'There are so many concerns': Albertans protest at data centre conference

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsLocal News 'There are so many concerns': Albertans protest at data centre conference Protesters cited pollution, driven by increased fossil fuel production and exacerbated by the release of polluted water underground or into streams, impacting rural communities Author of the article: By Hiren Mansukhani Published Sep 09, 2026 Last updated 1 minute ago 5 minute read Join the conversation Protesters converged to protest AI data centres at the Hyatt Regency on Stephen Avenue in Calgary on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. Brent Calver/Postmedia Article content As developers from across North America gathered in Calgary on Wednesday to discuss how to navigate a future with more data centres, local Albertans protested against such facilities and the acceleration of artificial intelligence. Article content “It is quite tone deaf in the sense that they don’t seem to be aware of all of our concerns, like just, you know, normal Calgarians here from all different economic groups, all different racial backgrounds,” said Jenna Abbas, the rally organizer with the Polluter Pay Federation, a climate change activist group, outside Hyatt Regency Calgary. Article content Article content Article content “There are so many concerns.” Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content The conference, organized by an industry group called Western Canada Data Centre Alliance, covered energy consumption, community engagement to support building more facilities, and supply chain issues. The event was closed to the media. Article content The group cited pollution, driven by increased fossil fuel production and exacerbated by the release of polluted water underground or into streams, impacting rural communities. Article content The concerns come as electricity consumption by data centres worldwide is set to double from 485 Terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2025 to 950 TWh in five years, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), straining existing infrastructure. Article content Without additional investment in critical upgrades, the pressure would drive up energy bills of ordinary residents, according to the Pembina…