Meta is constructing its first data center in Canada in Sturgeon County, Alberta, aiming to bolster its AI infrastructure globally. The company announced the project publicly on July 8, alongside Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and other provincial officials [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The facility will have an estimated power capacity of about 1 gigawatt, making it Meta's largest data center outside the United States, according to Gary Demasi, Meta's VP of data center development and strategy [1, 6, 2, 7]. The site is located on industrially zoned land with robust access to the electric grid and energy resources, key factors in Meta's selection of the location. A Meta spokesperson said, "This specific location met the factors we typically look for: good access to infrastructure, a robust electric grid and access to energy, a strong pool of talent, and a great set of community partners that helped us move this project forward" [1].
Reports place Meta’s investment at approximately $9 billion USD or CAD 13 billion (about $9.17 billion USD), reflecting slight variations in currency reporting between sources [1, 8, 6, 2, 4, 5]. The company plans to spend about CAD 60 million (approximately $42 million USD) on local infrastructure improvements [4, 5].
Construction is expected to take 2 to 3 years. At its peak, the project will support over 3,000 construction jobs and create roughly 300 permanent operational roles upon completion, officials said [1, 6, 4, 5]. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the investment one of the largest private investments in Canadian history, stating, "Alberta is making sure we lead rather than follow. This project will create thousands of jobs, generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue, and make electricity more reliable and affordable" [2, 7, 3, 5]. She added Alberta’s affordable power prices, flexible generation, cooler climate, and skilled workforce make it an ideal location for data centers in North America [2].
The data center will run largely on natural gas with new electrical generation funded by Meta and connected to Alberta's grid. A related $4.6 billion natural gas power plant project is expected to reduce electricity transmission charges for Albertans by up to 6% [6, 5]. The operation is projected to contribute between CAD 175 million (about $131 million USD) and CAD 250 million in annual taxes, royalties, and fees for Alberta, with some differences in estimates among sources [2, 3, 5].
Local officials expressed enthusiasm about the project. Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw said, "We're excited to work with our new neighbours as we continue to make that vision a reality" [4]. However, some critics have raised concerns about the data center's high energy and water consumption as well as noise potentially burdening local communities and infrastructure [1, 2, 7, 3].
Meta is accelerating its AI infrastructure expansion globally to compete with hyperscalers like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon [1, 2]. The Alberta data center will be Meta's 33rd globally and mark a significant step in its AI development strategy [1, 4].
