Meta invests $9.1 billion in Alberta Canada for its first AI data center, largest outside the US

Meta to build C$13 billion Alberta data center, its first in Canada

CALGARY, July 8 (Reuters) - Tech giant Meta announced Wednesday it will build a massive data center in central Alberta, the company's first in Canada, as it rapidly builds out computing capacity to support the global AI boom. The 1-gigawatt data center will be located in Sturgeon County and represents a total investment of C$13 billion, or $9.17 billion, Meta said. Meta has doubled down on AI, pledging hundreds of billions of dollars to build large AI data centers in the U.S. The Alberta announcement represents the company's 33rd data center globally. Executives made the announcement ⁠in Calgary alongside Premier Danielle Smith and other Alberta government officials, who have spent several years courting Silicon Valley tech giants with the aim of spurring a large-scale investment in the oil-and-gas province. Meta, like other tech giants, is facing rapidly expanding power needs due to the growth of AI, and Alberta is rich in natural gas which sells at a significant discount to the U.S. benchmark. The province's cold climate also makes cooling the massive super-computers and related data center infrastructure more cost-efficient. The 20 existing small- to mid-scale data centers in Alberta already pull from the province's energy grid, which is 60% powered by natural gas. The provincial government is giving new proponents ⁠the option to build their own power sources to avoid limits on power capacity. Meta said Wednesday it will fully fund new generation and grid infrastructure for its Alberta data center, which will consume about as much electricity as 800,000 homes. The company has partnered with Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline, which announced last week it will go ahead with its Greenlight Electricity Centre, a ⁠new natural gas-fired power-generation facility in Sturgeon County which will be in service in late 2030 and with which Meta has a long-term tolling agreement. The project will require approximately 150 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, according to Pembina, ⁠helping to create demand for Western Canadian natural gas producers. Canada's government laid out an AI strategy last month that suggested new data center growth would benefit from the country's clean electricity grid, which is largely powered by renewables ⁠and low-emission power sources. But the vast majority of data centers currently in the planning stages in Canada are located in Alberta, where a reliance on natural gas means the emissions intensity of the province's electricity grid is almost five times the national average. Reporting by Amanda Stephenson in Calgary Editing by Nick Zieminski Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Meta is building its first big Canadian data center as AI expansion crosses the border

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Meta's AI expansion is heading north of the border. The company said in a blog post on Wednesday that it's building its first data center in Canada, a 1 gigawatt facility in the province of Alberta that will cost Meta about $9 billion and take two to three years to construct. It's Meta's 33rd data center overall and the latest in the company's effort to rapidly build out to meet demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure and services. Alberta, on the western side of Canada, represents an attractive spot for development due the province's hefty amount of available energy and friendly regulatory environment. The specific location for the site, Sturgeon County, has long been zoned for industrial use and is in an area with the capacity for additional energy infrastructure. "This specific location met the factors we typically look for: good access to infrastructure, a robust electric grid and access to energy, a strong pool of talent, and a great set of community partners that helped us move this project forward," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. While Meta continues its aggressive AI buildout, the company is simultaneously planning a new cloud computing business that could involve selling excess capacity to third parties or offering access to AI models hosted within its infrastructure. Investors have been skeptical of Meta's forecast for up to $145 billion on capital expenditures this year as the company has fallen far behind AI model leaders OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, and hasn't shown a clear path to revenue outside of online ads. Meta's stock is down about 9% this year while the Nasdaq is up 11%. Meta is racing to stand up AI facilities as it competes with hyperscalers Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon, which all have flourishing cloud infrastructure businesses. There are also the concerns of the local communities. A report in June from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation highlighted environmental issues like emissions, water consumption and noise from big data centers. Meta said it worked with various energy firms in Canada including Greenlight Limited Partnership, Altalink, Capitol Power, and the Alberta Electric System Operator "to plan for and meet our energy needs years in advance of this data center coming online." The company said the project will support over 3,000 construction workers at its peak, and will involve investments in local infrastructure and funding to local nonprofits.

Meta plans biggest AI data centre outside US with $9.1bn Canada push

Meta will pour more than $9.1bn (€8.4bn) into a new artificial intelligence data centre in Alberta, Canada -- its largest outside the United States -- powered by a dedicated natural gas plant. Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta said Wednesday it will invest more than $9.1 billion (€8.4bn) to build its first artificial intelligence data centre in Canada and its largest outside the United States. The facility will be built in Sturgeon County, Alberta, and powered by a natural gas-fired plant being developed by a consortium that includes Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Ltd. Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish called the project "a big deal for Alberta," saying the province had created a regulatory framework to attract data centre investment. Alberta has been courting hyperscale data centres as demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure surges. But the rapid growth of AI has fuelled concerns about the vast amounts of electricity and water such facilities require, as well as their strain on power grids and nearby communities. Because Alberta's electricity grid cannot support multiple large AI data centres, the province is prioritising projects that build or secure their own power generation, as Meta plans to do. Meta said the data centre will use a closed-loop cooling system that will not draw water from surrounding sources. The company also plans to invest $42 million (€37m) in local infrastructure, including roads and water systems. Last week, Pembina Pipeline, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners and Kineticor Asset Management announced they would proceed with the Greenlight Electricity Centre in Sturgeon County. Meta was identified Wednesday as the customer. The 932-megawatt power plant is expected to begin operating in the second half of 2030.

Meta Plans Billions for First AI Data Center in Canada, Largest Outside the US

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -- Facebook and Instagram parent Meta said Wednesday it will invest more than US$9.1 billion to build its first artificial intelligence data center in Canada and its largest outside the United States. The facility will be built in Sturgeon County, Alberta, and powered by a natural gas-fired plant being developed by a consortium that includes Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Ltd. Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish called the project "a big deal for Alberta," saying the province had created a regulatory framework to attract data center investment. Alberta has been courting hyperscale data centers as demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure surges. But the rapid growth of AI has fueled concerns about the vast amounts of electricity and water such facilities require, as well as their strain on power grids and nearby communities. Because Alberta's electricity grid cannot support multiple large AI data centers, the province is prioritizing projects that build or secure their own power generation, as Meta plans to do. Meta said the data center will use a closed-loop cooling system that won't draw water from surrounding sources. The company also plans to invest US$42 million in local infrastructure, including roads and water systems. Last week, Pembina Pipeline, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners and Kineticor Asset Management announced they would proceed with the Greenlight Electricity Center in Sturgeon County. Meta was identified Wednesday as the customer. The 932-megawatt power plant is expected to begin operating in the second half of 2030.

US Stock Market: Meta unveils C$13 billion AI data centre in Canada; stock in focus

Meta Platforms will invest C$13 billion in its first Canadian data centre. This facility in Sturgeon County, Alberta, will support artificial intelligence infrastructure expansion. The project highlights Alberta's energy advantages and favourable business environment for technology firms. Meta Platforms will invest C$13 billion ($9.17 billion) to build its first data centre in Canada, marking another major step in the social media giant's aggressive artificial intelligence infrastructure expansion, according to a Reuters report. The company said the new facility will be located in Sturgeon County, Alberta, with an initial capacity of 1 gigawatt and the ability to scale up to 1.8 gigawatts, making it one of Meta's largest AI-focused infrastructure projects globally. US MarketsPowered By As on 09 Jul 2026, 01:30 AM IST S&P 500 Top Gainers Akamai Technologies126.57(10.67%) Arista Networks181.05(8.76%) Super Micro Computer28.17(7.31%) Valero Energy282.88(6.26%) Gainers" S&P 500 Top Losers Synchrony Financial68.26(-9.61%) Coterra Energy32.56(-8.62%) Moderna73.80(-7.48%) Smurfit WestRock42.08(-6.49%) Losers" The Alberta facility will become Meta's 33rd data centre worldwide as the company continues to ramp up investments in AI computing power. Meta has already committed hundreds of billions of dollars toward building large AI data centres, primarily in the United States, to support its expanding AI ambitions. The announcement was made in Calgary alongside Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and other provincial officials, reflecting Alberta's efforts to attract large-scale investments from global technology companies. According to Reuters, Alberta's technology minister, Nate Glubish, said several other gigawatt-scale data centre proposals are currently under development in the province, signalling growing interest from hyperscale technology firms. Alberta's energy advantage Meta's decision highlights Alberta's growing appeal as an AI infrastructure hub due to its abundant and relatively inexpensive natural gas supplies, cool climate and favourable business environment. The province's colder temperatures help lower cooling costs for high-performance computing infrastructure, while Alberta's energy grid, currently powered about 60% by natural gas, offers access to large-scale electricity generation. Meta said it will fully fund new power generation and grid infrastructure for the project. The facility is expected to consume electricity equivalent to the annual power needs of roughly 800,000 homes. The company also said it plans to offset its electricity consumption by investing in renewable and clean energy projects. The data centre will use a closed-loop liquid cooling system designed to minimise water consumption. Partnerships to secure power supply Meta has partnered with Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline to support the project's long-term energy needs. Last week, Pembina announced it would proceed with the Greenlight Electricity Centre, a natural gas-fired power generation facility in Sturgeon County that is expected to begin operations in late 2030. Meta has signed a long-term tolling agreement for electricity from the project. Until then, Alberta-based Capital Power will supply 250 megawatts of electricity from its existing natural gas-fired generation fleet. According to Pembina, the project will require around 150 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, creating additional demand for Western Canadian natural gas producers. AI strategy and environmental concerns Canada recently unveiled a national AI strategy aimed at encouraging data centre development by leveraging the country's largely low-emission electricity system. However, most planned Canadian AI data centres are concentrated in Alberta, where electricity generation remains significantly more carbon-intensive than the national average because it relies on natural gas. Environmental groups criticised the announcement, arguing that large AI data centres could place additional pressure on natural resources and increase greenhouse gas emissions. Meta share price outlook Meta shares remain one of the strongest performers among large-cap technology companies as investors continue to reward its aggressive AI investment strategy. The latest Canadian data centre announcement reinforces Meta's long-term commitment to expanding AI infrastructure, a key driver of future revenue growth across advertising, generative AI products and enterprise AI services. In the near term, however, such multibillion-dollar investments are likely to keep capital expenditure elevated, which could weigh on margins if spending rises faster than monetisation. Investors will closely monitor whether Meta's AI investments translate into stronger revenue growth and operating profits over the coming quarters. Overall, analysts are expected to view the Alberta project as strategically positive for Meta's long-term AI leadership, even if the significant capital commitments limit short-term earnings upside. Continued progress in AI product monetisation and advertising growth is likely to remain the primary catalysts for the stock.

Meta to build first data center in Canada in expansion of global fleet

Meta Platforms will invest around $10 billion to build its first data center in Canada as the company expands its infrastructure to support its artificial intelligence ambitions. The Sturgeon County, Alberta-based data center will have one gigawatt of power capacity -- the equivalent of the power used by around 750,000 homes -- and will be largely run on natural gas-fired power. Meta said it's funding the new electrical generation, which will be connected to Alberta's grid. The facility will require 3,000 construction workers, and once complete, will create 300 full-time jobs, Meta said in a statement on Wednesday. The data center will be Meta's largest outside the U.S., according to Gary Demasi, Meta's vice president of data center development and strategy. The company is expanding its global data center footprint to secure more computing capacity. The Alberta project marks the 33rd data center in its fleet. Meta plans to use the computing power for its own AI models and social media apps, including Instagram and Facebook, but it's also exploring setting up a cloud business that could sell some of that capacity to other companies. While Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has said the company plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to build out AI infrastructure in the U.S. before the end of the decade, Canada has recently sought to lure investment north of the border. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was elected last year on a pledge to make the country "the best place in the world to build data centers." The country has vast reserves of relatively cheap natural gas as well as hydropower. The largest projects are concentrated in Alberta, the source of most of the country's oil and gas production. Last year, Carney agreed to lift clean electricity rules and emissions limits that Alberta said hindered its power industry. Meta's latest data center announcement comes after Canadian midstream company Pembina Pipeline Corp. and partners Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners and Kineticor Asset Management said they would move ahead with a $3.2 billion gas-fired electricity plant in Sturgeon County. Meta confirmed the plant will support its data center. The only water required for the project will be for domestic uses, fire protection and some equipment maintenance, Demasi said. Alberta has attracted as much as 200 billion Canadian dollars ($141 billion) of potential investment in data centers, Premier Danielle Smith said at a news conference. A firm backed by Canadian businessman and television personality Kevin O'Leary wants to build a 7.5-gigawatt data center called Wonder Valley about 480 kilometers from the provincial capital of Edmonton. Data District, a division of Swiss-based manager Alcral, has partnered with another company on a proposal for multiple data centers in the province. "The global race for computing power is ramping up like never before driven by demand from artificial intelligence," Smith said. Alberta-based Capital Power said it has entered into a long-term energy supply agreement for 250 megawatts of power for the Meta data center. "We fully expect this is a watermark moment for the industry in the province and we expect to see more projects coming in behind this as a result," Capital Power CEO Avik Dey said in an interview. "This project in many ways validates Canada and Alberta as a viable jurisdiction for AI compute. I cannot understate the importance of this moment in that regard."

Meta data center: Meta to build C$13 billion Alberta data center, its first in Canada

Meta has doubled down on AI, pledging hundreds of billions of dollars to build large AI data centers in the U.S. The Alberta announcement represents the company's 33rd data center globally. Tech giant Meta announced Wednesday it will build a massive data center in central Alberta, the company's first in Canada, as it rapidly builds out computing capacity to support the global AI boom. The 1-gigawatt data center, which will be built with the ability to scale up to 1.8 gigawatts, will be located in Sturgeon County and represents a total investment of C$13 billion, or $9.17 billion, Meta said. Meta has doubled down on AI, pledging hundreds of billions of dollars to build large AI data centers in the U.S. The Alberta announcement represents the company's 33rd data center globally. Executives made the announcement ⁠in Calgary ⁠alongside Premier Danielle Smith and other Alberta government officials, who have spent several years courting Silicon Valley tech giants with the aim of spurring a large-scale investment in the oil-and-gas province. Alberta's technology minister, Nate Glubish, told reporters there are currently several other gigawatt-scale data center proposals in various stages of development in the province. "This is the first of its kind, the first of its size, the first of its scale, but it won't be the last," Glubish said. Meta, like other tech giants, is facing rapidly expanding power needs due to the growth of AI, and Alberta is rich in natural gas which sells at a significant discount to the U.S. benchmark. The province's cold ⁠climate also makes cooling the massive super-computers and related data center infrastructure more cost-efficient. The 20 existing small- to mid-scale data centers in Alberta already pull from the province's energy grid, which is 60% powered by natural gas. The provincial government is ⁠giving new proponents the option to build their own power sources to avoid limits on power capacity. Meta said Wednesday it will fully fund new generation and grid infrastructure for its Alberta data center, which will consume about as much electricity as 800,000 homes. Gary Demasi, Meta's vice president for data center development, said the company will offset that electricity use by investing in clean and renewable energy. He also said the data center will use a closed-loop liquid cooling system, meaning its total water use will be less than that of a typical golf course. The company has partnered with Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline , which announced last week it will go ahead with its Greenlight Electricity Centre, a new natural gas-fired power-generation facility in Sturgeon County which will be in service in late 2030 and with which Meta has a long-term tolling agreement. Until that project is operational and for the next decade, Alberta-based power producer Capital Power will provide 250 megawatts of electricity for the site using its existing natural gas-fired fleet. The ⁠project will require approximately 150 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, according to Pembina, helping to create demand for Western Canadian natural gas producers. Canada's government laid out an AI strategy last month that suggested new data center growth would benefit from the country's clean electricity grid, which is largely powered by renewables and low-emission power sources. But the vast majority of data centers currently in the planning stages in Canada are located in Alberta, where a reliance on natural gas means the emissions intensity of the province's electricity grid is almost five times the national average. Environmentalists in Canada were quick to condemn Meta's plans, with some saying tech billionaires have no right to the country's natural resources. "We need a moratorium on mega-data centers until we have legislated environmental and human rights protections on AI," said Keith Stewart of Greenpeace Canada.

Meta to build its first $13 billion data centre in Canada

Tech giant Meta announced Wednesday it will build a massive data centre in central Alberta, the company's first in Canada, as it rapidly builds out computing capacity to support the global AI boom. The one-gigawatt data centre will be located in Sturgeon County and represents a total investment of C$13 billion, or $9.17 billion, Meta said. Meta has doubled down on AI, pledging hundreds of billions of dollars to build large AI data centres in the U.S. The Alberta announcement represents the company's 33rd data centre globally. Executives made the announcement in Calgary alongside Premier Danielle Smith and other Alberta government officials, who have spent several years courting Silicon Valley tech giants with the aim of spurring a large-scale investment in the oil-and-gas province. Meta, like other tech giants, is facing rapidly expanding power needs due to the growth of AI, and Alberta is rich in natural gas which sells at a significant discount to the U.S. benchmark. The province's cold climate also makes cooling the massive super-computers and related data centre infrastructure more cost-efficient. The 20 existing small- to mid-scale data centres in Alberta already pull from the province's energy grid, which is 60 per cent powered by natural gas. The provincial government is giving new proponents the option to build their own power sources to avoid limits on power capacity. Meta said Wednesday it will fully fund new generation and grid infrastructure for its Alberta data centre, which will consume about as much electricity as 800,000 homes. The company has partnered with Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline, which announced last week it will go ahead with its Greenlight Electricity Centre, a new natural gas-fired power-generation facility in Sturgeon County which will be in service in late 2030 and with which Meta has a long-term tolling agreement. The project will require approximately 150 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, according to Pembina, helping to create demand for Western Canadian natural gas producers. Canada's government laid out an AI strategy last month that suggested new data centre growth would benefit from the country's clean electricity grid, which is largely powered by renewables and low-emission power sources. But the vast majority of data centres currently in the planning stages in Canada are located in Alberta, where a reliance on natural gas means the emissions intensity of the province's electricity grid is almost five times the national average.

Meta to build $13 billion Alberta data centre, its first in Canada

Tech giant Meta announced Wednesday it will build a massive data centre in central Alberta, the company's first in Canada, as it rapidly builds out computing capacity to support the global AI boom. The one-gigawatt data centre will be located in Sturgeon County and represents a total investment of C$13 billion, or $9.17 billion, Meta said. Meta has doubled down on AI, pledging hundreds of billions of dollars to build large AI data centres in the U.S. The Alberta announcement represents the company's 33rd data centre globally. Executives made the announcement in Calgary alongside Premier Danielle Smith and other Alberta government officials, who have spent several years courting Silicon Valley tech giants with the aim of spurring a large-scale investment in the oil-and-gas province. Meta, like other tech giants, is facing rapidly expanding power needs due to the growth of AI, and Alberta is rich in natural gas which sells at a significant discount to the U.S. benchmark. The province's cold climate also makes cooling the massive super-computers and related data centre infrastructure more cost-efficient. The 20 existing small- to mid-scale data centres in Alberta already pull from the province's energy grid, which is 60 per cent powered by natural gas. The provincial government is giving new proponents the option to build their own power sources to avoid limits on power capacity. Meta said Wednesday it will fully fund new generation and grid infrastructure for its Alberta data centre, which will consume about as much electricity as 800,000 homes. The company has partnered with Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline, which announced last week it will go ahead with its Greenlight Electricity Centre, a new natural gas-fired power-generation facility in Sturgeon County which will be in service in late 2030 and with which Meta has a long-term tolling agreement. The project will require approximately 150 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, according to Pembina, helping to create demand for Western Canadian natural gas producers. Canada's government laid out an AI strategy last month that suggested new data centre growth would benefit from the country's clean electricity grid, which is largely powered by renewables and low-emission power sources. But the vast majority of data centres currently in the planning stages in Canada are located in Alberta, where a reliance on natural gas means the emissions intensity of the province's electricity grid is almost five times the national average.

Meta Platforms Breaks Ground on Data Center in Western Canada

OTTAWA--Meta Platforms said Wednesday it is opening an artificial-intelligence data center in the western Canadian province of Alberta. Meta said the new center would be located in central Alberta, just northwest of the capital Edmonton. Meta said the data center comes with a price tag of 13 billion Canadian dollars, or the equivalent of $9.15 billion, and support employment for over 3,000 construction workers and more than 300 permanent staff. Meta added it is spending C$60 million in infrastructure upgrades in central Alberta. This represents Meta's 33rd data center, but its first in Canada. Last week, Pembina said it was proceeding with a C$4.6 billion, 932-megawatt gas-fired power plant near Meta's planned data center. Pembina is a lead partner in the limited partnership building the power plant, which includes Morgan Stanley's infrastructure arm and an Alberta-based asset manager, Kineticor. In its release, Pembina said the power plant was meant to serve a major data center but declined to name the customer.

Meta to build C$13 billion Alberta data center, its first in Canada

CALGARY, July 8 (Reuters) - Tech giant Meta announced Wednesday it will build a massive data center in central Alberta, the company's first in Canada, as it rapidly builds out computing capacity to support the global AI boom. The 1-gigawatt data center will be located in Sturgeon County and represents a total investment of C$13 billion, or $9.17 billion, Meta said. Meta has doubled down on AI, pledging hundreds of billions of dollars to build large AI data centers in the U.S. The Alberta announcement represents the company's 33rd data center globally. Executives made the announcement in Calgary alongside Premier Danielle Smith and other Alberta government officials, who have spent several years courting Silicon Valley tech giants with the aim of spurring a large-scale investment in the oil-and-gas province. Meta, like other tech giants, is facing rapidly expanding power needs due to the growth of AI, and Alberta is rich in natural gas which sells at a significant discount to the U.S. benchmark. The province's cold climate also makes cooling the massive super-computers and related data center infrastructure more cost-efficient. The 20 existing small- to mid-scale data centers in Alberta already pull from the province's energy grid, which is 60% powered by natural gas. The provincial government is giving new proponents the option to build their own power sources to avoid limits on power capacity. Meta said Wednesday it will fully fund new generation and grid infrastructure for its Alberta data center, which will consume about as much electricity as 800,000 homes. The company has partnered with Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline, which announced last week it will go ahead with its Greenlight Electricity Centre, a new natural gas-fired power-generation facility in Sturgeon County which will be in service in late 2030 and with which Meta has a long-term tolling agreement. The project will require approximately 150 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, according to Pembina, helping to create demand for Western Canadian natural gas producers. Canada's government laid out an AI strategy last month that suggested new data center growth would benefit from the country's clean electricity grid, which is largely powered by renewables and low-emission power sources. But the vast majority of data centers currently in the planning stages in Canada are located in Alberta, where a reliance on natural gas means the emissions intensity of the province's electricity grid is almost five times the national average. (Reporting by Amanda Stephenson in CalgaryEditing by Nick Zieminski)