Canada's marine renewable energy sector took a major leap forward this week as the Marine Renewables Canada 2025 Conference & Exhibition concluded in Halifax, marking record attendance, strong industry momentum, and a clearer path forward for offshore wind, tidal, wave, and river current energy.
In its largest edition to date, MRC 2025 brought together 700 delegates - including 135 speakers - from across Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America, underscoring Canada's emerging leadership in a rapidly growing global blue-energy economy.
Leadership and Collaboration at the Forefront
Federal and provincial leadership took centre stage with The Honourable Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia and Minister of Energy, and The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) addressing the delegates.
Their remarks highlighted strong federal-provincial collaboration and key milestones on the path toward Canada's first offshore wind call for bids, as well as Nova Scotia's commitment to advancing tidal energy.
"Nova Scotia is ready to be Canada's next energy powerhouse. From developing offshore wind through Wind West to unlocking our world-class tidal resources with the Eauclaire Tidal Limited Partnership and Orbital Marine Power advancing two berths at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE), these are remarkable opportunities for our province - not just to decarbonize our electricity grid, but to unleash tens of billions of dollars in economic activity. From the transmission lines to the turbines, from our ports to our trades, these projects will create thousands of good jobs for Nova Scotians." - The Honourable Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia and Minister of Energy
"In Atlantic Canada, we have the wind, the tides, the people, and the ambition to lead the clean energy future. At MRC 2025, I met the people making it happen and shared our government's plan to support them as they deliver good jobs, new investment and clean, reliable energy our families can count on, not just today, but for our kids and grandkids too." - The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
Optimism for the Future
MRC 2025 featured a full exhibition floor - including the first-ever Indigenous Business Pavilion - alongside expanded networking forums, a full day of member and international delegate programming, and multi-stream industry and technical sessions.
The trade show buzzed with innovations from offshore wind, tidal, wave and river-current technologies, including new floating wind concepts, subsea mooring solutions, integrated grid-connection systems, and Indigenous-led project models.
Delegates engaged in in-depth sessions covering global energy market dynamics, offshore wind development, tidal energy advances, Indigenous leadership, environmental monitoring, supply chain and transmission readiness, off-grid deployment opportunities, and policy and regulatory alignment - helping chart a path from pilot projects to commercial-scale deployment.
"Canada's marine renewable energy sector is no longer emerging - it's advancing toward delivery at pace. Backed by clear policy direction, committed developers, and a wave of innovation, marine renewables are becoming a critical pillar of Canada's clean energy future." - Elisa Obermann, Executive Director of Marine Renewables Canada
"The pieces are falling into place for Canada's first commercial-scale marine renewable energy projects - from policy clarity to supply chain readiness, and strong Indigenous partnership models. Now the focus shifts to execution: delivering the marine renewable energy projects that will help make Canada an energy superpower." - Jonathan Robinson, Senior Policy Advisor at MRC
Networking receptions and B2B meetings fostered new partnerships among developers, service providers, technology firms, government agencies, and Indigenous organizations, creating strong optimism and collaborative momentum for the sector's next phase of growth.
"MRC 2025 was our largest and most dynamic conference to date, reflecting growing momentum in Canada's marine renewable energy sector. From coast to coast, Canada is embracing its ocean energy potential with Nova Scotia's first ever call for offshore wind bids, new tidal energy projects at FORCE, and progress on tidal and wave solutions for British Columbia's remote communities. Marine Renewables Canada is proud to help steer the sector as we enter this new era of opportunity." - Mohammad Ali Raza, Board Chair of MRC
Conference by the Numbers
- 700+ delegates
- 135 speakers
- 41 exhibitors
- 33 member workshops, industry, and technical sessions
