HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s environment minister says his department is contemplating additional regulations for future phases of a proposed AI data centre in Cape Breton. Tim Halman told reporters today he’s confident in the province’s existing regulations for the initial phase of EverWind Fuels’ $10-billion, 18,600-square-metre artificial intelligence data centre in Point Tupper, N.S. However, he said he’s aware of “big questions” surrounding the plan, and his department is looking at the possibility of implementing further regulations. Halman would not say what type of regulations his department is considering or at what point in the project they might be introduced. EverWind has applied for an industrial approval, and the deputy minister of environment has said that type of approval process comes with robust environmental protections. The company has also committed to following provincial and federal guidelines surrounding AI data centre projects, which are not binding. The Cape Breton data centre plan has sparked provincewide protests, with many Nova Scotians calling for a moratorium on all large-scale AI data centre proposals. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2026. Lyndsay Armstrong, The Canadian Press
