LENOX, Mass. (CNB) - Premier Shawn Graham and premiers Darrell Dexter of Nova Scotia, Robert Ghiz of Prince Edward Island and Danny Williams of Newfoundland and Labrador have re-affirmed today their commitment to the creation of a collaborative strategy for clean and renewable energy across the region.
"Our provinces share many of the same energy challenges as well as many opportunities, and this partnership will allow us to build a stronger, greener energy sector while growing our economies," said Graham.
"We all share a vision of an integrated and collaborative Atlantic Canadian energy system that supports the development of our renewable and clean energy resources, and an enhanced transmission system that links our four provinces to each other and to the world," said Dexter. "Our colleagues in New England have told us that they see real advantages to working with us as a region, and we have assured them that is how we plan to operate going forward."
"Regional collaboration is an essential component of Prince Edward Island's energy strategy," said Ghiz. "It is only through working together that we can achieve our goals of energy security, environmental sustainability and economic development."
"Collectively, our four provinces have a tremendous array of proven energy resources awaiting development - enough to satisfy our own markets and those beyond our respective borders crying out for clean, reliable electricity," said Williams.
The premiers are in Massachusetts for the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, where energy issues have been a major focus of discussions. Ghiz was represented by Deputy Premier George Webster.
All four Atlantic Canadian provinces have been working together on a range of energy issues through the Council of Atlantic Premiers, and they look forward to building on that work in conjunction with the federal government through the Atlantic Energy Gateway Initiative.
12-07-10
