North American Cities Ban AI Data Centers Amid Energy Fears
Municipalities and provincial governments across Canada and the U.S. are facing intense community opposition and calls for moratoriums on energy-intensive AI data centers.
Communities across North America are increasingly resisting the expansion of AI data centers due to environmental concerns and energy consumption. In New Brunswick, the Government of New Brunswick is facing citizen-led opposition over a surge in proposals, including a $2 billion hub by Beacon Data Centers and VoltaGrid and a $2.7 billion project by Faster Than Light. Local groups like Save Lorneville are calling for a moratorium after right-to-information requests revealed an undisclosed proposal from U.S.-based Cross River Infrastructure Partners. NB Power has confirmed receiving 10 applications requiring up to 900 megawatts of power.
Similar tensions are appearing across Canada. In British Columbia, the B.C. Green Party is demanding a moratorium on new construction, while B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson cited significant water challenges. Meanwhile, Alberta is seeing protests over a $13-billion Meta project, and Quebec is proposing to double electricity rates for large-power data center customers. An Angus Reid Institute poll indicates 64 per cent of Canadians believe provincial governments should limit these developments.
In the United States, opposition has led to legislative action in New England. Holyoke, Massachusetts, passed an outright ban on data centers to avoid becoming an economic sacrifice zone, and Westfield, Massachusetts, implemented a one-year moratorium and denied a permit extension. Residents in these regions increasingly view data centers as physical proxies for the disruptive nature of AI, prioritizing corporate profit over public safety and local resources.
