Province-Wide Coverage
Tracking developments across Alberta, approvals, hearings, community responses, and policy shifts. Updated as events unfold.
November 12th is a national day of action against Bill C-39 and Edmonton is gathering alongside communities across the country to tell our MPs to vote NO on this dangerous legislation.
This is for anyone in the Linden area — if you work there, live there, shop there, visit there, have family there, or rent or own there, every person and business is able to file a Statement of Intent to Participate (SIP) with the AUC to get your concerns on the record.
The community open house to discuss the Armada Nowlit Energy (ANE) Gayford project is October 28 — but ANE already has an AEPA application in with a deadline of October 25. Community members are at an extreme disadvantage before the regulatory clock runs out.
The Edmonton Journal reports on CSIS warnings about the national security implications of foreign-owned data centres in Canada, weighing strategic economic value against intelligence risks.
The Alberta Utilities Commission has approved Beacon AI's application for a 400 MW natural gas power plant near Olds, overriding objections from hundreds of area residents, the Mountain View County, and multiple agricultural organisations.
Mountain View County council voted unanimously to pass a resolution calling on the provincial government to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for data centre development before any further approvals are granted in the region.
Coordinated protests took place in Olds, Red Deer, Edmonton, and Calgary on October 3 as part of a continent-wide day of action against unchecked data centre expansion. Organisers say turnout exceeded expectations.
Premier Danielle Smith was confronted by residents at a Lacombe town hall over the provincial government's handling of data centre approvals. Several attendees pressed her on cumulative environmental impacts and the lack of a provincial strategy.
A packed public hearing in Lamont County saw residents demand an independent environmental review of Meta's proposed data centre, citing concerns about water use, grid strain, and the adequacy of the company's own assessment.
Paramount Resources held an open house for its proposed Arbutus energy storage facility, which would support data centre load in the region. Attendees raised questions about cumulative grid impacts and the adequacy of consultation.
Residents who attended Armada Nowlit's open house for its Keoma-area power plant say company representatives were unable to answer basic questions about water use, noise levels, and cumulative environmental impacts.
Construction has begun at the Blindman Industrial Campus near Red Deer despite ongoing appeals from area residents and agricultural groups. The project, which includes a large data centre component, was approved earlier this year.
Minister Dale Glubish's virtual town hall on energy policy was dominated by questions about data centre approvals, with residents from across Alberta pressing for a provincial moratorium and stronger cumulative effects requirements.
Hundreds of Redwater-area residents attended a community information meeting about Meta's proposed data centre in Sturgeon County, with many expressing concern about water use, agricultural land impacts, and the pace of approvals.
The Alberta Utilities Commission has issued a bulletin requiring cumulative effects assessments for all power plant and energy storage applications of 10 MW or greater, a direct response to growing concerns about the aggregate impact of data centre-driven development.
Wildlife biologist and cumulative effects specialist Dr. Brad Stelfox submitted expert testimony to the AUC finding Beacon AI's cumulative effects assessment profoundly incomplete. He recommends a systems-based provincial assessment under the Alberta Land Use Framework.
Residents near Clive attended a public meeting on a proposed Associated Natural Energy facility that would power a nearby data centre, raising concerns about noise, emissions, and the cumulative impact on the region's agricultural character.
A group of activists disrupted an AI industry conference at the Edmonton Hyatt, unfurling banners and distributing leaflets highlighting the environmental and community impacts of data centre expansion in Alberta.
Hundreds of residents marched through Sturgeon County in protest against Meta's proposed data centre, calling for a provincial moratorium and stronger community consultation requirements.
Olds-area residents staged a 'Power Down Party' outside the proposed Beacon AI site, combining music, food, and political messaging to draw attention to the community's opposition to the project.
Beacon AI held a public open house for its proposed Olds data centre, dubbed 'Ground Zero' by local activists. Hundreds attended, with many expressing strong opposition and demanding the project be halted.
The provincial government released a data centre strategy document outlining its vision for Alberta as a hub for digital infrastructure. Critics say the strategy lacks binding environmental protections and fails to address cumulative impacts.
A new coalition called Voters Against Data Centres has launched a province-wide campaign targeting MLAs in ridings where data centre projects are proposed, demanding stronger community protections and a provincial moratorium.
The Alberta government has proposed a mechanism to lock in electricity prices for large data centre operators, drawing fierce criticism from agricultural groups who say it will drive up costs for farmers and rural communities.
Several environmental organisations have filed formal objections with the AUC and Alberta Environment over Meta's proposed Sturgeon County data centre, citing inadequate water use assessments and cumulative environmental impacts.
A new report examines the rapid expansion of hyperscale data centres across Canada, raising questions about foreign ownership, national security, water use, and the adequacy of existing regulatory frameworks.
The AUC hearing into Beacon AI's Olds project entered its second week with expert witnesses raising serious concerns about the project's water use projections and its potential impact on the regional electricity grid.
Mountain View County has formally intervened in the AUC hearing for Beacon AI's proposed Olds data centre, submitting expert evidence on land use, agricultural impacts, and the inadequacy of the company's consultation process.
Olds town council voted to pass a motion formally opposing the Beacon AI data centre project, citing concerns about water use, noise, visual impact, and the lack of meaningful community consultation.
A coalition of Alberta agriculture organisations has called for an immediate moratorium on data centre development on Class 1 and Class 2 agricultural land, warning that the current pace of approvals threatens the province's food security.
The AUC hearing into Beacon AI's proposed Olds data centre opened with a record number of interveners and public observers, reflecting the intense community interest in the project and its potential precedent-setting implications.
The Town of Olds has approved a development permit for the Synapse data centre project despite formal objections from area residents and agricultural groups, setting the stage for a potential appeal.
Olds residents are fighting to protect the O.R. Hedges Ball Diamonds from potential data centre development, arguing that the loss of recreational land would be an irreversible blow to the community's quality of life.
The AUC has issued a procedural order requiring Beacon AI to provide additional evidence on cumulative environmental effects before the hearing can proceed, a significant procedural victory for intervening community groups.
Alberta irrigation districts have raised formal concerns about Beacon AI's proposed water licence application, warning that the volumes requested could affect water availability for agricultural users downstream.
A new province-wide survey has found that 78% of Albertans oppose the development of large-scale data centres on prime agricultural land, with strong majorities across all regions and political affiliations.
The Olds Transparency Project has officially launched, announcing its mission to track every data centre application in Alberta and provide communities with the information they need to participate in regulatory processes.
Beacon AI has filed an application with the Alberta Utilities Commission for a 400 MW natural gas power plant near Olds to supply electricity to its proposed data centre, triggering a formal regulatory hearing process.
Residents and officials in Greenview County are raising concerns about the proposed Wonder Valley AI data centre project, which would draw up to 1 GW of power and significant water resources from the region.
The proposed Travers AI data centre in Vulcan County, which could draw up to 2,000 MW of power, is facing growing opposition from the local agricultural community over concerns about land use, water, and grid impacts.
A proposed 930 MW data centre project in Yellowhead County is drawing scrutiny from local residents and officials over its massive power demand and potential impacts on the regional grid and environment.
Teton Digital's dual data centre projects — Black Bear and Northern Forge — are raising questions about cumulative environmental and grid impacts, with critics arguing that the projects should be assessed together rather than separately.
From the Ground Up
Independent reporting straight from Alberta communities fighting for transparency. Published weekly by local groups across the province.
This edition covers how political division is eroding community strength, the gap between elected officials and the residents they serve, and why municipalities have the power — and the responsibility — to push back on hyperscale data centre projects.
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