Alberta government to hold first AI data centre town hall in central town of Lacombe

Alberta's technology minister will host the province's inaugural AI data centre town hall in Lacombe tonight to gather public input on the development of artificial intelligence infrastructure. Minister Nate Glubish is scheduled to participate in the first of several town hall meetings to discuss the merits and concerns surrounding AI data centres. Glubish has been working on an AI strategy for the province and attracting investors for large-scale computing facilities that demand significant power supplies.

However, the push for data centre development has faced opposition from residents concerned about water usage, pollution, and potential impacts on electricity bills. Some critics argue the government's consultations are disingenuous, coming after major approvals and announcements. Premiers Danielle Smith reaffirms that the AI boom will generate billions in royalties and taxes while using limited water and lowering electricity transmission costs.

Smith is set to join Glubish for a virtual town hall on Aug. 27 and will also host in-person events in Sturgeon County and Grande Prairie.

Two other data centre projects are currently in the works: one proposed by Meta in Sturgeon County, home to an $13 billion facility, and another led by celebrity investor Kevin O'Leary in the Municipal District of Greenview near Grande Prairie. The Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation is challenging the development in court, arguing insufficient consultation before the municipal district approved the diversion of six billion liters of water annually.

Meanwhile, Alberta's utility commission recently denied a natural gas facility application for a data centre complex in Olds, less than 100 kilometers from Lacombe, citing community concerns. A rural municipality bordering Calgary has also paused new data centre proposals while working to establish rules for the industry.