Meta to build C$13 billion Alberta data center, its first in Canada

Meta to build C$13 billion Alberta data center, its first in Canada

Meta announced Wednesday it will build a massive data center in Sturgeon County, Alberta, marking the company's first facility in Canada. The project represents a total investment of C$13 billion, or $9.17 billion, as the tech giant expands its computing capacity to support the global AI boom.

Executives announced the project in Calgary alongside Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and other government officials. The facility will be the 33rd data center in Meta's global fleet. It is designed with a 1-gigawatt capacity and the ability to scale up to 1.8 gigawatts.

Energy and Infrastructure

Meta will fully fund new generation and grid infrastructure for the site, which is expected to consume electricity equivalent to about 800,000 homes. To meet these needs, Meta has entered a long-term tolling agreement with Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline for its Greenlight Electricity Centre. This natural gas-fired power-generation facility in Sturgeon County is expected to be in service in late 2030.

Until that project is operational, Alberta-based power producer Capital Power will provide 250 megawatts of electricity using its existing natural gas-fired fleet for the next decade. According to Pembina, the project will require approximately 150 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Meta's vice president for data center development, Gary Demasi, stated the company will offset its electricity use by investing in clean and renewable energy. Meta also claims it will match the facility's electricity use with 100% clean and renewable energy.

Environmental and Water Management

The facility will utilize a closed-loop liquid cooling system with dry cooling. Meta says this design means there will be no operational water use in the cooling system, limiting water use at the site to equipment maintenance, fire protection safety, and domestic uses. Gary Demasi noted the total water use would be less than that of a typical golf course.

Despite these claims, environmental groups have reacted critically. Keith Stewart of Greenpeace Canada called for a moratorium on mega-data centers until environmental and human rights protections for AI are legislated, arguing that tech billionaires have no right to the country's natural resources.

Critics also point to the emissions intensity of Alberta's electricity grid. While Canada's national AI strategy suggests growth would benefit from a clean electricity grid, the grid in Alberta is 60% powered by natural gas, resulting in emissions intensity almost five times the national average.

Economic Impact and Local Investment

Meta expects the site to support more than 300 operational jobs. At the peak of construction, approximately 3,000 workers will be onsite. The company is also investing about C$60 million in local infrastructure improvements, including water infrastructure and roads, and will launch annual Data Center Community Action Grants for local nonprofits.

Alberta's technology minister, Nate Glubish, told reporters that several other gigawatt-scale data center proposals are currently in various stages of development in the province. Glubish stated:

"This is the first of its kind, the first of its size, the first of its scale, but it won't be the last,"

Nate Glubish, Alberta Technology Minister, via Reuters

Broader Industry Context

The Meta project arrives amid a larger trend of AI infrastructure growth in Canada. Bell Canada has plans to build six new AI data centers in British Columbia over the next couple of years. However, other proposals have faced friction. In a separate project, O’Leary Ventures proposed a data center campus called Wonder Valley in the Greenview Industrial Gateway. Chief Sheldon Sunshine of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation stated his nation had not been consulted on that proposal, leading to a cease and desist letter sent to Premier Smith in January.

Questions remain regarding the long-term economic benefit of such sites. While politicians cite job creation, University of Waterloo professor Martin Karsten suggests construction provides more jobs than the operational phase, which relies heavily on automation.