With the oil price wars and the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy – already facing great challenges – was dealt a series of significant setbacks throughout 2020.

Over the course of the year there was a growing sense, internationally, that economic recovery efforts should contribute to the idea of “building back better” – investments should not just provide short term work as stimulus, but also longer term benefits for both economy and environment. This is an approach that has clearly been embraced by the Government of Canada.

NEIA supports the linkage between economic stimulus and clean growth, and played an important role throughout 2020 exploring and defining what this would mean in the Newfoundland and Labrador context. In June of 2020 NEIA released a document titled ‘Economic Recovery: Towards a Clean Growth Future for Newfoundland and Labrador’ which offered a series of specific recommendations for decision-makers.

The recommendations ranged from accelerating electrification efforts to investing in regional transmission infrastructure to unlock the potential of the province’s wealth of renewable energy assets. NEIA identified a number of initiatives that it believes can significantly contribute to the diversification of Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy, and position us as one of the leading clean growth jurisdictions in the world.

In some cases, like finding value from waste materials, the recommendations leverage existing strengths of the sector. In other cases, it is recommended that steps be quickly taken to define new areas of economic opportunity for the province – such as the production of hydrogen.

NEIA’s recommendations stemmed from its work related to the development of a growth strategy for the clean technology and environmental services sector. This work included engagement within the association’s membership, key industry stakeholders, and government partners towards the development of a plan to stimulate clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. As such, the majority of the recommendations are not just a reaction to thee current crisis, but were in fact based on a significant amount of information that was acquired and analyzed since the summer of 2019.

NEIA continues to work towards the implementation of the recommendations it has made for economic recovery in Newfoundland and Labrador. It has continued to advocate for action through continued engagement with the Oil and Gas Industry Recovery Task Force and the Provincial Economic Recovery Team, and where possible has taken the initiative itself to advance opportunities.

Links:

‘Economic Recovery: Towards a Clean Growth Future for Newfoundland and Labrador’

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified global discourse and accelerated action related to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Terms like decarbonization, energy transition, clean growth, net zero, and more are being embraced internationally and throughout major industry.

With its wealth of un-tapped energy resources, Newfoundland and Labrador has the opportunity to be a world player in the energy transition. To accomplish this, there must be a deliberate and strategic approach in place to ensure that the province maximizes the economic growth and innovation opportunities associated with it.

NEIA has played an important role in helping the province define its approach to the energy transition. Economies are unique from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and thus so must be the corresponding energy transitions. In Newfoundland and Labrador’s case, its primary economic driver for 30 years has been its offshore industry and the export of oil. Meanwhile, it has made a substantial renewable energy investment that will provide clean electricity for the province, meeting its needs for the foreseeable future. These two factors mean that the ‘energy transition’ in its simplest terms, e.g. the shift from non-renewable to renewable industries, does not work in the Newfoundland and Labrador context. The situation is more complex and nuanced.

In 2020-21 NEIA worked with its partners to better understand the energy transition challenges and opportunities specific to Newfoundland and Labrador. In the Spring of 2020, NEIA and Noia – with support from Newfoundland and Labrador Oil Corporation (OilCo) – initiated a project that saw the following research take place:

• Evaluating the Technical Feasibility of the Electrification of FPSO Vessels Offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

• Evaluating the Technical Feasibility of Wind Energy to Electrify Oil and Gas Production Facilities Offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

• Understanding current activity and capacity in clean technology research, development, and innovation in Canada’s Offshore Oil and Gas Industry

• Delineating emerging environmental requirements and expectations in the offshore oil and gas supply chain

• Identifying regulatory and support ecosystem initiatives from leading jurisdictions supporting clean technology innovation in the offshore oil and gas industry

The results from this research have inspired and informed a wide variety of follow-on initiatives, which will come to fruition in 2021. This research also informed a December 2020 submission by NEIA to the province’s Oil and Gas Industry Recovery Task Force titled ‘Advancing the Offshore Oil &Gas Industry through the Lens of the Energy Transition’. This document made the case for the industry to pursue recovery through positioning itself as a champion of and leadership for the energy transition.

The speed at which change is being observed internationally is astounding. It has become clear to NEIA that much work needs to be done – and quickly – to inform businesses and stakeholders on the relevance of these concepts (energy transition, net zero, decarbonization, etc.) within the local context. For this reason, NEIA developed its Offshore Cleantech Information Series. This collection of presentations, given by local industry experts on challenges and opportunities specific to oceans industries, intends to inform on the importance that the development and application of clean technology will have within key sectors of the provincial economy. The series, which will be presented in full in April/May of 2021, includes the following presentations:

• Cleantech in offshore industries - what it means, latest trends, and opportunities

• Net zero, emissions reduction challenges in offshore industries, and emerging solutions

• Non-GHG environmental challenges in offshore industries and emerging solutions

• Electrification in offshore industries - trends and opportunities

• Offshore wind energy alongside oil and gas industry developments

• Digitalization, integrated operations, and the relationship to improved environmental outcomes

• Emerging technologies in environmental characterization and monitoring

• Advances in offshore carbon capture and storage

• New ocean industry opportunities

• Highlighting firms from Atlantic Canada engaged in the international offshore wind industry

• Clean technology within Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture and fishing industries

• Port electrification – the role that ports can play in enabling a green (and blue) economy

• Arctic, harsh environments, and clean technology

• Marine renewable energy

• European and North American FTAs & implications for Cleantech

• European green recovery plans: implications for Canadian cleantech firms (presented by various Trade Commissioner Service representatives)

All of this work has led NEIA to believe that Newfoundland and Labrador’s energy transition has four pillars: (1) the pursuit of lower-emissions oil and gas; (2) increased electrification to maximize the value and impact of existing renewable energy development; (3) finding pathways for new renewable energy developments; and (4) the creation of a new hydrogen industry. The most substantial opportunities for any of these pillars may be where it intersects with another, and as such there is a need and great value in viewing the province’s energy systems holistically and not in silos.

In response to these opportunities, NEIA has developed an initiative that it is calling The Net Zero Project. This project will proactively develop strategy, attract investment, build partnerships, and stimulate activity in and around the energy transition in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA hopes to share more about this exciting initiative in the months ahead.

Links:

‘Advancing the Offshore Oil &Gas Industry through the Lens of the Energy Transition’

The production, consumption, and export of hydrogen presents a rare and substantial opportunity for short, medium, and long-term economic growth and diversification for Newfoundland and Labrador. It also presents and important pathway for the development of the province’s vast renewable energy resources.

Hydrogen is a fuel that emits no greenhouse gas emissions when used, and can be produced via processes that result in zero emissions. For these reasons, it is anticipated that hydrogen will play a very important role in the energy transition and the pursuit of net zero by the year 2050.

Nations and major corporations worldwide have been developing strategies and making investments in anticipation of major growth in the hydrogen economy, with activity intensifying since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada released its own hydrogen strategy in December, preceded by a strategy released for the Maritimes in November.

With its abundance of energy resources, NEIA believes that Newfoundland and Labrador has great potential to be a significant player in the growing hydrogen industry. To this end, after engagement internally with its membership, NEIA published a discussion paper on February 2, 2021 that explored the opportunities associated with the industry from the Newfoundland and Labrador perspective. The intent of the discussion paper was to create a broader awareness within the province on what the possibilities may be for the production and/or consumption of hydrogen – and what further explorations are required to narrow in on and define the real opportunities.

Accordingly, NEIA assisted in the development of a hydrogen strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador by helping provide national subject matter experts with special provincial context and connections with local stakeholders with whom the subject could be explored further. This strategy is expected to be published soon, and NEIA anticipates that the research will point to the potential for a new major industry for Newfoundland and Labrador.

With its partners, NEIA will continue to aggressively pursue the development of a hydrogen industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Links:

• The Hydrogen Economy and the Potential for Newfoundland and Labrador: A Discussion Paper

• Hydrogen Strategy for Canada: Seizing the Opportunities for Hydrogen

• A Feasibility Study of Hydrogen Production, Storage, Distribution, and Use in the Maritimes

On December 17, 2020 an announcement was made regarding the first steps towards the creation of an Innovation Centre for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador – bringing together the talent and opportunities found across our economy, including technology, oil and gas, ocean, clean energy, and other sectors.

The Innovation Centre initiative is led by techNL, the province’s technology and innovation industry association, in partnership with: NEIA; Canada’s Ocean Supercluster; Newfoundland and Labrador Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA); Petroleum Resources Newfoundland and Labrador (PRNL); Newfoundland and Labrador Oil & Gas Industries Association (Noia); and others.

Establishing an Innovation Centre will bring together industry, academia, and supporting organizations, to raise our collective capacity to drive innovation, commercialization, and competition. Through knowledge transfer and sharing of ideas, new opportunities emerge, and natural collisions occur. In an era where being agile and pivoting quickly is critical, the Innovation Centre will not only identify new commercial opportunities, but will provide efficiencies, learning opportunities, and will act as a focal point to attract investment and international delegations.

The Innovation Centre will showcase Newfoundland and Labrador as an epicentre of innovation and technology, and provide space for local, national, and international innovation events to occur. This presence will help build our province’s reputation and demonstrate that innovation is happening here and supporting the attraction of investment and talent.

NEIA has been a strong advocate for the creation of an Innovation Centre within Newfoundland and Labrador since 2019, and has been working hard since that time with its industry and government partners to establish the vision. NEIA believes that the vision will be realized in 2021 and steps will be taken towards implementation.

Quotes

“This announcement is evidence of what can be achieved when partners can come together around a common objective and vision. This Innovation Centre will be a home for that collaborative spirit, and will drive economic growth for Newfoundland and Labrador for many years to come. NEIA is excited about what the future holds for this province.”

– Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, NEIA

“The digital economy means that an investment in the tech sector is an investment in all sectors. The establishment of an Innovation Centre will help sustain and build upon the extraordinary momentum we have seen in the sector and will translate into a significant impact on the overall NL economy.”

– Paul Preston, CEO, techNL

“Newfoundland and Labrador tech companies are competing on the world stage and creating high paying jobs here at home. The Innovation Centre initiative will help techNL and its partners drive industry-leading innovation and business growth in our province.”

– Ken McDonald, Member of Parliament for Avalon, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA

“This unprecedented collaboration highlights the importance of building and strengthening our province’s emerging tech sector. By aligning talent and opportunities found in a variety of industries, we are enhancing our collective capacity to drive current R&D, and help kick-start tomorrow’s tech leaders. This vision of establishing an Innovation Centre in Newfoundland and Labrador only validates that world-class innovation is happening right here at home.”

– The Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

“The importance of supporting and developing talent in the tech sector is vital to the growth of the industry in our province. There’s an innovative energy building in Newfoundland and Labrador, and together with industry, academia, and supporting organizations, this vision of an Innovation Centre will further strengthen our innovative R&D capabilities, and be a catalyst in our province’s economic growth in the future.”

– The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology

“Innovation hubs across Canada help drive collaborative, outcomes-focused activity to increase commercialization and accelerate global leadership. We have seen a number of new hubs established around the world in the last 12 months. This is an important step in Newfoundland and Labrador’s journey to realize significant opportunities in the digital ocean and in the digital economy more broadly and we are excited to see this process move forward.”

– Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

“Innovation is a driver of our industries, including the offshore oil and gas industry, and bringing together the leading sectors of Newfoundland and Labrador via an Innovation Centre will have an extremely positive impact upon our people, our province, and our economy.”

– Charlene Johnson, CEO Noia

“A centre like this, bringing together different companies and people and ideas, can spark all kinds of new innovation. We’re excited to see where it can go.”

– Dave Finn, CEO, Petroleum Research Newfoundland and Labrador (PRNL)

“Aquaculture is the fastest-growing and most environmentally friendly form of animal protein production in the world. As farmers of the sea we are continually investing in innovative technologies through every aspect of the value chain – from egg to plate. Being physically located with other industry associations in a collaborative environment will further enable the development of cross sectoral solutions and facilitate product development”

– Mark Lane, Executive Director, Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association.

Caribbean Program

Though the climates may differ substantially, Newfoundland & Labrador and markets in the Caribbean region face challenges that are alike. As small, mostly island economies, the jurisdictions face similar effects of climate change, coastal zone erosion, and strive to provide efficient and economical environmental services when scale is difficult to achieve and major markets are distant.

There is a long history of trade between Newfoundland and Labrador and the Caribbean region, dating back to the export of salt fish in exchange for rum, and today our firms are well positioned to provide solutions to familiar challenges being faced in the Caribbean. This is why NEIA has been helping firms from all over Atlantic Canada actively pursue opportunities in the Caribbean since 2014.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent cancellation of planned outbound Trade Missions to the Caribbean, a flexible support program was designed in the summer of 2020 to assist organizations with business development, market research and capacity building focused on the Caribbean Basin. Given the importance of the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) within the region, IFI operations and IFI business development techniques were also incorporated into the program design.

2020 Highlights

• Five additional market entry strategies were completed (bringing program total to 33)

• Two reports were commissioned

  • Caribbean Blue and Green Economy Opportunities Report

  • Market Analysis Report: Latin America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean

• Ten companies completed the Customized Consulting Services and IFI Training Program

Positioning Our Ocean Technologies for the Offshore Wind Industry

Momentum in the international offshore wind industry has continued to build despite the global pandemic. In the United Kingdom – already a hotbed of activity for the industry – a bold new plan is being pursued to have offshore power every home by offshore wind by 2030. This means more opportunities for businesses with products and services that can add value to the industry’s supply chain.

Businesses from Newfoundland and Labrador are well positioned to participate. The livelihoods of Newfoundland and Labradorians have always been linked to the ocean. The technologies, products, and services required in offshore wind are quite similar to that which we would see in our province’s offshore oil and gas industry; the skills and expertise that have been developed here are world-class and highly exportable.

This presents an opportunity for local firms to diversify into a new industry and into new markets, an opportunity that NEIA helped quantify with research released in late 2019. Though plans to visit the UK in person were disrupted, despite the pandemic, NEIA led a virtual international business development mission to the country to help businesses from Newfoundland and Labrador explore opportunities in the rapidly growing offshore wind energy industry.

NEIA’s virtual mission took a geographic approach over the course of two weeks, with a different region being focused on each day based on the unique opportunities in each area. For example, the East of England is expected to see $37 billion in investment before the end of the decade, while Northern Scotland is increasingly focusing on floating offshore wind technologies. Each region has unique opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador firms, and through the mission NEIA worked directly with them to help identify and pursue those opportunities.

Informed by intelligence gathered as part of the UK-centric mission, NEIA led a follow-up mission that focused on niche subject matters of particular interest to participating firms. These subject matters (specific to Northern Europe) included a focus on the Orkney Islands and their approach to energy, the emergence and importance of the floating offshore wind industry, subsea infrastructure developments related to offshore wind development, and emerging markets in offshore wind.

In all, 8 businesses participated in the trade missions. 24 one-on-one business-to-business meetings were organized for mission participants, over and above the 43 businesses and organizations mission participants engaged with directly in the facilitated group sessions. 11 businesses received customized international market intelligence reports and strategies for offshore cleantech in Northern Europe.

While nothing will beat the value of speaking to potential partners and customers face-to-face, the work led by NEIA has produced results that has made the virtual approach very much worthwhile in lieu of actual travel.

In 2020, NEIA – through funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and partnership with Fundamental Inc. – helped Baie Verte, Bauline, Channel-Port aux Basques, Paradise, Stephenville, and Torbay implement clean growth projects in pursuit of a greener future.

The program brought the participating municipalities through a three-step process, with the guidance. First, municipalities measured their contribution to climate change by quantifying the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their operations. Second, the municipalities developed an action plan to mitigate their contribution to climate change. Finally, projects were undertaken in each municipality to kick off their climate action plans.

These projects included:

• In Baie Verte a 12.32kW solar PV array was installed at the Town’s Fire Hall in October utilizing the province’s net metering program;

• In Bauline a 15.4kW solar PV array was installed at the Town’s Community Centre and Town Hall in October utilizing the province’s net metering program;

• In Channel-Port Aux Basques a roof retrofit for the Town’s Public Works building will take place to increase energy efficiency, and soil testing is being undertaken at a potential brownfield re-development to understand the feasibility of using innovative bioremediation techniques;

• In Paradise solar street lamps will be installed for the recreation area and parking lot adjacent to the Paradise Double Ice Complex which also serves as the Town’s emergency warming station;

• In Stephenville a community-scale industrial composter has been purchased to facilitate composting within the Town; and

• In Torbay a 13.86kW solar PV array was installed at the Town Hall in October utilizing the province’s net metering program.

As participants in the program, the six municipalities have undertaken commitments to emissions reductions through peer learning, strategic planning and operational implementation, while leveraging lessons learned from communities across Canada facing similar challenges. Each project installation also allowed for interested residents to learn about the clean technology projects underway in their town as they were underway.

NEIA was one of thirteen organizations across Canada that was selected to help build a network of communities and support them as they develop long-term plans and projects contributing to a low carbon transition by 2050 in alignment with the target date as set out by the Paris Agreement.

The initiative was offered through the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program, which is delivered by FCM and funded by the Government of Canada. This initiative has contributed to the FCM-ICLEI Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program to help municipalities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and take action on climate change. PCP is a partnership between FCM and ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability.

“We are extremely fortunate to have funding assistance from the FCM, and technical and philosophical support from the Province’s Environmental Industry Association, in putting together Bauline’s Green Energy Strategy and participating in this collective energy project with towns across the province. Our long-term plan not only sees the Town generating its own electrical energy needs over the next few years, but it incorporates a viable Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan about which we are very proud. For the smallest town on the north-east Avalon to be able to embark on these kinds of initiatives is a testament to the community, its residents and the organisation’s offering support. In particular, we are indebted to our advisers, Fundamental Inc of Harbour Main, who have kept us on a straight, but purposeful path to energy self-reliance. Our grateful thanks also to the FCM, NEIA and partnering towns.”

– Craig Drover, Town Manager | Bauline

“The Town wishes to thank NEIA and FCM for the opportunity to participate in the T2050 project. The funding received to date will provide major upgrades to our facility and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. The long-term planning that has been developed will guide us in accomplishing our carbon emission reduction targets. It is through the hard work of everyone involved that our efforts on Climate Change initiatives are made possible.”

– Leon MacIsaac, Town Manager | Town of Channel – Port Aux Basques

“The Town of Paradise was pleased to be selected for this initiative and it’s great to see a green project completed in our Town. Environmental Stewardship is a guiding pillar in our strategic plan and we are committed to working towards a carbon neutral footprint. This project will help us achieve this goal. We thank NEIA and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for implementing this initiative, and for their guidance and support to municipalities as we work together to address climate change.”

– Mayor Dan Bobbett | Town of Paradise

QUOTES

“NEIA was pleased to have been able to attract $500,000 worth of investment for six municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador. Each of these projects increased the resiliency of municipal operations, decreased their contribution to climate change, and are indicative of the economic growth opportunities associated with the energy transition in our province.”

– Kieran Hanley, Executive Director | NEIA

“Municipalities influence half of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, making local action critical to reaching national targets. I’m proud to see local leaders across Canada continue to work together to build capacity and take action on climate.”

– Garth Frizzell, President | Federation of Canadian Municipalities

“Participating in this program has allowed the Town of Baie Verte to take a small step towards a greener future. The installation of solar panels at our Fire Hall will allow us to lower our energy consumption and see savings in energy costs. This program has opened our eyes to how even the smallest of changes can have a big impact on climate change and we are committed to making changes that will hopefully contribute to a low carbon transition by 2050. I would highly recommend that other municipalities take advantage of similar initiatives if given the opportunity.”

– Amanda Humby, Chief Administrative Officer | Town of Baie Verte

“Through the Partnership for Climate Protection initiative The Town of Stephenville has been able to achieve a much clearer understanding of our true impact on climate change. Through networking with all participants and partners in this initiative we have been able to determine the value of approaching our future with a strong appreciation for the need for change. As a result of this, we have identified several key projects which will help us reach our goals to decrease our impact on the environment. The forefront of these will be to develop a community composting program which we hope will decrease our solid waste generation significantly. We wish to thank everyone involved for the opportunity to participate and look forward to future co-operations.”

– Ted Gracie, Director of Municipal Services | Town of Stephenville

“The Town of Torbay is so pleased to be working with Fundamental Inc. and have the support of FCM and NEIA in our efforts to become more energy efficient while working to mitigate and adapt to climate change. As a result of these partnerships we have installed solar panels to assist with the energy needs of Town Hall, have created a greenhouse gas inventory, and have a workable plan to become carbon neutral by 2050!”

– Mayor Craig Scott | Town of Torbay

“Working with the partner municipalities to develop transition pathways to a climate positive future has been a very rewarding experience. The commitment of each community and their combined desire to take action on climate change is commendable and energizing. Fundamental Inc is honoured to have been involved in developing for each Town a carbon emissions inventory, setting emissions reduction targets, developing a local climate action plan, and most excitingly, facilitating the implementation of each Town’s first climate action project.”

– Ashley Smith, Owner and Managing Director | Fundamental Inc.

NEIA played an important role in 2020-21 on two initiatives that will benefit not just the cleantech and environmental services sector in Newfoundland and Labrador, but the technology industry at large.

First, NEIA administered and saw through to conclusion the development of an Attraction and Retention Strategy for the tech sector. Research has shown that the demand within the technology sector for technical positions well outstrips supply by 70 between 2020-22, and 120 between 2023-2029.These numbers assume all graduates will remain in Newfoundland and Labrador, which is overly optimistic. Thus a strategy was required to address this gap. As the strategy was nearing completion in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Green Jobs

In line with federal government programming already seen pre-pandemic supportive of creating ‘green jobs’ and helping workers enter into the green economy, it is expected that these workforce development investments will continue or accelerate through 2021 and beyond. 

But what constitutes a green job? The answer can vary greatly depending on the industry in question, and thus the availability of green job opportunities can be quite different from one region to the next. There is a low awareness of what this ‘green shift’ in employment means for industries and the workforce in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The idea of a ‘green job’ or the notion of ‘transitioning workers into the green economy’ often inspires visions of re-training workers with skills to work in and around large renewable energy projects. For example, in Newfoundland and Labrador there are often calls for the transitioning of workers away from the oil and gas industry and into clean energy. The reality is, however, at the present time there are very few opportunities for workers to do so.

The province needs a better understanding of what green jobs are possible (and likely to be demanded) within its existing key industries, e.g. mining, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, oil and gas, etc. Without this, the region is in danger of missing significant opportunities to access programming, resources, and investment.

In 2021, NEIA has been working hard with its partners with a sense of urgency to define what a green job is in the Newfoundland and Labrador context. With this work planned for completion later in the year, NEIA plans to work with its counterparts in other industries to ensure the province makes the most of the resources that will be made available – and accelerate the clean growth economy.

The timing was in some ways fortuitous, as it allowed NEIA and its partners the opportunity to shift, adapt, and re-work where required. The resulting strategy focuses on short, medium, and long term objectives that will help the burgeoning tech sector in Newfoundland and Labrador reach its full potential. This strategy is currently undergoing its last round of engagement with stakeholders, and is anticipated to be released in Q2 2021.

Second, NEIA administered the TeamGrowNL project – an initiative that aims to help local businesses meet their human resources needs by providing key information regarding immigration and the attraction of expatriate Newfoundlander and Labradorians living abroad. Even with increased graduation rates in tech-related fields, the industries in Newfoundland and Labrador have no chance of meeting their workforce needs without the attraction and retention of skilled immigrant workers. Though progress within the project was severely impacted by the pandemic, NEIA looks forward to continuing this service in 2021-22.

NEIA represents its members’ interests through a number of formal partnerships, committees, and initiatives including:

• Canada Cleantech Alliance

• Waste Management & Innovation Advisory Board Members

• Multi-Materials Stewardship Board Solid Waste Management Innovation Fund Committee

• Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

• Ocean Careers Internship Program

• Memorial University Public Education & Training Steering Committee

• NEIA/Noia Cleantech Committee

• City of St. John’s Environmental and Sustainability Experts Panel - Chair

• Technology Sector Work Plan – Co-Chair

• Forestry Sector Work Plan Member

• Regional Trade Network – Co-Chair

• TradeNL

• Grenfell Campus’ Environmental Policy Institute Innovation Lab (EPILab) – Research Collaboration

• Atlantic Canada Trade and Investment Growth Strategy (ATIGS) Cleantech Committee

• PEOPLE Network

• TeamGrowNL

These interventions are in addition to the regular and continuous engagement that NEIA has on behalf of its members with federal, provincial, and municipal governments, departments, and agencies.

Newleef 2020

 The pandemic would not allow for NEIA’s annual conference to take place as per the norm, and so the team chose to try something different with its Newleef event in 2020. Recognizing that there was a degree of video conferencing fatigue as the year came to a close, NEIA prepared a series of 16 curated presentations that could accessed to registrants on-demand at a time most convenient for them.

 The conference focused on four distinct themes that were timely with respect to both the province’s economic circumstances and the trends that were being seen internationally. Presentations focused on exploring opportunities related to: electrification, hydrogen, and offshore cleantech – while also providing participants with information on a number of firm-level supports that can help them advance their objectives.

Through the pandemic we have discovered that nothing can replace the value of a ‘real live’ conference, as this is often the networking and meetings that take place in the background of the agenda. But feedback on NEIA’s approach to Newleef 2020 was positive with participants expressing that there was great value in having the comprehensive presentations at their fingertips on a go-forward basis.

While NEIA looks forward to resuming its live event in 2021, it has also learned that there is a place for on-demand content – an opportunity that will be more fully explored this coming year.

Ashley Noseworthy
Chair
EDGEWISE Environmental

Deidre Puddister
Vice-Chair
Anaconda Mining

Don Drew
Treasurer
Newco Metal & Auto Recycling

Chad Butler
Director
Growler Energy

Kris Costello
Director
Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador

Melissa English-Barbour
Director
Aker Solutions

Joshua Green
Director
Mysa Smart Thermostats

Justin So
Director
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions

NEIA Staff

Kieran Hanley
Executive Director

Abbie Hodder
Manager of International Business

Joanne Strugnell
Manager of Operations

Matt Rumboldt
Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Tania Heath
Project Coordinator | TeamGrowNL