Protests across Nova Scotia oppose AI data centres

Rainy weather did not deter people from turning out across Nova Scotia on Saturday to oppose the construction of AI data centres in the province.

The protests follow EverWind Fuels' plan to build the first phase of a data centre in Point Tupper by next year to support American AI giant Anthropic's chatbot, Claude.

The largest protest was in Halifax, where hundreds turned out in front of Province House, many bearing placards. About 200 people gathered in Kentville, roughly 150 in Port Hawkesbury and dozens assembled at Centre Square in Truro.

Rain didn't stop data centre protesters from turning out in Truro on Saturday. (Luke Ettinger/CBC)

Many of the placards highlighted concerns about the water and electricity needed to run data centres.

EverWind has said it intends to draw electricity from the provincial energy grid until onshore turbines are built. It holds approvals for the wind farms but has not yet started construction.

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