Premier Tim Houston softens stance on data centres operating in Nova Scotia
Houston said data centres are becoming increasingly critical pieces of infrastructure and Canada can’t rely on other countries to store its data.
Premier Tim Houston has modified his position on the potential establishment of new data centres in Nova Scotia. Initially, the premier suggested it was too early to discuss the topic before finishing large-scale energy projects, such as the Wind West offshore wind proposal. However, in a statement released on Wednesday, Houston indicated that the circumstances have evolved, and entities interested in setting up data centres in Nova Scotia should now demonstrate how their operations would stimulate demand and investment for energy projects.
Data centres, integral to artificial intelligence and other advanced industries, necessitate substantial electricity for powering and cooling computer servers. Houston emphasized the growing significance of data centres as critical infrastructure and emphasized Canada's inability to depend on foreign countries for data storage. The premier expressed openness to evaluating proposals, citing Ottawa's recent regulations for the sector.
Houston stated, "If a company can protect our water, protect ratepayers, strengthen our communities, create economic opportunity and keep critical Canadian data in Canada, we will hear them out." Conversely, any entity unable to fulfill these conditions would be discouraged from establishing facilities in Nova Scotia.
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