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.