. These innovations collectively demonstrate how thoughtful structuring and risk transfer can unlock both financial resilience and broad-based community value. A MODEL FOR REPLICATION The Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm is not just a massive utility-scale project—it is a blueprint for how clean energy infrastructure can be deployed to deliver lasting community benefit. It unites stakeholders across government, Indigenous communities, industry, and finance in pursuit of a just energy transition. It leverages cutting-edge technology to ensure resilience, inclusivity, and performance. It uplifts rural and Indigenous communities with real equity, not just symbolic involvement. And in the words of a Mi’kmaq partner: “By acquiring a stake in this groundbreaking initiative, we are... supporting industry, creating jobs, and fostering economic development in our region.” These voices reflect the transformative power of the project—for business, people, and planet. CONCLUSION The Goose Harbour Lake Wind Farm stands as a shining example of what utility projects can achieve when community, sustainability, and innovation are placed at the forefront. Through its unmatched scale, inclusive ownership model, job creation, environmental leadership, and regional economic uplift, this project is not only changing how Nova Scotia generates electricity—it’s changing how energy infrastructure serves people. It deserves the recognition of Utility Project of the Year for setting a new standard in socially and environmentally impactful development.