Meta invests $9 billion in first Canadian AI data centre

Meta began construction of its first data centre in Canada, investing more than CAD $13 billion (around $9 billion) in a new artificial intelligence (AI)-optimised facility in Alberta.

Business Insider reported that the company announced on Wednesday that the 1-gigawatt computing centre will be built in Sturgeon County, just outside Edmonton, as part of its growing global AI infrastructure.

First Canadian data centre designed for AI

Meta said the Alberta facility will be purpose-built to support AI workloads, helping power products used by billions of people worldwide, including its social media platforms and wearable technologies.

Once completed, the site will become Meta's 33rd data centre globally and its first in Canada.

According to the company, the campus will span approximately 2.9 million square feet across 1,750 acres.

Project expected to create thousands of jobs

Meta expects the project to support more than 3,000 construction jobs during peak building activity and create over 300 permanent operational roles after completion.

The company also plans to invest around CAD $60 million (roughly $42 million) in local infrastructure improvements to support the development.

Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw welcomed the investment, saying it would bring employment opportunities and generate long-term tax revenue for the region.

Facility will use water-efficient cooling system

Meta said the new data centre will feature a closed-loop, liquid-cooled system with dry cooling technology, allowing it to operate without relying on a continuous water supply for cooling.

The company added that the design supports next-generation AI systems through specialised networking, hardware and cooling infrastructure.

A Meta spokesperson said the facility is expected to become operational within the next two to three years.

AI infrastructure continues to expand

The Alberta project follows Meta's broader investment in AI infrastructure across North America.

In the United States, the company operates 28 data centres, including its massive Richland Parish campus in Louisiana.

That facility is expected to become Meta's largest data centre, covering around 4 million square feet and providing more than 2 gigawatts of computing capacity for AI and other services.