Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 22 JANUARY 2025

Alberta's Data Centre Advantage: A Growing Hotspot For Critical Digital Infrastructure

Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Contributor
Bennett Jones LLP

Bennett Jones LLP

Bennett Jones is one of Canada’s premier business law firms. With deep experience in complex...

View firm profile
Explore more from Bennett Jones LLP

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is reshaping industries worldwide, with Alberta emerging as a key destination for AI investments.

CanadaTechnology
David Macaulay
David Macaulay
Sean Assié
Sean Assié
Jessica Kennedy
Jessica Kennedy
Stephen D. Burns
Stephen D. Burns
Geoffrey Stenger
Geoffrey Stenger
Author LinkedIn connections

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is reshaping industries worldwide, with Alberta emerging as a key destination for AI investments. As nations compete to lead in this transformative field, Canada—and Alberta specifically—offers significant strengths.

Federal support is clear, with the Liberal government's Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy and recent statements by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre emphasizing bipartisan commitment to AI infrastructure. This ensures that, regardless of the outcome of the next federal election, Canada will prioritize the development of this critical sector.

At the provincial level, Alberta is leveraging its strong and growing technology sector to position itself as a leader. In 2024, the Alberta Government identified the data centre industry as central to its economic diversification strategy. This commitment was reinforced with the release of Alberta's AI Data Centre Strategy,

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

New AI Safety Standard Relevant To Canadian School Boards

A major U.S. vendor agreement has established a rigorous new AI safety standard for educational technology, prohibiting the use of student data for AI training and enforcing strict data minimization. While the standard does not directly bind vendors in Canada, Canadian school boards can leverage this precedent to demand equivalent contractual protections and strengthen their own AI governance frameworks.
CanadaTechnology
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Article

Canada’s 2026 AI Strategy: What Businesses Need To Know

Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy marks a significant shift in federal AI policy, moving away from standalone legislation toward a comprehensive framework that emphasizes privacy reform, data sovereignty, and business adoption. The Strategy outlines six interconnected pillars designed to position Canada as a global AI leader while addressing regulatory gaps through existing legal frameworks and new policy tools.
CanadaTechnology
Aird & Berlis LLP
Aird & Berlis LLP
Article

Notice Concerning The Quota For Imports Of Chinese Electric Vehicles

The Government of Canada has introduced new rules governing the second allocation period for electric vehicle imports from China, increasing the available quota to 33,397 vehicles while maintaining strict permit requirements and a first-come, first-served allocation system. Global Affairs Canada signals potential intervention measures to ensure equitable access, particularly for original equipment manufacturers and new market entrants navigating this highly regulated import regime.
GlobalInternational Law
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Ontario Court Bifurcates Class Action As Practical Approach To Onerous Discovery Demands

An Ontario court granted a motion to bifurcate liability and damages stages in a class action alleging $500 million in hidden fees, finding that extensive documentary production requests were disproportionate and not relevant to determining liability. The decision addresses proportionality concerns in class actions where defendants face onerous discovery demands spanning millions of transactions over a decade.
CanadaLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Data Centre West 2026: Alberta's Digital Infrastructure Moment Has Arrived

Alberta's data centre sector has evolved from speculative interest into billions in committed investment, supported by a new regulatory framework and hyperscale commitments from Meta and AWS. However, grid capacity constraints, power procurement challenges, unresolved federal copyright issues affecting AI training workloads, and community concerns about environmental impacts present significant obstacles that require continued collaboration between industry, government, and regulators.
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Canada Launches Responsible Data Centre Development Principles: What Clients Need To Know

Canada has introduced a new national framework setting expectations for data centre infrastructure development, with 42 major industry signatories including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and NVIDIA. The Principles establish five core requirements covering local benefits, electricity cost allocation, environmental impacts, transparency and strategic value, though their practical implementation will depend heavily on provincial and municipal policy decisions.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

The Q3 2026 PE Briefing

The Canadian private equity landscape navigates a transition period marked by prolonged market volatility and stalled exit activity, yet demonstrates resilience through strategic investments in high-growth sectors. Q3 2026 analysis reveals how larger commitments, power and utilities investments, evergreen fund expansion, and healthcare sector dynamics are shaping the market amid escalating trade tensions and evolving investor strategies.
CanadaFinance and Banking
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Canada's Response To Trump: Tariffs And Relief Measures

Following the Trump administration's imposition of 50% tariffs on Canadian exports worth C$27.6 billion, Prime Minister Carney has announced comprehensive countermeasures targeting American goods. The Canadian response includes dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on US products, alongside C$7.5 billion in support programs for affected workers and businesses. What relief measures and remission frameworks are available to Canadian importers navigating this escalating trade dispute?
CanadaInternational Law
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Round Three, Same Result

The Alberta Court of Appeal has ruled that Canada's amended Impact Assessment Act remains unconstitutional despite 2024 revisions intended to address Supreme Court concerns. The 4-1 majority decision found that federal oversight continues to exceed jurisdictional boundaries, particularly in regulating major resource and infrastructure projects that fall primarily under provincial authority. This landmark ruling marks the third time courts have invalidated the Act's Designated Projects scheme, raising critic
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

OPC Issues New PIPEDA Guidance On Assessing Third-Party Service Providers

Canada's privacy regulator has released new draft guidance establishing comprehensive due diligence standards for organizations evaluating third-party service providers under PIPEDA. The framework introduces eleven best practices covering everything from data flow mapping and AI training data sourcing to vendor lock-in risks and ongoing monitoring obligations, signaling heightened expectations for privacy accountability in vendor relationships.
CanadaPrivacy
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP