Hundreds of individuals took to the streets of Vancouver over the weekend to voice their opposition to the establishment of two upcoming AI data centers in the city, citing concerns about the substantial water and energy consumption associated with such facilities amid tightening water regulations in the region.
The protest commenced at Waterfront Station, where demonstrators assembled before embarking on a march towards Granville Island, denouncing artificial intelligence and displaying signs rejecting the development of new data centers in Vancouver.
Organizer Torin LaRocque expressed his desire for both the municipal and federal authorities to halt the proposed projects, advocating for a complete ban on data centers in Canada. He emphasized the need for the government to prioritize its citizens over large corporations.
Telus has put forth plans for two new AI data centers in Vancouver and the expansion of an existing facility in Kamloops as part of the Enabling Large-Scale Sovereign AI Data Centers initiative spearheaded by Ottawa. Federal Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon highlighted how the initiative aims to boost Canada’s sovereign compute capacity and enhance domestic competitiveness in the global AI economy.
The first data center in Vancouver, situated at the former Hootsuite headquarters in Mount Pleasant, is set to commence operations later this year, with a second facility planned for 2029 at 150 West Georgia Street. The B.C. government has endorsed the project, rolling out its own AI data center power policy earlier this year, while Vancouver’s Mayor Ken Sim lauded the data centers as cutting-edge facilities.
Despite official support, protesters argue that insufficient information has been provided regarding the environmental repercussions of the data centers, expressing concerns about the surge in electricity demand and significant water consumption associated with AI facilities.
The demonstration coincides with Metro Vancouver’s current Stage 2 water restrictions, which prohibit activities like lawn watering, as the region anticipates transitioning to Stage 3 restrictions in the coming month. Linda Parkinson, director of water services at Metro Vancouver, noted that large water users, including data centers, are subject to scrutiny by both the city and regional authorities.
Telus has positioned the project as environmentally friendly, emphasizing that the data centers will predominantly run on clean hydro power, recycle waste energy for residential heating, and use significantly less water compared to traditional data centers. The company is also exploring the utilization of recycled water from B.C. Place stadium.
B.C. Green Party leader Emily Lowan, present at the protest, expressed skepticism about the sustainability claims of the projects, suggesting that the proposed sites could be repurposed for housing or other community needs.
The federal government clarified that no federal funding has been allocated to the project thus far. In a statement, a spokesperson for Minister Solomon’s office assured that residents’ inquiries regarding energy usage, water consumption, noise levels, grid impacts, and local benefits are integral to the federal assessment process.
Concerns surrounding the energy and water usage of data centers have emerged as a contentious issue in various communities across North America as technology companies strive to expand their infrastructure to meet the escalating power demands of AI technologies.