Meta will invest over USD 9.1 billion to build its first AI data centre in Canada and its largest outside the US in Sturgeon County, Alberta. Powered by a dedicated 932-MW natural gas plant, the facility is expected to be operational by 2030. The project includes USD 42 million for local infrastructure and uses a closed-loop cooling system to minimise water consumption.

Alberta: Facebook and Instagram parent Meta said Wednesday it will invest more than USD 9.1 billion to build its first artificial intelligence data centre 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 centre investment.

Alberta has been courting hyperscale data centres as demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure surges. But the rapid growth of AI has fuelled concerns about the vast amounts of electricity and water such facilities require, as well as their strain on power grids and nearby communities.