Protesters Oppose Meta Platforms Inc.'s $13 Billion Alberta Data Centre

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Morinville on August 3, 2026, to oppose Meta Platforms Inc.'s plan to construct its first Canadian data centre in Sturgeon County. The proposed project, valued at over $13 billion, involves a one-gigawatt facility occupying 1,700 acres of land. Critics, led by organizer Ben Baril, cited concerns over water consumption, the threat of AI-driven job losses, and the potential for rising electricity bills due to power grid sharing.

Premier Danielle Smith defended the project, stating the facility will initially use surplus energy before transitioning to the Greenlight Electricity Centre, a natural gas plant scheduled for 2030. Smith asserted that the centre will employ a closed-loop cooling system with water usage comparable to a typical golf course. Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish described the facility as a "digital refinery" that creates global markets for Alberta's natural resources, claiming Meta Platforms Inc. would cover all infrastructure costs and provide $20 million to $40 million in property taxes.

Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw acknowledged the residents' concerns as valid. While noting the scale of the investment, she called for strong accountability frameworks and regulatory oversight, expressing particular reservations regarding the lack of government guardrails for generative AI.