A man hoping to build a controversial data centre in southern Alberta says he’s hoping to win over community sentiment as the mega-project is developed. Eric Steeves recently had a slice of land about 180 kilometres southeast of Calgary rezoned for the centre. It’s in a region his family has farmed in for five generations — and one that Steeves claims will be helped by new economic growth. “I think there’s an opportunity here to complement rural areas with a tax base and jobs,” he told CTV News Friday. “I’m not a developer that’s looking for a quick flip.” The project first made headlines in June, when Vulcan County council voted in favour of rezoning the 238 hectares for a future industrial development. Steeves envisions the eventual 400-megawatt build-out bringing up to 200 jobs to the area. And he claims revitalizing the agriculturally languishing region is a personal driver. “There’s not a lot of entrepreneurs that will do something for free, but I also see the opportunity,” he said. “The difference with this project is it’s from a local proponent. I see if we do this right, it’s a way to maximize local benefits for the community that I’ve been part of that has been struggling.” Steeves has already submitted a grid application and wants to get moving on approvals for a power plant and substation in November. He tells CTV News if all goes according to plan there, he’d like to push a development permit to the county in the spring. The Albertan is travelling to Toronto, Las Vegas and San Francisco in the weeks ahead to find a future leaser of the centre. Critics remain unhappy Down the hill from Steeves’ land, full and part-time residents of lakeside community Little Bow Resort still aren’t convinced. To them, worries about water, power, the environment and light pollution are the project’s sticking points. The eventual centre would draw its water from nearby Travers Reservoir and sit about four kilometres away from the resort. “But he’s up on a hill, and we’re at the bottom of the hill, and there’s water,” neighbour Sylvia Farrant said. “Sound gets amplified across water. Light pollution gets amplified across the water.” “The further away he goes, the happier we’re going to be.” Steeves says in this case the “typical data centre” concerns are overblown. “Innovation and technology have reduced water usage (in this area),” he said. “So there’s more than enough water to go around: not only for more irrigation expansion, but for a project here.” And for electricity? Steeves thinks the project could help distribute a glut of power in the area. He does acknowledge prices could go up in the near term, but long term, he believes diversifying the electricity system will have them level off. Resort residents CTV News talked to aren’t convinced. They cite other cases — many south of the border — where data centres have increased electricity costs for taxpayers. In Alberta, recent reporting suggests a new Meta facility north of Edmonton could cause a power bill spike. “(Steeves) seems to be very genuine about what he’s trying to do for the agricultural community,” Farrant said. “We’re just saying there’s a lot of land out here and you’ve got all these investors, there must be another piece of land where you can do the same thing.” “I’ve already had a realtor tell me if this thing goes through, none of these homes (in Little Bow Resort) will sell.” Judicial review A group of nearby residents — including Farrant — requested a judicial review of the council’s rezoning decision. It will be heard next week. The neighbours are asking Alberta courts to quash the rezoning and require any future consideration of the proposal “occur through a lawful, transparent, and procedurally fair process.” They’re also calling on the provincial government to bring in more stringent regulations on the industry as more data centres are approved. Steeves told CTV News on Friday he hopes he can prove to his critics that this project is more thought-out and well-planned than others like it. “My door is open,” he said. “I’m not here saying I’m just going to shove this down the path, I want to work with everyone. I’m willing to have those conversations.”
