Meta Platforms Inc. will build its first Canadian data centre in Sturgeon County, Alberta, with an investment exceeding C$13 billion [1].
The project marks a significant expansion of computing infrastructure to support the global artificial-intelligence boom and the heavy workloads required for AI development [2, 4].
Announced Wednesday, July 9, the facility is designed as a one-gigawatt AI-focused site [1, 3]. The development is located in central Alberta, north of Edmonton [2, 3].
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith joined the announcement of the facility, which aims to increase the region's technological capacity [1]. The scale of the project will require a substantial workforce during its development phase.
At the peak of construction, the project is expected to employ 4,000 skilled trade workers [3]. This influx of labor is intended to support the rapid build-out of the infrastructure needed for Meta's AI operations [3].
The investment of over C$13 billion [1] places the facility among the largest infrastructure projects in the province. Meta said the site is necessary to expand its capacity for AI workloads as the company scales its global operations [2, 4].
“Meta will build its first Canadian data centre, a one‑gigawatt AI‑focused facility”
This investment signals a strategic shift toward North American infrastructure diversification for AI. By selecting Alberta, Meta leverages the province's energy availability to power a one-gigawatt facility, reflecting the immense energy demands of next-generation AI models and the growing competition between regional hubs to attract high-tech capital.
