Nova Scotia NDP Demands Debate Over $10 Billion AI Data Centre
NDP Leader Claudia Chender is calling for an emergency legislative session to regulate a proposed $10 billion AI data centre in Point Tupper.
Nova Scotia NDP Leader Claudia Chender is demanding that Premier Tim Houston recall the legislature for an emergency debate over a proposed $10-billion AI data centre in Point Tupper, Cape Breton. The project, announced by EverWind Fuels and U.S.-based AI company Anthropic, represents the largest private investment in the province's history. The plan includes a 20-year lease for an 18,600-square metre facility and a $2 billion investment in onshore wind energy, aiming for a capacity of 420 megawatts by 2028.
Chender argues the government has approved the development without public input or formal laws, warning that data centres often drive up power bills and consume excessive fresh water. While Premier Houston asserts that regulatory checks are in place and that protecting ratepayers is a condition of government support, Chender maintains that non-binding guidelines are insufficient. Houston further stated the facility would be fully disruptable to ensure household power reliability and denied that the project would increase electricity rates.
Public opposition has grown rapidly, with a Change.org petition gathering 12,700 signatures. Meanwhile, EverWind Fuels claims it will cover all infrastructure costs and use a closed-loop cooling system to protect water resources. The company also issued an apology after two reporters from the Halifax Examiner were removed from the project's announcement press conference for allegedly failing to meet security protocols.
