Meta plans billions for first AI data center in Canada, largest outside the US 

Facebook and Instagram parent Meta said yesterday (Macau time) it will invest more than US$9.1 billion to build its first artificial intelligence data center in Canada and its largest outside the United States.

The facility will be built in Sturgeon County, Alberta, and powered by a natural gas-fired plant being developed by a consortium that includes Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Ltd. Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish called the project “a big deal for Alberta,” saying the province had created a regulatory framework to attract data center investment.

Alberta has been courting hyperscale data centers as demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure surges. But the rapid growth of AI has fueled concerns about the vast amounts of electricity and water such facilities require, as well as their strain on power grids and nearby communities. Because Alberta’s electricity grid cannot support multiple large AI data centers, the province is prioritizing projects that build or secure their own power generation, as Meta plans to do.

Meta said the data center will use a closed-loop cooling system that won’t draw water from surrounding sources. The company also plans to invest US$42 million in local infrastructure, including roads and water systems.