The Alberta government is seeking public input on the province’s rapidly expanding artificial intelligence data centre sector as concerns grow about electricity demand, water use and the cost of supporting infrastructure.

Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish will host town halls in Ponoka on Aug. 19, Sturgeon County on Aug. 20 and Grande Prairie on Sept. 11. Glubish and Premier Danielle Smith will participate in a virtual session on Aug. 27.

The province has also launched a website explaining its approach to data centre development and how residents can participate in municipal discussions and regulatory proceedings.

Glubish told Connect that feedback from the town halls will help shape consistent provincewide standards governing where large data centres can be built. The province did not provide a timeline or details about what restrictions the standards could contain.

Glubish said every data centre application, including projects already approved, is assessed individually under the provincial rules in place at the time. Reviews can cover land use, energy and water requirements, noise, transportation, emergency services, environmental effects and local infrastructure.

The province did not say whether the new standards could affect approved projects still awaiting other permits.

The government says developers must cover the cost of the power generation and transmission infrastructure required by their projects, rather than passing those expenses to taxpayers or other electricity customers. Data centre water use remains subject to provincial licensing.

The town halls follow growing opposition in several Alberta communities.

Rocky View County council voted in July to temporarily stop accepting new data centre proposals while it reviews its planning rules. The county also moved to treat data centre campuses as a discretionary land use, allowing officials to assess proposals individually.

In Olds, hundreds of residents registered to participate in the Alberta Utilities Commission’s review of the proposed Synapse data centre and accompanying natural gas power plant. Residents have raised concerns about noise, emissions, property values and the plant’s proposed location near homes.

The commission paused its review while seeking more information from the developer. The Town of Olds has also registered to participate.

Alberta says its data centre strategy has attracted between $100 billion and $200 billion in potential private investment.