Nova Scotia weighs new regulations for $10B AI data centre as opposition demands legislative action
Nova Scotia Environment Minister Tim Halman says his department is considering additional regulations for future phases of the EverWind Fuels AI data centre in Point Tupper, but offered no specifics. Opposition NDP Leader Claudia Chender criticized the government for relying on non-binding guidelines and called for the legislature to reconvene.
Nova Scotia Environment Minister Tim Halman said Thursday that his department is contemplating additional regulations for future phases of the proposed EverWind Fuels AI data centre in Point Tupper, Cape Breton, but he declined to provide specific details. Halman stated he is satisfied with existing provincial regulations for the initial phase of the project.
The $10 billion project covers 18,600 square metres in Point Tupper, Nova Scotia. American tech company Anthropic has signed a 20-year lease for the data centre. The first phase is expected to draw 95 megawatts of electricity and come online by the end of 2027. A 325-megawatt expansion is anticipated in mid-2028, bringing total energy demand to 420 megawatts.
EverWind estimates the system will use roughly 100,000 litres of water daily from Landrie Lake during the first phase and 500,000 litres daily after expansion. That peak water demand represents 1.5 per cent of Landrie Lake's estimated sustainable daily yield.
Opposition NDP Leader Claudia Chender accused Halman of wanting Nova Scotians to believe he is listening to their concerns without committing to any changes. Chender noted that the project is currently guided only by federal non-binding guidelines and a Facebook post from Premier Tim Houston. She called for the legislature to reconvene to debate the AI data centre plan and establish legislated regulations. Houston previously stated he was open to some kind of binding agreement but was unsure if it was necessary.
Protests have been staged around the province regarding the data centre construction, reflecting environmental concerns over water usage and energy consumption.
EverWind CFO Matthew Tinari stated that project financing has closed for Phase 1 and the company will comply with any regulations imposed by the government. Currently, the industrial approval for the backup generator is under review, and its emissions assessment is the only regulation the project must contend with.