Quantifying wave power and wave energy converter array production potential

•Improved nearshore wave resource assessment for Western Canada, according to IEC TC 114 114/145/DTS Design level.•SWAN model boundary conditions based on sensitivity study of 17 global and regional wind models, and 2 fully directional global wave models.•10 high potential wave farm locations identified through raw wave resource, proximity to shore and distribution level transmission grids.•Utilising a novel generic WEC performance matrix, potential WEC farms are predicted to provide between 139.92GWh and 110.27GWh of energy.•Temporal estimate of power production for each wave farm illustrates the possible benefits of WEC farm geographic dispersal.