New Brunswick government must reveal plans for all AI data centres: Green lawmaker

One of New Brunswick's Green Party politicians is calling on the provincial government to reveal how many artificial intelligence data centres are being proposed in the province. The roof of a data centre is pictured in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

FREDERICTON — A Green Party politician in New Brunswick is calling on the provincial government to reveal how many artificial intelligence data centres are being proposed for the province.

Green legislator Megan Mitton says the government must also tell New Brunswickers which communities could be affected by the projects.

Mitton issued a statement today saying the governing Liberals are pursuing data centre proposals before finalizing policies explaining how they would be approved.

A proposal to build a 390-megawatt data centre in Saint John, N.B., is currently under regulatory review.

Mitton says she is speaking out after a citizen advocacy group revealed a second data centre has already been proposed for the city.

Critics of data centres say their huge appetite for electricity will lead to higher power rates, straining local infrastructure and hurting the local environment.

“They need to hit the brakes and put a moratorium in place,” Mitton said in a statement.

“We need legally enforceable legislation to protect New Brunswickers from the adverse health impacts and many other negative consequences of data centres before it’s too late.”

Premier Susan Holt’s government says the proposed plants could boost the province’s economy through job creation and increased tax revenue.

Mitton is not the only lawmaker to oppose data centre development in the province.

Conservative MP John Williamson has called on Holt’s government to reject the first data center project proposed for Saint John, warning it would trigger electricity rate hikes.

A provincial government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2026.

Eli Ridder, The Canadian Press