Data Centres: Why Alberta? Why Olds?

Why are data centres interested in Alberta? In Olds? 

1. Global Demand: AI computing power demand is growing faster than anyone predicted, and communities with the right conditions are being asked to be part of the solution.
   • Global data centre capacity is on track to double by 2030, driven by the rapid growth of AI. Read the JLL 2026 Global Data Centre Outlook to understand the scale of demand driving investment worldwide.
2. Federal Government: Ottawa has responded to this demand with the Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy, committing over $2 billion to build domestic AI computing capacity and keep Canadian data in Canadian hands. Learn more about Canada's approach here.
3. Alberta's AI Data Centres Strategy: Positions the province as a North American leader in AI data centre development by leaning into our advantages: power capacity, a cold climate, and a competitive business environment. Read Alberta's AI Data Centre Strategy here.
4. Location, Location, Location: Olds has a mix of nearby natural gas resources, fibre optic connectivity, and land availability. We think data centres can be a significant boost to our local economy, but only if they can be built safety and responsibly. And processes exist to ensure that happens.

We'll keep sharing updates at olds.ca/datacentres. But reach out to planning@olds.ca with any questions you have in the meantime.