September 12, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Nearly a year after the Alberta government launched a strategy to attract artificial intelligence data centres, one of the province’s early proposals has been dealt a major setback.
Rocky View County council voted 6–1 on Tuesday to reject a plan for a sprawling AI data centre complex northeast of Calgary, prompting cheers and applause from residents who packed the council chamber. Councillors cited concerns over the proposed location and the impact on nearby farmland.
The project, put forward by Kineticor Asset Management, called for a 448-hectare campus—roughly one and a half times the size of CrossIron Mills—on agricultural land in the county’s northeast quadrant.
Farmer Wayne Shuttleworth, whose land borders the site, said he was first presented with the project proposal in July, along with supporting studies that included an environmental review and water drainage plan. He told council he feared stormwater runoff from the development could damage his crops, and criticized the developer for failing to provide clear answers on how that risk would be addressed.
The decision leaves the future of the project uncertain, even as Alberta continues to court data centre investments as part of its broader technology and economic diversification strategy.
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