The provincial government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic focused on bilateral co-operation in support of energy innovation and other economic activities.
"New Brunswick is well-positioned to power the world with clean energy as we build a world-class energy cluster," said Premier Blaine Higgs. "I am pleased that we will continue to nurture our relationship with the Czech Republic to support our province's energy-related files and other economic priorities."
The document was signed in Ottawa during a meeting between Arlene Dunn, minister responsible for Opportunities NB, and Jozef Síkela, Czech minister of Industry and Trade, and other government officials.
"New Brunswick is one of the most competitive jurisdictions for investment in Canada and partnerships are integral to everything we do here," said Dunn. "This collaboration is the first step in building a mutually beneficial partnership that positions our province for continued economic growth and prosperity."
From left: Jozef Síkela, Czech minister of Industry and Trade; and Arlene Dunn, minister responsible for Opportunities NB.
Following are the highlights of the memorandum, including, but not limited to the field of energy:
- energy industry, including renewables;
- gas industry, including especially the production, transportation, and storage of liquified natural gas (LNG) if development occurs in New Brunswick;
- carbon neutral and greenhouse gas mitigation technology;
- deploy and implementation of small modular reactor (SMR) technology being developed in New Brunswick;
- hydrogen, including production, technology, and related products and services; and
- other areas following the expression of interest between the participants.
"As Europe continues to experience energy uncertainty, New Brunswick can play an important role in helping countries like the Czech Republic create their own energy future," said Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike Holland. "Together, we will continue to look at the ongoing global transformation of energy development, and how New Brunswick can continue to lead the way for clean energy options, such as SMRs."
The agreement stems from a meeting that took place in May 2023 between Higgs, Dunn and Bořek Lizec, ambassador of the Czech Republic to Canada, during which opportunities for collaboration were discussed.
"Canada is one of the key partners for the Czech Republic and the European Union. We do understand the opportunities to strengthen the ties with New Brunswick" said Síkela. "The memorandum of understanding we signed today reflects our willingness to enhance our co-operation across the board, with special focus on energy and related technologies. The timing seems to be just right to face together global energy challenges."
Opportunities NB is a Crown corporation and the lead economic development agency for the province. It seeks to attract and support opportunities to stimulate economic growth and create jobs by providing support services for businesses.
