Meta has begun construction of its first Canadian data centre, a 1 GW AI-optimised facility in Alberta that represents an investment of more than CAD$13 billion and includes funding for energy infrastructure, community projects and local infrastructure improvements.
Meta has broken ground on its first data centre in Canada, launching construction of a 1 gigawatt (GW), artificial intelligence (AI)-optimised facility in Sturgeon County, Alberta.
The project marks Meta’s 33rd data centre globally and is designed to support the company’s growing AI workloads and core products. Once complete, the development will represent an investment of more than CAD$13 billion.
The Alberta facility is designed to support Meta’s expanding AI infrastructure while helping power technologies used across its products.
According to the company, the project is expected to support more than 3,000 construction workers at peak activity and create more than 300 operational jobs once the data centre becomes operational.
Alongside the data centre, Meta said it will invest approximately CAD$60 million in local infrastructure improvements, including roads and water infrastructure.
It also plans to launch its annual Data Center Community Action Grants programme in the region, providing funding for local non-profit organisations.
Rachel Peterson, Vice President, Data Centers at Meta, said:
“As we continue scaling Meta’s data center fleet to meet the demands of AI, every site we add is a deliberate choice — not just about where to build, but about how we show up as a long-term partner.
Today, I’m excited to share that Meta is building a 1GW data center in Sturgeon County, Alberta. This is our first facility in Canada, and the 33rd in our global portfolio. This is a more than CAD $13 billion investment, and it represents a significant milestone in our infrastructure journey.
We selected Sturgeon County for its access to energy and infrastructure, strong talent base, and a great set of community partners committed to working with us to move this project forward.”
Meta said it has worked with Greenlight Limited Partnership, AltaLink, Capital Power and the Alberta Electric System Operator to plan the energy requirements for the facility.
It will fully fund new electricity generation and grid infrastructure to support the data centre, adding that the investment is intended to improve reliability across Alberta’s electricity grid. Meta also said the facility’s electricity use will be matched with 100 per cent clean and renewable energy.
The Sturgeon County facility will use a closed-loop, liquid-cooled system with dry cooling, resulting in no operational water use for the cooling system.
According to Meta, water use at the site will be limited to domestic uses, fire protection and equipment maintenance. It also pays the full costs of water and wastewater services for its data centres and aims to become water positive by 2030 by restoring more water than it consumes globally where it has owned operations.
