Meta has announced plans to invest more than C$13 billion in the construction of its first artificial intelligence data centre in Sturgeon County, just north of Edmonton, making it the company’s first data centre in Canada and its largest outside the United States.
The massive facility is expected to play a central role in Meta’s expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure, supporting advanced AI models and digital services used across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The project represents one of the largest technology investments ever announced in Alberta.
According to Meta, the one-gigawatt data centre will be designed with the capacity to scale up to 1.8 gigawatts in the future. The company also plans to invest approximately C$60 million in local infrastructure improvements, including roads and water systems, to support the project and surrounding community.
Construction is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs at peak activity, while the completed facility will support hundreds of permanent positions in operations and maintenance. Provincial officials believe the investment will generate significant long-term economic benefits for Alberta through employment, tax revenue, and increased technology development.
The Alberta government has welcomed the announcement, describing it as a major milestone in the province’s strategy to attract large-scale technology investments. Officials have spent several years promoting Alberta’s abundant energy resources, cool climate, and business-friendly environment to global technology companies seeking locations for AI infrastructure.
Meta said the facility will feature a closed-loop cooling system designed to minimize water consumption while improving energy efficiency. Initially, electricity will be supplied by existing natural gas generation, with additional dedicated power infrastructure planned as the project expands.
Despite the economic optimism surrounding the announcement, environmental organizations have expressed concerns about the project’s reliance on natural gas and its potential impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Critics argue that future data centre developments should prioritize lower-carbon energy sources as demand for AI computing continues to grow.
Meta’s investment reflects the company’s broader global push to expand AI computing capacity as competition intensifies among major technology firms investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The Alberta facility will become Meta’s 33rd data centre worldwide once completed.
Swifteradio.com
