Residents are demanding consultation as investment goes to $52 billion
On Sept. 15, Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Carla Beck announced an online petition calling for a pause to the construction of the large-scale AI data centre, citing a lack of consultation with local residents by the Saskatchewan Party government.
“This is the largest capital investment in Saskatchewan’s history,” said Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney at an investment summit in Toronto alongside Bell Canada CEO Mirko Bibic.
During the summit, Bibic announced that the data centre will expand to quadruple its original 300–megawatt facility to a facility with 1.2 gigawatts of power, with Bell Canada increasing its investment to $52 billion from the initial investment of $1.7 billion.
In concern for personal data, such as financial and commercial information, being stored away in centres based in foreign countries, Scott Moe, leader of the Saskatchewan Party and Premier of Saskatchewan declared that this AI data centre will “protect what is ours.”
The city’s demonstration
Across the city, a grassroots group of concerned residents called No Data Centres on Treaty Land has organized multiple protests and demonstrations. The group’s objective is to protect treaty land, water, wildlife, and other natural resources.
The key issue that has prompted the formation of this organization has been the lack of transparency, consultation, and basic due diligence from the government to the general public. Since then, they have hosted several campaigns and protests to put pressure on the government and Bell.
This is the largest capital investment in Saskatchewan’s history. – Mark Carney
“We are concerned about Treaty rights, impacts to water, land, power, wildfire, public health and more – even more so now that the centre has been expanded to 1.2 GW,” said Taya, a member of the nonprofit group.
On the afternoon of Sept. 23, they brought the protest to the Rural Municipality of Sherwood office, where messages such as “not on our prairies” and “you can’t drink data” were plastered. The next protest took place on Oct. 3rd outside city hall in order to continue advocating for the voice of the public.
NDP official petition
The news of an AI data centre being built in Saskatchewan first broke in February of this year, with an official announcement made in March. Since that time, the NDP has asked numerous questions of the government through the Estimates process established in the legislature through the Question Period, a scheduled time in parliament where the members of the legislature can direct questions to the prime minister and the cabinet ministers in order to hold the government accountable. In this case, the questions were regarding the AI data centre.
The NDP has also taken action by writing to the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) with results of receiving no meaningful responses to the inquiries.
Instead, the NDP has turned to the locals of the city, reaching out and understanding the raised concerns and hopes that citizens have regarding these AI data centres. Since the launch of the petition, it has garnered about 4,000 signatures.
The Carillon reached out to the NDP MLA and was directed to Emily Kim Breckner, the MLA for Saskatoon Riversdale.
“Through that work, which is the work that the government should have been doing, we understood that there were a number of concerns. Concerns around water, energy, the environment, data sovereignty, jobs, infrastructure, things like that,” said Breckner.
The main problem that raised concerns with the NDP was the fact that the Sask. Party has failed to consult people about this project. “We need to hold this project until people get the consultation that they deserve,” stated Breckner.
The NDP have not heard back from the Sask. Party with meaningful commitment to consult with the locals or host an informal gathering to address the public’s concerns. Alongside this, Bell Canada has stated that they would comply with any legislative requirements and that they do not know why they weren’t required to do an environmental assessment in the first place.
“They’re just full steam ahead. They believe they know what’s best for Saskatchewan and nobody’s going to tell them any differently,”said Breckner.
They’re just full steam ahead. They believe they know what’s best for Saskatchewan and nobody’s going to tell them any differently – Kim Breckner, MLA for Saskatoon Riversdale
Defining moratorium
“Demand a Data Centre Moratorium” is the heading seen when individuals click to sign the petition online, but what is a moratorium?
Merriam-Webster defines “moratorium” as “a legally authorized period of delay in the performance of a legal obligation or the payment of a debt.”
Since the NDP is demanding a moratorium, what are they asking from the government? Breckner has stated that it is a full stop now until the government takes accountability to consult with addressing the concerns of the public.
The NDP’s stance on the AI data centres is simply that the public should have a say in projects that come into their backyard.
Breckner acknowledged that a data centre should not be forced into a community that is not keen on the idea.
“At the end of the day, it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure that whatever infrastructure or industry comes to the community, that the community is on board with that and that it’s safe and sustainable,” said Breckner.
The next steps
The NDP is looking forward to the start of their fall session at the legislature at the end of October, with which they are going to continue to demand answers from the Sask. Party government and hold them accountable for their decisions.
They strive to continue being the voice of the people who have concerns about the data centres until they meet a moratorium.
