Meta has announced plans to build a $9 billion data centre in Alberta, Canada — the company’s largest facility outside the United States.
The announcement was made Wednesday in Calgary by Gary Demasi, Meta’s Vice President for Data Centre Development, alongside Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
“One of Canada’s Largest Private Investments”
The facility will be located in Sturgeon County, Alberta and will cover 2.9 million square feet (269,419 square meters).
Premier Smith called it “one of the largest private-sector investments in Canadian history” and said it would create “several thousand Canadian jobs” and generate about $175 million annually in benefits for Albertans.
“Alberta is the ideal North American spot for data centers thanks to affordable electricity, flexible power generation, a cooler climate and a skilled workforce,” Smith said.
“The global race for computing power is ramping up like never before.”
Smith made the announcement wearing a cowboy hat to mark the Calgary Stampede rodeo.
AI Push Driving Investment
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, is ramping up spending on artificial intelligence, which relies heavily on data centres for computing power.
US tech firms have poured tens of billions of dollars into data centre construction in recent years as competition to lead in AI intensifies.
Growing Public Pushback
However, data centres are also facing increasing criticism.
Critics cite high electricity consumption that can strain local grids, heavy water use, noise, and relatively few permanent jobs.
In response, New York’s legislature passed a one-year moratorium on new data centre construction last month. Maine passed a similar measure in April, but it was vetoed by the governor.
AFP