Ontario announces new 2.2 MW Community Solar project! Oh wait, that's Nova Scotia
- Graham Findlay
- May 17
- 1 min read
Nova Scotia just approved a 2.2 megawatt (MW) community solar project in the rural Halifax Regional Municipality — and if you thought for a second that this was happening in Ontario, you’re not alone.
The West Petpeswick Community Solar Garden is the latest project approved under Nova Scotia’s Community Solar Program, which now totals 9.2 MW of installed or planned capacity across the province. With a goal of reaching 100 MW, this program allows everyday Nova Scotians to subscribe to clean energy—even if they can’t install panels on their own roof.
It’s simple, scalable, and community-driven. In other words: exactly the kind of model we need in Ontario, but don’t currently have.
Here at OREC, we’ve long advocated for community energy policy that empowers local co-ops and municipalities to build renewable generation that benefits everyone—not just those who own property or have capital to invest.
Nova Scotia is doing it. So are Alberta and many U.S. states. Ontario? We’re still waiting.
Let’s change that.
Great piece! Hopefully community solar isn't too far off in Ontario & Ottawa!
Someone wrote to me that it looked like they cut down trees at the site to install the solar array (the photo is from a 2022 NS community solar garden, not the new site of the story). This was "not a good idea" they wrote.
Cutting down trees is never the preferred model for environmental projects. But according to that site's live data, in 3 years, they've already offset the equivalent of 794 trees. I'd suggest the net effect on-going is better than the trees that were at that location.
Let's go with this analysis. Nova Scotia's energy grid is 44% coal. That's really bad for the environment. In fact, by one calculation, only about 0.1% of Nova Scotia’s land would need to host solar panels…