This should absolutely not be allowed

As an IT professional, an Albertan, and a human being I thoroughly oppose this data centre on every level.

Professionally, I've reviewed large amounts of research by experts, tried the technology myself, and seen the effect it's having on the work produced and the industry - the vast majority of what are marketed as "AI" systems (namely Generative AI/systems built on LLMs) are worse than useless.  They are a "solution" in search of a problem; they just make more work and wasted time for the people who know what they're doing, cleaning up after it.  There are completely obscene and unsustainable amounts of money being poured into them that can never possibly pay off, which in turn is decimating genuinely useful parts of the industry.  They have inherent limitations that can literally not be overcome, regardless of scale.  This bubble will absolutely pop, and it will be huge.

On the local level, this region has experienced frequent drought conditions in recent years, making the water usage for an AI data centre unsustainable.  As well, data centres have been shown to only result in a slight uptick in jobs whilst they're being built, with minimal impact after that - nowhere near enough return economically for this to make sense.

Lastly and most importantly, on the human and societal level - GenAI/LLMs are deeply unethical.  They have huge environmental impact (that will only get worse, not better); they are being used to further income inequality by funneling more money to corporate board rooms and C-suites (as well as things like helping companies raise rents and falsely accusing people of crimes); they further suppress marginalized people and voices; they dissuade people from developing and using critical thinking skills (causing atrophy in an arguably scarce resource to begin with); and they are trained on materials without consent or recompense.  Individuals get lawsuits or cease and desist letters for doing on a small scale exactly what corporations are now doing to people on an immense scale.  This does nothing but further existing power imbalances.