EDMINTON- Amid growing public outrage against proposed Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centres in the Canadian province of Alberta, a series of public town hall meetings led by Provincial Technology Minister Nate Glubish is set to begin. Starting in Lacombe, this series aims to address residents’ concerns regarding the upcoming data centres. Despite Alberta’s efforts to attract major investors to the province, these projects face fierce local opposition.
Primary concerns among local residents center around the massive water usage required for data centre operations, potential environmental pollution, and feared hikes in electricity bills. Critics have also pointed out that the government is organizing these consultations only after granting key approvals and making major project announcements. However, Premier Danielle Smith stated that the AI boom would generate billions of dollars in royalties and tax revenues while consuming limited water resources. Premier Smith is scheduled to join Minister Glubish for a virtual town hall on August 27.
Major projects face mounting resistance across the province. In Sturgeon County, massive protest rallies were staged against Meta’s proposed $13-billion data centre complex. Meanwhile, the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation has taken legal action against a proposed AI park near Grande Prairie, backed by celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary, alleging that the First Nation was not adequately consulted over the diversion of six billion litres of water annually. Additionally, the Alberta Utilities Commission recently rejected an application to construct a natural gas plant intended to power a massive data centre complex in Olds, citing its close proximity to the surrounding residential community.
