Rallies Across Nova Scotia Protest EverWind's $8 Billion AI Data Centre Campus
Approximately 150 people gathered in Kentville as part of provincewide protests against EverWind's proposed $8 billion AI data centre campus in Point Tupper. Similar rallies took place in Halifax, Bridgewater, Port Hawkesbury, Sydney, Truro, and Westville, with speakers raising concerns about energy demands, social impacts, and corporate ties.
About 150 people filled Centre Square in Kentville on Saturday to protest EverWind’s proposed $8 billion AI data centre campus in Point Tupper. The gathering was part of a series of provincewide rallies across Nova Scotia opposing the project.
Similar protests took place in several other communities, including Bridgewater, Port Hawkesbury, Sydney, Truro, and Westville, the constituency of Premier Tim Houston. In Halifax, approximately 2,000 people attended a rally.
Speakers at the events raised concerns about the environmental implications and resource usage associated with the AI data centres. Environmental activist Nina Newington stated that the EverWind data centre campus is expected to require a third of all the electricity Nova Scotia used in 2025.
NDP MLA Lisa Lachance participated in the rally, emphasizing that MLAs are paid by the public and work for the people. Acadia University student Rene Cottreau criticized government priorities, citing statistics about Newfoundland and Labrador and noting that 25% of Nova Scotian children face food insecurity.
Emcee Jane Bach highlighted the corporate connections tied to the development. She noted that Anthropic, whose data centre EverWind will host, is being sued by Canadian news sources for data theft and has a partnership with Palantir Technologies.
Critics at the rallies argued that the project prioritizes tech industry incentives over essential services such as education and healthcare. Speakers also linked the data centre proposal to broader issues, including colonialism, climate change, and social service cuts.