• Saskatchewan Prioritizes Canadian Ownership and Sovereignty in New Data Centre Framework

  Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
  Date: 2026-08-27 21:00:00.0
  Tags: [Saskatchewan, Technology, Energy, Economy, Infrastructure, Governance]

  The Government of Saskatchewan has released a new Data Centre Framework establishing six key principles to guide future digital infrastructure investments, prioritize Canadian ownership, and protect data sovereignty. The framework mandates that project proponents supply their own power generation to avoid placing pressure on the provincial electricity grid or displacing export capacity. It follows Bell Canada's ongoing construction of a 300-megawatt data centre in the Rural Municipality of Sherwood, representing up to $12 billion in economic activity, 1,600 jobs, and $720 million in provincial revenues, alongside an Indigenous partnership agreement signed with George Gordon First Nation. Currently, Saskatchewan has over 30 data centre project applications in the evaluation queue under this new centralized intake and assessment process.

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• Alberta’s Smith takes questions at less rowdy AI town hall, NDP calls for freeze

  Source: Alberta - Provincial Politics
  Date: 2026-08-27 12:31:14.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Technology, Energy, Infrastructure, Economy]

  Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and her ministers held a virtual town hall with over 12,500 participants to address public concerns regarding the rapid development of artificial intelligence data centres, such as the proposed $13-billion Meta campus north of Edmonton. Amid criticisms regarding heavy water consumption, power grid reliability, and residential proximity setbacks—which recently prompted a provincial regulator to reject a project in the town of Olds—the provincial government is evaluating regulatory frameworks and setback guidelines. Meanwhile, Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi called for a province-wide moratorium on new artificial intelligence data centres until stricter rules, impact assessments, and life-cycle reclamation plans are established.

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• Innovation Saskatchewan Supports Critical Upgrade at Canadian Light Source

  Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
  Date: 2026-08-26 22:00:00.0
  Tags: [Saskatchewan, Technology, Infrastructure, Economy, Agriculture, Energy]

  Innovation Saskatchewan is committing $3 million through the Innovation & Science Fund (ISF) to the Canadian Light Source (CLS) located at the University of Saskatchewan. The funding will finance the installation of a state-of-the-art solid-state amplifier (SSA) to power all 22 synchrotron beamlines, enhancing the facility's performance, reliability, and energy efficiency. Since 2018, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested nearly $40 million in the Canadian Light Source to support advanced research in sectors including agriculture, mining, energy, and health.

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