Meta to Build $13 Billion Data Centre in Alberta, Creating Thousands of Jobs

Meta announced plans to construct its first Canadian data centre in Sturgeon County, Alberta, representing an investment of more than $13 billion – one of the largest capital projects in the country’s history. The facility will operate as a digital refinery, converting Alberta natural gas into electricity and computing power for artificial‑intelligence services that will be exported through fibre‑optic links.

The project is expected to generate over 3,000 construction jobs and about 300 permanent positions, and to contribute roughly $250 million annually to Alberta’s treasury via royalties, taxes and fees. Meta will use a closed‑loop cooling system that requires no water for day‑to‑day operations, and will fund a $4 billion private power plant adjacent to the site, with the data centre covering its own transmission costs.

Officials highlighted the economic diversification benefits, noting that the data centre will create a new demand for Alberta’s natural‑gas resources while positioning the province as a hub for AI‑driven services on the global market.