Indigenous-led data centre in Alberta slated for development amid AI infrastructure boom
Woodland Cree First Nation in the process of acquiring abandoned power plant site for project
Woodland Cree First Nation announced plans to acquire a partially completed power plant to convert into a natural gas-powered data centre.
The Mihta Askiy Data Centre is located on the First Nation's traditional lands, about 500 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. The name translates to "wood land."
Woodland Cree First Nation is working in partnership with Alberta-based developer in power and technology, Sovereign Digital Infrastructure, to build the site.
It would generate a total of 650 megawatts of on-site natural gas power, with a grid backup, as required by the Alberta Energy Systems Operator. It would also include two 200-megawatt turbines.
Chief of Woodland Cree First Nation, Isaac Laboucan-Avirom, is heading the project, and has a background in oil and gas.
He said this data centre could generate significant revenue and opportunities for his community.
"The value that we'll be making out of it, will be able to for more for our community, like put more into education, or elder care, housing, infrastructure … and make sure there's a legacy left for our children's children's children," he said.
Alberta is becoming a hotbed for data centre applications. As part of its strategy, the AESO had to introduce a temporary limit on how many data centres could be added to an electrical grid, after project proposals soared in the province.
Jon Horsman, chief financial officer of Sovereign Digital Infrastructure, said the project will address multiple barriers that failed data centres typically face.
"There's just not enough power readily available to sort of build, at scale, these data centres," he said.
"What they've found is they actually have to now move the data centres closer to the sources of power. In Alberta, because we've got a deregulated electricity market, it means that you're kind of driving closer and closer to those natural gas."
In this case, the site would be responsible for generating the natural gas power it needs.
Horsman also said consultation and partnership with First Nations has been left to the side when other data centres were proposed.
Earlier this year, celebrity investor Kevin O'Leary proposed Wonder Valley, a data centre that was slated to be built in the District of Greenview, near Grande Prairie, Alta.
After the announcement, multiple First Nations across Alberta protested, saying they were never consulted.
"My general sort of path to large-scale development is to start with the First Nation partnership. Through that partnership, you can accelerate and you can get things done that you can't get done otherwise," Horsman said.
For Laboucan-Avirom, these projects need to go further than just consultation with the Indigenous communities — they also need a seat at the table.
"We really want to modernize the way to harness our culture, our language and our uniqueness," he said.
"That's one thing that the education system doesn't do justice for us Indigenous communities, is really realizing our uniqueness and our the demographics in Canada."
In a statement provided in the Sovereign Digital Infrastructure press release, Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish said this project would play a vital role in advancing Alberta's AI infrastructure.
"With 51 per cent Indigenous ownership, this project represents a meaningful step forward in reconciliation and economic partnership."
CBC reached out to Glubish's office for additional comment.
The project will roll out in four phases. The first phase, which involves startup on natural gas generation, is slated for mid-2027.
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