Port Hawkesbury mayor seeks water safeguards for proposed EverWind data centre

As plans for an AI data centre in Point Tupper move forward, Port Hawkebury’s mayor says protecting the municipality’s water supply is critical. 

This comes following EverWind’s announcement last week of a $10-billion investment, with $8 billion going into a data centre in Point Tupper that can be used by Anthropic, a U.S. AI company. 

Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton said that while she recognizes the potential economic benefits of the development, water protections are required. 

“It must be supported by independent analysis, transparent information and enforceable safeguards,” said Chisholm-Beaton, referring to the company’s promises to cover project-related infrastructure costs and to protect local water resources. 

Council concerns and questions

The mayor’s concern is important because the town is sharing responsibility for the water source.  

The Landrie Lake Water Utility, jointly owned by Port Hawkesbury and Richmond County, supplies the town’s municipal water and was built with the intention of supporting industry in the Strait area. 

Port Hawkesbury’s council first discussed the proposed project on Oct. 6, before the announcement. 

“I added AI data centre to our agenda just, you know, just to give an opportunity for council to kind of have the information that we knew up to that point in time,” Chisholm-Beaton said. 

During that meeting, she said, they reviewed the federal and provincial principles for data centres before directing staff to investigate further. 

On Oct. 20, water usage was front and centre at a meeting of the committee of the whole, with councillors focused on the utility’s ability to handle demand from EverWind’s project. 

The proposed development’s estimated water usage, according to EverWind, is 100,000 litres of water per day during the first phase, then reaching an average of 500,000 litres per day once the facility is completed. 

The Landrie Lake watershed was built in the early 1960s, originally for heavy industry that the mayor said typically required more water than the proposed data centre.  

That isn’t to say that history alone doesn’t negate the need for assessments. 

“At first blush, it looks like we have lots of capacity there for this particular project but, again, it’s based on estimates,” Chisholm-Beaton said. 

EverWind has proposed commitments to protect water resources alongside covering project-related costs and community benefits.

Chisholm-Beaton said that before the town could be sure of the development’s sustainability, they need a clearer understanding of the project’s water requirements. Discussions about an independent analysis are expected.

“It’s just about kind of taking that journey with the many partners that are at the table,” said Chisholm-Beaton.  

“You know, making sure that we have the best data possible to get us to a place where we have all of those assurances.” 

Economic potential for the area

Chisholm-Beaton said the development could still bring a lot of benefits to the Strait area economically. 

The investment is estimated to create around 2,000 jobs through the construction process and 215 permanent positions once the facility is operational. Port Hawkesbury is a regional service centre so, despite the project being in rural Richmond County, many of those workers could end up in the town. 

While the potential influx of workers poses some concern around housing supply, the mayor said housing was a priority for council long before the data centre project was announced.  

“This is not a new topic at our council table,” Chisholm-Beaton said, adding that local businesses have brought the lack of housing to council as an issue affecting the ability to attract and keep workers. 

She said that while the town is working with local partners like the chamber of commerce on housing, EverWind’s project could mean it’s time to pick up the pace. 

“We need to roll up our sleeves and kind of expedite some of the work that we’re doing,” she said. 

Community benefits to be discussed

The project’s location in Richmond County means Port Hawkesbury would not receive direct tax revenue from the development, despite potential additional costs it may face. 

“It can be a bit of a strain . . . trying to make those dollars stretch to accommodate a development that’s happening outside of the boundaries of your municipality,” Chisholm-Beaton said.

Proposed community benefits could help manage those costs but formal discussions with EverWind have yet to take place. 

Going forward

As the project progresses, council staff in Port Hawkesbury will continue researching the proposal and working with Richmond County, the water utility, EverWind and the provincial government. 

Chisholm-Beaton said residents will have an important role to play, pointing to community sessions expected in November. 

According to her, the town’s level of confidence about the development is likely going to depend on making sure Landrie Lake can handle the additional water demand and ensuring protections to keep the resource safe in the long term. 

“We welcome growth and we welcome prosperity and, you know, we aren’t afraid to tackle the work that comes along with growth,” she said.