Alberta to hold first AI data centre town halls this week

Alberta’s technology minister, Nate Glubish, will hold the province’s inaugural AI data centre town hall meetings this week, as part of a series of discussions with residents in the central region. Glubish has been working on an AI strategy and attracting investments for massive computing facilities in the province, despite facing opposition from some residents concerned about water usage, pollution, and potential impacts on electricity bills.

Premier Danielle Smith has promised that the AI boom will generate billions in royalties and taxes, while using limited amounts of water and lowering electricity transmission costs. Smith is set to join Glubish for a virtual town hall on Aug. 27, followed by in-person events in Sturgeon County and Grande Prairie. Sturgeon County is set to host a $13-billion data centre complex from Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram, while another AI industrial park is proposed by O’Leary Digital Limited, led by investor Kevin O’Leary, near Grande Prairie.

The Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation has taken the latter project to court, arguing that they were not adequately consulted before the municipal district permitted the diversion of a significant amount of water annually. The province's utility commission recently denied a natural gas facility application for a data centre complex in Olds, citing concerns about its proximity to the surrounding community.