What’s the Latest: N.S. protests call for moratorium on data centre proposals in province

What remains unclear — It is not specified what further actions the provincial government may take regarding regulations for AI data centre development.

Protests in Nova Scotia demand moratorium on data centre proposals

Nearly 1,000 protesters gathered in downtown Halifax on Saturday to voice opposition against a proposed artificial intelligence data centre in Cape Breton. The rally, held in front of the provincial legislature, included residents marching through the city’s core, demanding a moratorium on all large-scale AI data centre projects in Nova Scotia. The protest was prompted by Everwind Fuels’ announcement of plans to lease a data centre in Point Tupper to U.S. AI company Anthropic.

Ned Zimmerman, a tech worker and rally organiser, remarked, “We feel that the push to integrate AI into everything raises a lot of concerns for society,” citing fears that such projects are “socially destructive” and “environmentally irresponsible.” The planned $10 billion project has been characterised by Everwind as the largest private investment in provincial history. Anthropic is set to use the facility, covering 18,600 square metres, to support its AI assistant Claude.

The data centre is expected to demand 95 megawatts of electricity upon opening in 2027, with a potential expansion increasing this to 420 megawatts by 2028. However, concerns have emerged regarding the environmental impact and future power rates for residents. A petition opposing the development has gathered nearly 28,000 signatures on Change.org.

In response to questions about potential environmental risks, Premier Tim Houston’s office stated the project would only proceed if it adheres to provincial and federal guidelines that focus on water safety and environmental protection. Zimmerman, however, believes the guidelines do not provide adequate oversight, and he contends that community consultation has been insufficient. “It was kept closely under wraps,” he said, noting a lack of transparency.

Protester Rebecca Lawrence expressed her concerns about the project, stating, “I think that one drop of drinking water wasted on generative AI is too much.” Another protest organiser, Ashley Drodge, highlighted the absence of binding regulations for AI data centre development. Despite these protests, Minister of Environment Timothy Halman asserted that industrial approvals serve as appropriate regulatory measures, though Lawrence urged the premier to actively listen to the public’s concerns. “Nova Scotians are pretty vocal on the fact that we don’t want this,” she said.