Regina residents block vote on Canada's largest AI data centre
Nearly 200 people gathered at Saskatchewan's legislature Saturday to protest Bell Canada's planned 300MW AI data centre in the rural municipality of Sherwood, just outside Regina. The RM of Sherwood council votes Monday on the development agreement.
The timing matters. The council was mostly appointed by the province on April 10 after the previous reeve and three councillors resigned in March, leaving the municipality without quorum. Elections aren't scheduled until November.
Regina Ward 8 Councillor Shanon Zachidniak attended the rally to voice concerns about the lack of public consultation. "If this is truly a wonderful opportunity for our area, then there's nothing to lose by slowing things down," she said.
Zachidniak said she was unable to register to speak at Monday's council meeting. She wants the application tabled until after elected officials take office in November.
Rally organizer Jay-Jay Bigsky said the public is being excluded from decisions. He questioned the job projections and noted that specialized equipment will be rented from American companies.
What the numbers show
Bell Canada says the data centre will generate up to $12 billion for Saskatchewan and create more than 1,600 jobs. The company previously stated the facility will create 800 temporary construction jobs and 80 permanent positions once it opens in 2027.
Bigsky asked how many of those positions will go to local workers. He also flagged Bell's long-term tenancy agreements with American AI companies Cerebras and CoreWeave, which partner with OpenAI.
Premier Scott Moe told reporters Thursday that questions about the project have "straightforward answers." He emphasized job creation and data sovereignty - Canada's legal right to control access to its digital information.
First Nation members say they weren't consulted
George Gordon First Nation signed a memorandum of understanding with Bell Canada, but community members say they had no input on the decision.
Brenda Joyce, an elder from the First Nation, said the chief made plans without consulting members. Janna Pratt, a First Nation member and Regina resident, said there was only one meeting before the partnership was announced.
"We have not been consulted and this project has huge Treaty implications," Pratt said. George Gordon First Nation is an original signatory of Treaty Four, which covers the Regina area where the data centre will be built.
Pratt applied to speak as a delegate at Monday's council meeting but never received confirmation of her registration.
The RM of Sherwood council votes Monday evening on whether to approve the development agreement. The decision will determine whether construction begins on what would be Canada's largest AI data centre.
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