Introduction
Private developers have been awaiting the first calls for tenders following the adoption of Bill 69, An Act to ensure the responsible governance of energy resources and to amend various legislative provisions.
Now, the call for tenders A/O 2026-01, the call for tenders for partners AP 2026-02 for the Wocawson wind power project and an agreement in principle to update the Cadre de reference relative à l’aménagement de parcs éoliens en milieux agricoles et forestiers (the “Cadre de référence”) have provided some insight into Québec’s wind power development landscape over the coming years.
Call for tenders
Hydro-Québec’s recently issued call for tenders A/O 2026-01 seeks new wind power projects that can be connected to its integrated grid. It covers a block of 5 to 10 TWh of wind power to be awarded in three rounds, with delivery dates planned between 2031 and 2038. It also includes two repowering rounds to replace the output of existing wind farms whose power supply contracts run out by 2038, with delivery commencement dates before 2036 and 2038, respectively.
Public consultations wrapped up on February 27, 2026, and registrations for round one open on April 29, 2026. The submission deadline is February 26, 2027 at 4 p.m. EST. This initial round is restricted to new projects, while rounds two and three will also welcome expansion of existing wind projects.
Social acceptability
Bids must meet criteria related to a project’s feasibility and social acceptability in addition to satisfying various requirements including project size and type, guaranteed delivery commencement dates and duration, location, grid connection, technology, environmental features and the developer’s experience. In their bids, developers must demonstrate their ability to conduct a social acceptability process and show that they have the formal support of the host community. They must also show that each community administering the area in which the project will be located will receive an annual compensation of $6,227 per MW installed on its territory.
Hydro-Québec’s tender documents further note that bidders must draw on best practices for informing and consulting Indigenous communities that may be affected by the project.
Wind power development in agricultural areas
Following its request to suspend the launch of the call for tenders on March 26, 2026, the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) announced that it had reached an agreement in principle with Hydro‑Québec to better oversee wind power development in agricultural areas. The agreement should, among other things, lead to an update of the Cadre de référence, which was last reviewed in November 2021 and is still being cited in the tender document.
For developers, this means that getting host community buy-in and taking agricultural land-related issues into account will be more critical than ever to ensure their projects are eligible and likelier to be selected.
Conclusion
As Hydro‑Québec expands its role in wind power development, round one of this call for tenders gives developers clarity on where projects will be admissible. Given the focus on southern Québec, developers can expect to work in more populated areas, which is sure to present a number of challenges. In this context—and especially given the complex and sometimes divisive legal and social framework—the updated Cadre de référence will provide an excellent opportunity for public stakeholders to give developers clear guidelines for project development on farmland and in woodlands.