EDMONTON — A man leading a movement against artificial intelligence data centres in Alberta says provincial officials can expect to get an earful at an upcoming town hall. Ben Baril says he and other protesters will be at an Aug. 20 hearing in Sturgeon County to tell Premier Danielle Smith’s government that true public consultation would be to halt the projects until concerns are addressed. Alberta has already said the tech giant Meta is building a massive facility in the county, north of Edmonton, and several other AI data centres are in the works across the province. Baril says he’s concerned about the impact the centres will have on the climate, as well as the province’s water supply and electricity grid. The town hall in Sturgeon County is one of four the province will host, with the first one scheduled for Aug. 19 in the central Alberta town of Ponoka. Technology Minister Nate Glubish is hosting the events, and says Albertans deserve real answers on what these new infrastructure investments mean for them. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 11, 2026. Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press
