Anthropic signs lease for Nova Scotia data centre
Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic has signed a long-term lease for the space and power needed to run its AI models at EverWind’s planned data centre in Cape Breton, N.S. The agreement covers both the physical footprint of the servers and the dedicated electricity supply that will keep the systems operating around the clock.
The facility in Point Tupper will power Anthropic’s Claude models and serve Canadian and global customers.
The company said the lease advances its Canadian AI infrastructure ambitions, as it seeks to bring “gigawatts of compute online” in the country.
The firm promised to cover grid upgrades and fund community priorities, though Provincial NDP Leader Claudia Chender questioned how the government would enforce such assurances and criticized the project for moving forward without broader public consultation. She emphasized the need for transparent oversight to protect ratepayers.
EverWind said the data-centre campus will involve more than $8 billion in private investment and $2 billion to build onshore wind projects, calling the combined development Nova Scotia’s largest ever private investment.
The initial 95-megawatt facility is targeted to open in late 2027, while a potential expansion could bring capacity to 420 megawatts in 2028.
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Jacob Glick, Anthropic’s head of Canada public policy, said “Canadians are using Claude in growing numbers, and we want our infrastructure to be closer to the people who rely on it.” “The people of Nova Scotia should benefit from what gets built in their community, and we will work together to achieve shared goals and earn our place as a good neighbour.”
The organization typically buys compute from large cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services and Google. By leasing space directly from the data-centre owner, it can customize hardware configurations and secure a dedicated power feed.
In Nova Scotia, it will lease space directly from the data-centre owner and energy provider, ensuring that the contractual terms include provisions for reliable electricity delivery and maintenance support.
The company promised to pay for grid upgrades required to connect the Point Tupper facility, protect existing electricity customers from related price increases and contribute “tens of millions of dollars to support community priorities.”
EverWind’s planned wind farms won’t be ready when the data centre opens, meaning it will initially rely on existing electricity infrastructure.
A First Nation consortium led by Membertou Development Corporation is negotiating an ownership stake in the data-centre campus, seeking to ensure that Indigenous communities share in the economic benefits and have a voice in the ongoing management of the site.
