Canada AI data centre plans face protest as government disputes 20 GW capacity claim

A document prepared for Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon was obtained by The Canadian Press. It listed Canada’s existing AI data‑centre capacity at about 337 megawatts and noted that more than 20 gigawatts (20,000 MW) of projects are “under planning or development.”

Government officials said the 20 GW figure is a high‑level snapshot, not a projection of what will be built, and that many projects remain subject to commercial decisions, financing, electricity availability, regulatory approvals and engagement with provinces, municipalities, Indigenous and local communities. A statement from Solomon’s office said “most of this proposed capacity is not expected to proceed.”

The proposal has sparked community opposition. Protesters rallied in Vancouver in late June, and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew rejected a massive data‑centre project southeast of Winnipeg, citing environmental concerns and limited economic benefit. Telus is moving ahead with two new AI data‑centre sites in Vancouver and an expansion in Kamloops.

The government’s recent AI strategy estimates Canada will need about 5.5 GW of AI compute capacity by 2030, largely delivered by large‑scale hyperscalers serving domestic and foreign markets. An earlier briefing suggested that if the full 22 GW of planned capacity were built, Canada could rank second in the G7 after the United States.