New Report Alert: Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women 

On January 25, 2025, the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW-ICREF) published a report called Harnessing the potential for a more equitable future in Newfoundland and Labrador: Applying Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) to offshore wind development. The report, prepared for the Committee Conducting the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Newfoundland and Labrador, was written by a team that included Leah Fusco, Jane Stinson, Deborah Stienstra (LWWRC Director), and Leah Levac (Co-lead of the Displacements, Emergence, and Change Cluster). 

The report emphasizes the need to apply GBA Plus to impact assessments associated with offshore wind projects. To succeed in more equitable planning and development, GBA Plus must be applied to all stages of an impact assessment rather than being treated as a distinct component. For instance, applying GBA Plus means analyzing how changes in fishing practices could affect women and girls, or how changes in noise levels could impact neurodivergent individuals.   

The report offers a first step in identifying intersectional considerations when assessing the effects of offshore wind and highlights the necessity of including diverse populations and communities in all stages of the impact assessment process. The report also highlights research and data gaps and considers how these could be filled to enable the more fulsome application of GBA Plus to future assessments of offshore wind projects. 

This report follows the team’s 2024 publication, Gender-based analysis plus in offshore wind development: Data and community engagement strategies for a more equitable future for Nova Scotians, which included a review of literature and impact assessments, as well as key informant interviews, to determine the potential impacts of offshore wind development in that province.  

To read the full reports, visit the publications page of the CRIAW-ICREF website.