Alberta man plans to protest AI data centres as province announces town halls
Alberta has already said the tech giant Meta is building a massive facility north of Edmonton, and several other AI data centres are in the works across the province.
Ben Baril, a 20-year-old business student from the University of Alberta, is organizing protests against the construction of artificial intelligence (AI) data centres in Alberta. Baril argues that true public consultation requires halting the projects until concerns are addressed, and he plans to disrupt upcoming town halls where government officials will discuss the issue.
The province of Alberta is reportedly at the center of a boom in AI data centres, with Meta set to build a massive facility in Sturgeon County, north of Edmonton, in the next two to three years. This $13-billion, one-gigawatt facility would be the largest AI data centre investment in Canadian history. Baril and other protesters claim that the community was not consulted on the Meta centre and express concerns about the potential increase in water and utility bills, as well as noise pollution.
They also raise questions about the use of artificial intelligence itself. In response to the protests, Alberta announced town halls to provide information on data centres, their purpose, and the opportunities they create. The first event will take place in Sturgeon County on August 19. The government has also launched a website detailing the environmental impact assessments required for these facilities and how they will address concerns about power, water, and community impact.
Despite these assurances, Baril remains skeptical and emphasizes that citizens should have a say in the matter.
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