Premier Danielle Smith and her cabinet members engaged in an hour-long session on Thursday, addressing concerns raised by Albertans regarding the development of artificial intelligence data centers in the province. This virtual town hall was notably calmer compared to previous in-person events where Minister of Technology Nate Glubish faced backlash and demands for increased safeguards.
During the session, Albertans had the opportunity to pose questions either online or via phone if they had pre-registered. The event, moderated by Justin Wright, Alberta’s primary care minister, attracted over 12,500 viewers.
The government under Smith’s leadership has been advocating for Alberta as an attractive hub for data centers, emphasizing the potential for job creation and substantial revenue through royalties and taxes. Smith highlighted that these town halls aim to uncover any overlooked aspects in the government’s regulatory structure.
Despite the participation, attendees did not express enthusiasm for hosting large-scale computing facilities in the province. While one caller mentioned being excited to engage with the premier and her team, the focus remained on addressing various concerns.
Water usage emerged as a key topic during the town hall, with several callers questioning the government’s assertions that planned projects, such as the proposed $13 billion Meta campus north of Edmonton, would have minimal water requirements. The facility is set to employ a closed-loop cooling system, with water usage equivalent to that of a typical golf course annually.
Conversely, concerns were raised about the water consumption of an accompanying $4.6 billion natural gas power plant designed to support Meta’s operations. Participants like David from Calgary questioned the omission of the power plant’s water usage in the calculations.
Smith acknowledged the concerns, noting that other industries also consume significant water volumes, citing a pulp mill in northern Alberta as an example. The premier emphasized the need for balance in water usage without imposing outright restrictions.
Additionally, discussions touched on job opportunities for Albertans, with Smith affirming the government’s intention to prioritize local employment. The upcoming referendum on October 19 will seek public input on enhancing control over immigration and temporary foreign worker policies.
The town hall also involved polling attendees on supporting setbacks to prevent data centers from encroaching too closely on residential areas. Notably, a recent project in Olds faced rejection by provincial regulators due to proximity concerns, prompting the government to consider setback guidelines.
The session concluded with a poll on attendees’ primary concerns regarding data centers, with options including electricity affordability, grid reliability, water consumption, and others. The outcomes of this poll were not disclosed before the event wrapped up.
Opposition parties, like the NDP, have called for a moratorium on AI data center projects until stringent regulations are established. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi emphasized the importance of impact assessments to ensure community benefits, job security, and long-term planning for facility decommissioning.
The rejection of the Olds data center proposal underscored the need for clearer project expectations and frameworks. Nenshi criticized the lack of structured guidelines, urging the government to provide certainty to stakeholders and residents.
The issue of reclamation post-abandonment was also addressed, with Minister Glubish assuring that the responsibility would fall on the province. He expressed confidence in attracting new investors to repurpose abandoned facilities at reduced costs. Smith differentiated data center reclamation from wind turbine decommissioning, highlighting the government’s confidence in repurposing data center structures.
The final data center town hall is scheduled for September 11 in Grande Prairie, although Premier Smith will not be in attendance.