Social Licence and Tidal Energy Development in Nova Scotia, Canada by Caitlin Meredith Lawrence
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Social Licence and Tidal Energy Development in Nova Scotia, Canada by Caitlin Meredith Lawrence Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Community Development Acadia University Spring Convocation 2019 © by Caitlin Meredith Lawrence, 2019 ii This thesis by Caitlin Meredith Lawrence was defended successfully in an oral examination on April 18th, 2019. The examining committee for the thesis was: _____________________________________ Dr. David Duke, Chair _____________________________________ Dr. Sue Molloy, External Reader _____________________________________ Dr. Zelda Abramson, Internal Reader _____________________________________ Dr. John Colton, Supervisor _____________________________________ Dr. Susan Markham-Starr, Head’s Delegate This thesis is accepted in its present form by the Division of Research and Graduate Studies as satisfying the thesis requirements for the degree Master of Community Development. ..................................................................... iii I, Caitlin Meredith Lawrence, grant permission to the University Librarian at Acadia University to archive, preserve, reproduce, loan or distribute copies of my thesis in microform, paper, or electronic formats on a non-profit basis. I undertake to submit my thesis, through my University, to Library and Archives Canada and to allow them to archive, preserve, reproduce, convert into any format, and to make available in print or online to the public for non-profit purposes. I, however, retain the copyright in my thesis. ______________________________ Author ______________________________ Supervisor ______________________________ Date iv Table of Contents List of Tables .......................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ viii Abstract .................................................................................................................................... ix List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................ x Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. xi Chapter One — Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 Study Purpose and Objectives ............................................................................................... 3 Organization of Thesis .......................................................................................................... 4 Chapter Two — Literature Review........................................................................................... 5 Renewable Energy................................................................................................................. 5 Offshore wind and wave energy ........................................................................................ 6 Tidal energy ....................................................................................................................... 7 Renewable energy in Nova Scotia ..................................................................................... 8 Marine Renewable Energy Strategic Plan ....................................................................... 10 Nova Scotian Opportunity for Tidal Energy Development ................................................ 12 History of tidal energy in Nova Scotia ............................................................................ 12 Potential ....................................................................................................................... 12 FIT and COMFIT ......................................................................................................... 14 Issues and challenges associated with tidal energy development in Nova Scotia ........... 15 Halcyon Tidal Power Project ....................................................................................... 15 Cape Sharp Tidal Project ............................................................................................. 16 Social Licence ..................................................................................................................... 19 Importance of stakeholder and community engagement in social licence ...................... 21 Models of social licence .................................................................................................. 21 Pyramid model ............................................................................................................. 22 Triangle model ............................................................................................................. 23 Three-Strand model ..................................................................................................... 24 v Measurability and ambiguity of social licence ................................................................ 26 Factors of social licence in resource industries ............................................................... 28 Factors of social licence in small-scale tidal energy ....................................................... 28 Factors of social licence in mining .................................................................................. 29 Factors of social licence in hydraulic fracturing ............................................................. 30 Framing social licence in the Nova Scotia tidal energy context ...................................... 32 Public education ........................................................................................................... 33 Baseline research ......................................................................................................... 35 Technology and its impacts ......................................................................................... 36 Community and economic development ..................................................................... 37 Chapter Three — Methods...................................................................................................... 40 Research Approach ............................................................................................................. 40 Data collection ................................................................................................................. 41 Research participants and confidentiality ........................................................................ 42 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 44 Trustworthiness ............................................................................................................... 46 Credibility ........................................................................................................................ 47 Transferability ................................................................................................................. 49 Dependability................................................................................................................... 50 Confirmability ................................................................................................................. 51 Ethical Considerations......................................................................................................... 51 Researcher Point of View .................................................................................................... 52 Dissemination ...................................................................................................................... 52 Chapter Four — Results.......................................................................................................... 53 Theme One—Social Licence .............................................................................................. 53 Principles and definitions of social licence ..................................................................... 54 Damage to social licence ................................................................................................. 56 Theme Two—Community Engagement ............................................................................. 58 Early engagement ............................................................................................................ 59 Meaningful engagement .................................................................................................. 61 vi Theme Three—Information and Education ........................................................................ 64 Tidal energy information ................................................................................................. 64 Information sharing and support...................................................................................... 66 Theme Four—Energy and Environment ............................................................................. 69 Energy and environmental considerations ....................................................................... 69 Environmental monitoring and baseline research ........................................................... 71 Theme Five—Tidal Technology and Development ...........................................................