AI Minister to propose soaring increase in data-centre capacity, as government pushes back on figures
A government document suggests a massive expansion in Canada's data-centre capacity to support AI, though officials have disputed the accuracy of the 20-gigawatt projection. The discrepancy highlights tensions between infrastructure planning and public concerns over energy usage.
Why it matters
The rapid growth of AI infrastructure poses significant challenges for energy grids and local environmental policy.
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 June 4. Olds is one of several cities against massive data centres. Lauren Krugel/The Canadian Press
The article presents both the government's internal document figures and the official pushback, maintaining a balanced perspective.
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