Data centre capacity could soar to 20 GW in planned projects: government document
The deck says more than 20 gigawatts of projects are under planning or development, while officials say most are unlikely to proceed.
- On Wednesday, a government pitch deck for Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon revealed more than 20 gigawatts of proposed AI data center capacity across Canada, though officials clarified this is not a firm projection of expected construction.
- Prepared by Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the presentation positions Canada as a 'foremost destination for new data centres,' citing the country's stable electricity grid and existing tax credits to attract international investors.
- While Canada currently has about 337 megawatts of capacity, developers have proposed more than 20 gigawatts of new projects, with the majority located in Alberta where natural gas-fired power plants would support the facilities.
- If fully built, these natural gas-supported projects could generate emissions equal to almost 3% of Canada's total emissions in 2023; government spokespeople emphasized many proposals remain subject to regulatory and commercial approval.
- Community opposition to data centers is rising nationwide; residents in Olds, Alta., have rallied against a proposed 10-building campus with 1.4 gigawatts of gas-fired power generation, citing environmental and grid concerns.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Canada data centre capacity could soar to 20 GW in planned projects: government document
A document prepared for the federal artificial intelligence minister to use when pitching international investors on Canada’s AI ecosystem identifies a massive proposed increase in Canada’s data centre capacity.
Data centre capacity could soar to 20 GW in planned projects: government document – Energeticcity.ca
The area of Olds, Alta., where Synapse Real Estate Corp. is planning a data centre complex with 1.4 gigawatts of natural gas-fired power generation is shown on Thursday, June 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lauren Krugel OTTAWA — A document prepared for the federal artificial intelligence minister to use when pitching international investors on Canada’s AI ecosystem identifies a massive proposed increase in Canada’s data centre capacity. But spokesp…
Winnipeg Free Press
Data centre capacity could soar to 20 GW in planned projects: government document
OTTAWA - A document prepared for the federal artificial intelligence minister to use when pitching international investors on Canada’s AI ecosystem identifies a massive proposed increase in Canada’s data centre capacity.
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