Sign in

Nick Tsergas

@nicktsergas.ca
26K followers 2.9K following 2.6K posts

‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ Public-interest tech person, works with @smallchangefund.bsky.social ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ nicktsergas.ca ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ

PostsRepliesMedia
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 27/09/2026
Happening tomorrow in #ptbo
193
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 25/09/2026
Please see above, @maureenwilson.bsky.social, @tammyhwang.bsky.social, @voteloomis.bsky.social, @craigcassar.bsky.social
050
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 25/09/2026
This is what we've warned municipal councils about across the country. A developer can say they're building one thing, but legislatively there is nothing to stop them from building a very different thing. That's the whole banana. Thank you once again @its.small.patatas.ca for reporting this.
1218
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 25/09/2026
Last week Sask. Premier Scott Moe announced the contentious 300MW AI datacentre going up outside of Regina is actually going to be 1,200MW. In #HamOnt, newly-obtained documents show Slate Asset Management has been planning for 800MW of datacentre capacity "at full scale."
11710
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Bean & Sprout's Mom @beansproutsmom.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
@nicktsergas.ca
11815
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Walker Bragman @walkerbragman.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Important Context is in the process of moving off Substack to Ghost. Check out the new site and please consider subscribing to support our work! www.importantcontext.news
importantcontext.news
Important Context
Independent investigative journalism.
811323
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 15/09/2026
Ontario is still writing its rules for datacentres. But Ford's pitchdeck for foreign investors explicitly markets Hamilton’s waterfront for deregulated AI datacentre development, including "sovereign" AI opportunities." Sovereign AI. Built for foreign investors. With no rules. #HamOnt
"Ontario — Your investment partner," reads the title of an investment prospectus circulated by the Ontario government at Mark Carney's private investment summit of 200 foreign CEOsrelevant section: "The Steelport site is undergoing
master planning following M5 Industrial zoning.
Commercial opportunities are expected
to be announced in Q4 2026, with Phase 1
construction anticipated to commence in 2027."
28271
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 15/09/2026
CORRECT link: hamilton.stopthedatacentre.ca/motion
hamilton.stopthedatacentre.ca
HCE draft motion // Stop the Datacentre
Council has another option while Hamilton writes rules for AI datacentres.
055
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 15/09/2026
Tough to hit those local emission targets once this kicks off. Are you happy for Council to comply as Ford drags us in the wrong direction? Or would you rather the City fought for itself, and for all of us? @lyndalukasik.bsky.social @environmenthamont.bsky.social @maureenwilson.bsky.social
031
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 15/09/2026
If you're in #HamOnt, know that Council still has options and can still stop this. Will they? @tammyhwang.bsky.social @mayorandreahorwath.bsky.social @craigcassar.bsky.social There is still time.
stopthedatacentre.ca
HCE draft motion // Stop the Datacentre
Council has another option while Hamilton writes rules for AI datacentres.
2179
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 15/09/2026
I believe former
030
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 15/09/2026
Where nuclear expands datacentres soon follow
030
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 15/09/2026
File: news.ontario.ca/assets/files...
284
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 15/09/2026
Ontario is still writing its rules for datacentres. But Ford's pitchdeck for foreign investors explicitly markets Hamilton’s waterfront for deregulated AI datacentre development, including "sovereign" AI opportunities." Sovereign AI. Built for foreign investors. With no rules. #HamOnt
"Ontario — Your investment partner," reads the title of an investment prospectus circulated by the Ontario government at Mark Carney's private investment summit of 200 foreign CEOsrelevant section: "The Steelport site is undergoing
master planning following M5 Industrial zoning.
Commercial opportunities are expected
to be announced in Q4 2026, with Phase 1
construction anticipated to commence in 2027."
28271
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Cynthia Khoo @cyn-k.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
One of the last things I did at @georgetownprivacy.bsky.social before returning to Canada was designing & securing research ethics approval for a new project: investigating worker surveillance & freedom of assembly/assocn issues at Whole Foods post-Amazonificatn. The team took it from there, & how!!
law.georgetown.edu
Whole Worker Surveillance
24416
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
MJ Nabuurs @mjnabuurs.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Is #Canada ‘s #DigitalSovereignty a concern for you? Check out our epi to learn why it should be and what you can do about it (there is a lot you CAN do 😃): podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/n... Two important minutes from the epi are below. Thx to @nicktsergas.ca for giving us the head’s up!
22615
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
MJ Nabuurs @mjnabuurs.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
#Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s “playbook” for AI datacentres reminds me of a promise ring 🤦🏼‍♀️. Pls share our epi w @nicktsergas.ca w your political reps & ask those running in #Canada ‘s current #MunicipalElections where they stand. Vital info for people EVERYWHERE. podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/n...
2128
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 09/09/2026
And if they put a gas plant next to the DC?
101
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 09/09/2026
Give it a week territories will be up. Do you know of any locations?
111
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 08/09/2026
Find a datacentre before it finds you. stopthedatacentre.ca/map
stopthedatacentre.ca
Canada-wide Datacentre Map
Find a datacentre before it finds you.
06546
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 08/09/2026
Find a datacentre before it finds you. stopthedatacentre.ca/map
stopthedatacentre.ca
Canada-wide Datacentre Map
Find a datacentre before it finds you.
06546
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
MJ Nabuurs @mjnabuurs.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Speaking of #DigitalSovereignty, have a listen to our chat w @nicktsergas.ca about the #AIDatacentre lovefest going on. MUCH to be said about them and so much more to do before allowing any more to be built: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/n... open.spotify.com/episode/2TiE... stopthedatacentre.ca
podcasts.apple.com
Ep#10: Front and Data(Centre), with Nick Tsergas
Podcast Episode · No Ostriching Here. · September 7 · 1h 30m
1117
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 04/09/2026
Full show: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtqN...
120
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 04/09/2026
No AI datacentre proposed in your town? Good. That's the best time to get organized. Before it lands. Whatever you’d do if one shows up tomorrow, do that now. stopthedatacentre.ca Thank you Charlie Angus/@meidascanada.ca for the conversation
1228
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 03/09/2026
Another government agrees that rules are needed for AI datacentres — a new type of facility which did not exist in Canada five years ago.. And that government releases a set of voluntary principals signed off on by Big Tech.
betakit.com
OpenAI, Anthropic sign on to Canada’s new data centre framework as public opinion sours on buildout | BetaKit
Big players agree not to shift electricity costs to consumers and minimize water use when building their data centres.
195
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Blayne Haggart @bhaggart.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
In reality, Canada still faces the Sidewalk Labs problem, since US tech is embedded in all parts of government and society, from Microsoft office products to governments’ continued insistence on using X to make announcements. Unlike Europe, they”re doing nothing to change this. From Jan:
theconversation.com
Microsoft’s AI deal promises Canada digital sovereignty, but is that a pledge it can keep?
As the U.S. government becomes increasingly authoritarian and issues threats to other countries, can Canadians trust U.S. tech companies with their data?
45929
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 31/08/2026
All this Ring of Fire stuff is not new.
094
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 29/08/2026
Thanks Chuck 🤝
030
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Simon Willison @simonwillison.net · 28/08/2026
My LLM cliché highlighter is up to 38 patterns now tools.simonwillison.net/llm-cliche-h...
Screenshot of a writing-analysis tool showing paragraphs of text with phrases highlighted in two shades of yellow, brown circular "3" badges, and a black tooltip overlaying the first line reading: "No X, no Y" chains · 3 "no" items. The visible text reads: We r[obscured by tooltip]nd up. No sign-ups, no downloads, no hassle (3) — just paste your text and start writing. Everything runs locally in your browser. The reviewer read the draft twice. Did not flinch, did not blink, did not reach for the red pen (3). That's the whole review, honestly. Don't call it a rewrite — call it a rescue. The improvement is real, and it's not subtle. That loss is worth naming. Sit with that for a moment. The gains were modest, but that's not nothing. You already know the answer, of course. Consistency is the entire game, and the punchline is that nobody wants to hear it. The entire pitch is one sentence long.
2350165
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 28/08/2026
Hey #HamOnt, data centres stand to get some *huge* municipal tax breaks from the City: 1/2
The City of Hamilton could give a 13 YEAR TAX BREAK to datacentre developersHamilton's ERASE Program:

The city gives out massive tax breaks to companies that develop on contaminated industrial sites.

If you own a house, and you build something that makes your property value go up (like an extension), you pay more municipal taxes. 

The City's ERASE program could let data centre developers pay no new taxes for 13 years on redeveloped properties.

https://tinyurl.com/hamilton-eraseThis tax break is meant to encourage development that create jobs, reduce pollution, and beautify the city.

But AI datacentres don't do that.Datacentres are not job creators.

Datacentre-lovers always promise lots of long-term jobs. 

But a $750 million, 90-megawatt data centre near Calgary will employ just 38 people, according to the Globe & Mail (and the company).

shortlink: https://tinyurl.com/globe-dc-jobs
21411
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 28/08/2026
More info: www.instagram.com/p/DckH93_kct...
instagram.com
STOP THE DATACENTRE on Instagram: "Datacentre developers love touting how they will bring lots of tax revenue to the city - but how much taxes will they be paying, really ?"
15 likes, 1 comments - stop_the_datacentre on August 27, 2026: "Datacentre developers love touting how they will bring lots of tax revenue to the city - but how much taxes will they be paying, really ...
062
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 27/08/2026
We have our team in Hamilton working on this very question. Preliminary answer: it's very bad.
1134
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Christine Cooper 🇨🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @coopspeak.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
@theresisters.bsky.social had a chance to sit down with @nicktsergas.ca on our podcast “No Ostriching Here” to talk about the onslaught of Data Centre applications in communities all across Canada. Full episode dropping soon. In the meantime check out his website stopthedatacentre.ca
01711
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 21/08/2026
According to a Senate of Canada brief, for every gallon of water used to cool US datacentres, 12.4 gallons were used to cool those datacentres’ power plants. Closed-loop can sleight-of-hand water usage away from the datacentres to the power plants. @its.small.patatas.ca @cdnaffairs.bsky.social
canadianaffairs.news
Op-Ed: AI data centres face waves of municipal resistance — for good reason
Responsible municipalities are taking the time to develop guardrails before saying 'yes' to AI data centres
16850
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 21/08/2026
According to a Senate of Canada brief, for every gallon of water used to cool US datacentres, 12.4 gallons were used to cool those datacentres’ power plants. Closed-loop can sleight-of-hand water usage away from the datacentres to the power plants. @its.small.patatas.ca @cdnaffairs.bsky.social
canadianaffairs.news
Op-Ed: AI data centres face waves of municipal resistance — for good reason
Responsible municipalities are taking the time to develop guardrails before saying 'yes' to AI data centres
16850
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Walker Bragman @walkerbragman.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
This whole thing scares the shit out of me—and the media coverage I’ve seen appears to neglect these basic facts. WaPo straight up ran with the headline, “Former Fauci aide admits hiding emails to thwart pandemic inquiry.” That’s…not what happened? It’s unreal.
18017
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) @cajournalists.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Wondering how the program works? Here's what to expect when you submit a request through Lawyers for Reporters Canada. Learn more: caj.ca/lawyers-for-reporters-canada
063
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
WA Whistles @wawhistles.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
July was ICE’s busiest month yet in the Puget Sound region. It’s a stealthy surge, without the helicopters or smoke grenades of Chicago and MN. But the surge is real, with real people taken every day. Each red pin is someone’s family member, neighbor, coworker, loved one.
Screenshot from iceout.org (People Over Papers) showing community ICE reports in the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett region from 7/1-2026-7/31/2026. 

The whole urban region is covered with map pins in red, yellow, and green. The pins stack on top of each other, making them impossible to count. Screenshot from iceout.org (People Over Papers) showing community ICE reports in the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett region from 6/1/2026-6/30/2026. 
Most of the urban region is covered with map pins in red, yellow, and green. In some places, the pins stack on top of each other, making them impossible to count. North Seattle, Bellevue, and Bothell have fewer reports than Tacoma, South Everett, and S King County. Screenshot from iceout.org (People Over Papers) showing community ICE reports in the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett region from 5/1-2026-5/31/2026. 

There are several dozen pins in red, yellow, and green — few enough to see each individual pin. South King County has the biggest cluster. There are no pins in Everett and only 1 in TacomaScreenshot from iceout.org (People Over Papers) showing community ICE reports in the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett region from 4/1/2026-4/30/2026. 

There are ~20 pins across the region, mostly green with a few yellow and red. Only one pin in Seattle. Biggest cluster in Tacoma-Federal Way area
12323266
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 07/08/2026
Also live: our national debunking toolkit. stopthedatacentre.ca/debunk-lies We've now seen the same anti-regulation talking points come up in cities across the country. This is the fastest roadmap to dismantling them. It is intentionally short.
stopthedatacentre.ca
Debunk lies · Stop the Datacentre
Facts and context on AI datacentres — taxes, moratoriums, cooling, air pollution, fire risk, and digital sovereignty.
01613
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 07/08/2026
This map tracks the proposals we actually care about and has a Community Reporting mechanism modeled after Erin Brockovich's map of US projects. Includes Treaty boundaries. Happy mappin'
1325
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 07/08/2026
Again and again, people have been asking for a national map. So we made one. Other maps exist, yes. But they're either out of date or woefully overinclusive. I don't need to see every hospital's tiny datacentre. stopthedatacentre.ca/map
stopthedatacentre.ca
Datacentre proposals map · Stop the Datacentre
Interactive map of active datacentre proposals and local campaigns across Canada.
39464
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 05/08/2026
@nicktsergas.ca and I wrote a thing: www.thespec.com/opinion/cont...
thespec.com
Council won’t learn much about data centres from lobbyists. They should look to other cities instead
It is deeply embarrassing that Hamilton city council fell for proponents’ empty promises and fear-mongering.
0137
Reposted by Nick Tsergas
Amanda Hu @amandalhu.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
A group advocating against data centres has launched trackers for several municipalities on councillors’ support for data centres. Here’s the one for Calgary City Council #yyc #yyccc calgary.stopthedatacentre.ca/election-tra...
calgary.stopthedatacentre.ca
Election tracker · Stop the Datacentre
Think there should be rules for AI datacentres? Us too.
15736
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 03/08/2026
New level! A la Tetris
010
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 02/08/2026
Oh there are docs. They're just not public
100
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 01/08/2026
Good reminder 👍
030
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 01/08/2026
On it
120
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 31/07/2026
As more and more cities pass moratoria I expect there will be some reflection around the Council horseshoe. Am hopeful yet
1100
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 31/07/2026
Here's how it all went down. blundervalley.ca/blog/what-fl... #HamOnt
blundervalley.ca
Why Hamilton councillors voted down a pause on datacentres
In only three weeks, Mayor Andrea Horwath and eight councillors flipped their votes
63522
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 29/07/2026
Recording is here: m.youtube.com/watch?v=HUjQ...
m.youtube.com
Stop the Datacentre | Lessons from Hamilton | July 27 Town Hall
YouTube video by Stop-the-datacentre
0113