Meta invests $10 billion in first AI data center in Canada

Meta began construction of its first data center in Canada on July 8, 2026 — a 1-gigawatt complex in Sturgeon County, Alberta, with investments exceeding 13 billion Canadian dollars (approximately 10 billion US dollars).

What will be built in Alberta

The new data center will be Meta's 33rd in the global network and the first on Canadian territory. The 1-gigawatt facility is specifically designed for Meta's AI workloads — from recommendation systems to generative models serving Meta's products.

• July 8, 2026 — groundbreaking for Meta's first Canadian data center, in Sturgeon County (Alberta)
• Investment — over 13 billion Canadian dollars (approximately $10 billion USD)
• At peak construction — approximately 3,000 workers; after launch — over 300 permanent jobs
• Additional 60 million Canadian dollars from Meta will go toward local infrastructure — roads and water supply
• The region is launching the Data Center Community Action Grants program for local nonprofit organizations

Beyond the construction itself, Meta is taking on some social responsibilities to the region in advance: 60 million Canadian dollars will go toward roads and upgrading water infrastructure in the county, while the company simultaneously launches its annual Data Center Community Action Grants program in Sturgeon — direct financing for local nonprofit organizations.

How the company addresses energy and water issues

Meta fully covers the data center's energy costs to avoid passing expenses to local consumers and finances new and modernized energy infrastructure. For planning, the company worked with partners Greenlight Limited Partnership, AltaLink, Capital Power, and the province's power system operator — Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO); all data center electricity consumption will be covered by 100% clean and renewable energy.

The Sturgeon data center uses a closed-loop liquid cooling system with dry cooling, so there will be no operational water consumption in the cooling system — water will only be used for sanitary needs, fire protection, and equipment maintenance. According to the company's official blog, Meta intends to become water positive globally by 2030, meaning it will restore more water than it consumes. The company also pays the full cost of water and wastewater for the data center and annually discloses water intake and energy consumption data on sustainability.atmeta.com.

"We are pleased that

Sturgeon County will be home to our newest data center, and we look forward to working with the local community," states Meta's official Newsroom blog.

What this means

Meta's Canadian project is part of the company's global race for computing resources for AI: the company simultaneously takes on energy and water expenses to mitigate the burden on local networks and prevent regulatory and community approval from slowing down such construction projects.

Frequently asked questions

How much is Meta investing in the Canadian data center?

Investment in the Sturgeon County facility will exceed 13 billion Canadian dollars — this is approximately 10 billion US dollars.

How many jobs will the data center create?

At peak construction, approximately 3,000 people will work on site; after the data center launches, there will be over 300 permanent employees.

How will the data center affect water consumption in the region?

The facility uses a closed-loop liquid cooling system with dry cooling without operational water consumption for cooling; Meta also aims to become water positive globally by 2030.