SHERBROOKE – Residents attending a series of EverWind open houses in Sherbrooke, Country Harbour and Port Bickerton last week were told the company’s proposed Wind Farm 3 development could bring hundreds of jobs, millions in municipal tax revenue and long-term community investment to eastern Nova Scotia.
The sessions focused on EverWind’s proposed development of up to 107 turbines and 856 megawatts spanning parts of the Municipality of the District of Guysborough and the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s, including areas near Country Harbour, Stormont, Port Bickerton, Port Hilford, Indian Harbour Lake and Melrose.
Information boards at the sessions outlined proposed turbine locations, environmental studies underway, transmission infrastructure plans and projected economic benefits tied to the development.
EverWind director of engagement Mark Stewart said the company was encouraged by the turnout at the sessions and additional meetings held in the region during the week, noting that about “45 people attended the three sessions overall.”
He also noted in follow-up comments provided to The Journal, “We had the opportunity to present to St. Mary’s council and meet with the St. Mary’s River Association, which helped create even more opportunities for meaningful discussion and feedback about the Wind Farm 3 project.”
Stewart said that one of the things “we heard most clearly from community members was appreciation that their earlier feedback had been reflected in the updated project design,” specifically that people wanted to see a smaller project footprint. While he said the company has made changes based on those conversations, he did not specify what those changes were to The Journal.
The company also pointed to what it described as growing concern over youth outmigration and limited rural employment opportunities.
“There’s also a lot of interest in the long-term economic opportunities these projects can create for rural communities,” Stewart said. “Projects like this can help create skilled jobs, long-term employment and economic activity closer to home.”
Reaction at the open houses remained mixed.
Some residents expressed cautious optimism about the economic potential, while others questioned its long-term environmental impact and whether local communities would ultimately benefit proportionately from a development of its scale.
The proposed Wind Farm 3 development forms part of EverWind’s broader wind-energy and hydrogen buildout in Nova Scotia.
The company’s first phase includes four approved wind projects across Antigonish, Guysborough, Colchester, West Hants, Chester and the Halifax Regional Municipality intended primarily to supply power to the provincial grid.
But it is EverWind’s second phase — concentrated largely in Guysborough County and extending into St. Mary’s — that represents the company’s much larger hydrogen-linked expansion strategy.
That phase includes the already approved Setapuktuk project in Guysborough County, featuring 54 turbines and a capacity of 432 megawatts, along with the proposed Ocean Lake project at up to 158 turbines and 1.26 gigawatts.
Unlike the company’s first-phase developments, the second phase projects would be connected through a dedicated high-voltage transmission system intended to supply renewable energy to EverWind’s proposed hydrogen production and export operations.
Stewart said construction on EverWind’s first phase projects is expected to begin in 2026 or 2027, with later developments potentially extending through the end of the decade.
Among those attending the recent open houses was Sonora resident Jason Collingwood, who said he remains unconvinced the benefits outweigh the long-term environmental cost.
“Inshore I am not for them,” Collingwood told The Journal. “Offshore I would more than likely be supportive of them.”
While describing himself as supportive of renewable energy generally, Collingwood questioned the scale of forest clearing required for turbine development and associated access roads.
“There is a time and a place for them,” he said. “I’m all for renewable energy, but not for the destruction of forests and wetlands.”
Collingwood also expressed concern about the project’s impact on wildlife habitat, lakes, streams and what he described as the region’s natural appeal to tourists, seasonal residents and outdoor enthusiasts.
“The wilderness, the hunting and fishing, the scenic beauty, cottage country, nature tourism — all of that’s going to be affected,” he said.
He also questioned whether municipalities would receive a fair share of the long-term economic return generated by the project.
“They’ll make billions while we get the crumbs that will trickle down,” Collingwood said.
EverWind maintains the project would generate significant long-term local benefits, including municipal tax revenue, community funding and employment opportunities.
According to company figures presented during the open houses, the project could generate between 350 and 450 construction jobs, along with 30 to 40 permanent operations and maintenance positions once complete.
The company also projects approximately $7.4 million annually in municipal tax revenue over the project’s lifespan, along with roughly $800,000 annually in community benefits funding tied to generating capacity.
Stewart said the company plans to continue refining the project through additional consultation and public feedback.
“Community input plays a real role in how projects evolve, from turbine siting to community benefit programs,” he said.
Warden James Fuller of the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s said projects of the scale proposed by EverWind could provide important economic opportunities for rural communities facing population decline and infrastructure pressures.
“Additional tax revenues will go a long way to improve and expand infrastructure such as water and sewer without placing a burden on our residents,” Fuller said.
He added that EverWind representatives had emphasized both environmental protections and long-term land reclamation plans during their presentations to the public and council.
“There will be definite benefits to all of our communities,” Fuller said.
