NDP calls for emergency legislature sitting over Point Tupper AI data centre project
Nova Scotia NDP Leader Claudia Chender has requested an emergency sitting of the legislature to debate a 420-megawatt AI data centre announced in Point Tupper, citing massive public opposition and concerns over energy and water consumption. Chender also condemned the expulsion of Halifax Examiner reporters from the announcement event.
Nova Scotia NDP Leader Claudia Chender has called for an emergency sitting of the provincial legislature to debate a newly announced artificial intelligence data centre project in Point Tupper, pointing to what she described as an overwhelmingly negative public response.
Chender wrote a letter to Premier Tim Houston requesting the emergency session to discuss the project and adopt regulatory rules. As of the report, Houston had not responded to the request. The legislature is currently scheduled to sit for only nine days this fall.
The proposed data centre is a 420-megawatt project estimated to consume roughly one-fifth of the current electricity supply on Nova Scotia Power’s grid. Chender asserted that jurisdictional scans indicate power rates will increase for Nova Scotians as a result of the development. Few long-term jobs are expected from the project.
Water usage is another major point of contention. EverWind has been granted a 30-year permit to draw 10 million litres of water per day from Landrie Lake, which totals 110 billion litres over the duration of the permit.
According to Chender, thousands of people are signing petitions, MLA inboxes are flooded, and hundreds of thousands are engaging online regarding the Friday announcement. She compared the level of engagement to the public backlash against Premier Houston’s spring budget cuts, stating it eclipses previous engagement levels.
Chender also raised concerns about press freedom and government transparency after Halifax Examiner reporters Jennifer Henderson and Joan Baxter were expelled from the data centre announcement in Point Tupper. Chender argued that removing media from an event involving three orders of government represents a significant break of trust with the government.