Moose Jaw residents are petitioning for a referendum to block a proposed artificial-intelligence data centre at the former Valley View Centre site [1, 2].
The movement reflects growing community anxiety over the environmental and economic impact of high-energy infrastructure in residential areas. Residents fear a lack of transparency regarding the project's total cost and its specific power requirements [1, 3].
Organizers began door-knocking efforts in July to gather community support [2]. Terri Bosner, a petition organizer, said she wants the community to have a say before any data centre is built [2]. To date, the effort has collected over 500 signatures [3].
Local sentiment appears heavily skewed against the development. A poll indicated that 71% of residents are opposed to the AI data centre [4]. These concerns were highlighted during an open house hosted by Saskatchewan NDP officials on Aug. 12 [1].
The proposed facility carries an estimated cost of $450 million [5]. However, the project's future remains uncertain due to energy constraints. Premier Scott Moe (Saskatchewan Party) said the government is not considering allocating any power to any data centre in Moose Jaw at this point in time [5].
While the Premier's comments suggest a halt to the project, some local reports indicate the province has only stated the project cannot proceed without a power allocation [3]. This distinction leaves the door open for future development if energy agreements change.
Wayne Mantkya of CTV News said residents want transparency on the proposed Moose Jaw data centre [1]. The community continues to demand full disclosure of provincial resource allocations before any construction begins [1, 3].
“"I want my community to have a say before any data centre is built here."”
This conflict highlights the tension between provincial economic goals for AI infrastructure and local municipal autonomy. While the provincial government may view data centres as a modernization win, the high energy demands of AI often clash with local utility capacities and resident preferences, making power allocation the primary lever of control for the project's viability.
