@journodale.bsky.social:
I also have zero faith that when they say “Oh, it’ll be closed-loop, don’t worry” that they won’t change their minds during construction because it’s cheaper for them not to be closed loop, by which point it’s too late to do anything.
@nicktsergas.ca:
According to a Senate of Canada brief, for every gallon of water used to cool US datacentres, 12.4 gallons were used to cool those datacentres’ power plants.
Closed-loop can sleight-of-hand water usage away from the datacentres to the power plants.
@marygillis.bsky.social:
If AI was truly the future, its boosters wouldn’t be so sweaty to force everyone to use it and like it and like the people who use it.
This doesn’t feel like the release of the iPhone.
It’s more like the release of the Zune.
Alberta minister faces more fury at second town hall on AI data centres, Speakers expressed concern over strains megaprojects will bring to rural Alberta by Lisa Johnson · The Canadian Press · Aug 21, 2026, CBC
Alberta’s technology minister faced yet another firing line of fury at the government’s second town hall hearing from residents over its plan for artificial intelligence data centres.
Nate Glubish was peppered with profanity from audience members at the Thursday event in Redwater, north of Edmonton, in Sturgeon County.
Last month, tech giant Meta announced plans to build a $13-billion AI data centre project in the region. It is to be fed by a $4.6-billion natural gas-fired power plant.
People lined up to the microphone to level their concerns and demand specifics on safeguards. Some said trust in the provincial government has already been lost on the file.
Sturgeon County resident, Connie Shields, said she doesn’t trust the government to properly regulate projects like these.
“You are the people we elected. You should be saying what we’re telling you to say,” Shields said.
“You shouldn’t be making up your own rules, you shouldn’t be dictating what goes where.”
Another woman in the crowd said Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government spent more than two years planning its strategy and only recently notified locals.
“If no one wants this, why are you pushing forward with this?” she asked, to applause.
The cheers were loud, but not unanimous.
“Lots of people not applauding,” said event moderator and political staffer Vitor Marciano, who stepped in before the minister responded.
There’s that little ex Wildrose Marciano shit again, trying but failing to con the room, so what if many were not applauding? In my experience of rural Albertans at town halls, many are shy, do not ask questions or state their disapproval, and few applaud
Under a barrage of angry interruptions, Glubish sought to offer what he said was his best answer to the woman’s question.
“This was zoned for this for over 30 years, and now it is coming to fruition,” he said.
Jobs ‘all day long,’ minister pledges
Other speakers expressed concern that local resources, such as water, land and electricity, might be sucked dry by the megaproject. Some were also skeptical about the promised jobs.
Glubish said Meta’s project represents indirect economic benefits, and that 300 jobs are nothing to brush past.Pfffft. I don’t believe those jobs will happen.
“If we have a choice between 300 jobs and zero jobs, I’m taking 300 jobs all day long,” said Glubish.
Throughout the night, audience members hurled multiple expletives toward Glubish. The crowd also heckled the minister and made interjections as he spoke.Bravo! I am so impressed with Albertans loudly and vehemently saying No to AI data centres.
Glubish also took heat for the Smith government’s use of the notwithstanding clause, a once-rarely-used provision that can override rights in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
One man in the crowd described that decision as “slimy” and questioned how Albertans could trust the provincial government.
“I’m sorry to hear that you have such a jaded view of the government,” Glubish responded, to boos.UCP are disgusting, corrupt, charter violating, racist, bigoted, misogynistic, lying, endlessly lying Nazi Trump loving separatist shits.
“All I can offer is that I’m going to do the best of my ability to ensure that any development in data centres is done responsibly. I care deeply about this province.”Nothing is ever done responsibly in Alberta by con gov’ts, it’s always corruption, lies, pollution, devastation, more lies, more harms, more pollution, more walk from clean up by American fucking rich asshats, more charter violations of the marginalized, more theft from the people, more crap.
Thursday’s event came one day after Glubish was met with jeers, badgering and boos during a town hall in the central Alberta town of Lacombe.
He has said AI technology is going to be built globally, no matter what happens in Alberta. How the fuck does he know this? AI makes no money, it keeps rapists, haters of women, and pedophiles happy, and pollutes one hell of a lot. It’s a big fat ugly Nazi bubble about to burst. Then what?He said the province should take advantage of the investment, jobs and private investment in power generation.and all that good water lost permanently to the hydrogeological cycle during frac’ing for the gas to power that stupid generation for unwanted stolen stupid racist error laden shit fucking AI
WATCH | Protestors descend as data centre construction begins:
Albertans speak out against Meta’s new data centre
August 2|
Duration 1:57Protestors gathered in Morinville, Alta., on Sunday afternoon to push back against a new data centre being built in Sturgeon County. The CBC’s Tristan Mottershead reports.
Ben Baril, an anti-data centre activist and organizer, told reporters Thursday’s town hall became a protest.A+++++
He said the government isn’t interested in gathering public opinion.
“The more that they come out and humiliate themselves in front of large crowds, more and more people see how disingenuous they are,” Baril said.
He added that opponents need to keep pestering public officials about the issue.
Glubish reiterated that the province has developed strict rules to protect local water supplies and keep power bills under control.Rules mean nothing when they’re ignored, violated, and not enforced, which is Alberta UCP’s standard “best” practice.
He has also promised that further setback rules that ensure megaprojects aren’t built near residential areas are on the way.Too late you fuck. Look at the horrendous stresses and waste of time you caused the good people of Olds and elsewhere!
“We are just at the start of a new industry, and we are taking the time to make sure that we get the regulatory framework in place,” he said Thursday.Fucking liar. UCP only lie about AI. The only reason UCP now say they’re putting a regulatory framework in place, is because of the opposition and loud outrage. I know if the framework is put into place, the AI tech billionaires will just ignore it, and UCP and Alberta “regulators” will ignore it too, and ignore the AI bros ignoring the regs like they do everywhere.
Smith is set to join Glubish for a virtual town hall Aug. 27. Another in-person town hall is set for next month in Grande Prairie.
Refer also to: