Saskatchewan AI data centre controversy

In late July 2026, residents of Saskatchewan staged a large rally in Saskatoon to oppose a proposed $1 billion artificial‑intelligence data centre near Regina. Protesters, led by Red Bear Party co‑founder Thieb Milyon Deng, argued the project had been approved without community consultation and raised environmental concerns such as water use and impacts on insects from noise and vibrations. They also questioned the allocation of funds, suggesting they would be better spent on social services and local water infrastructure, while acknowledging limited benefits of AI in fields like medical imaging.

A week later, the provincial government announced a C$2.6 billion plan to refurbish seven coal‑fired generating units, extending their operation to 2050. Officials said the upgrades were needed to meet rising electricity demand from mining, industry and the upcoming Bell Canada AI data centre, which is expected to require up to 300 MW of power. The opposition NDP claimed the coal‑plant extensions were intended to supply the data centre, citing a SaskPower filing linking the decision to projected revenue from the project. SaskPower disputed this, stating the refurbishment decision pre‑dated the data centre approval. The debate highlighted the growing tension between economic development tied to AI infrastructure and environmental and community concerns in Saskatchewan.