REGINA, Sask. — As plans for large artificial intelligence (AI) data centres advance in Saskatchewan, industry professionals, politicians and residents gathered in Regina to discuss the opportunities and concerns surrounding the growing sector.
Artificial Intelligence Saskatchewan (AiSK), a non-profit organization, held an AI data centre conference Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the Hotel Saskatchewan, where participants were invited to discuss, debate and deliberate on the issues surrounding data centres in the province.
In attendance were data centre IT professionals, students, government officials, business professionals and other residents who wanted to learn more about the facilities.
The purpose of the conference was to educate people about what data centres are and provide a place for participants to exchange ideas and information about their development.
AiSK founder Alex Fallon said one of the most important things to consider is “the amount of data centres that are going to be needed across the world – and in Canada – and the amount that are already underway, in terms of being built, or going to be built.”
Fallon said it is important for Saskatchewan communities and organizations to discuss what the rapid development of hyperscale AI data centres will mean for the province’s economic future.
“It’s a new growing sector, and we have to decide what role Saskatchewan is going to play in that,” said Fallon.
Among the attendees were Ray Orb, interim reeve of the Rural Municipality of Sherwood, who supports the development of the Bell AI data centre in the RM, and NDP MLA Brittney Senger, who has been calling for greater transparency from the provincial government about the project. Both were invited to participate in a panel discussion about issues surrounding data centres.
Orb said he understands that residents of the RM of Sherwood and Regina are concerned about the scale and speed of the Bell data centre’s development.
“I just have to remind everyone – municipalities are a creation of the province, and so we are under the provincial regulatory regime, and there’s only so much we can do to educate the general public,” said Orb.
Orb agreed with Senger that at least some of the information needs to come directly from the province. Senger outlined what she and her party would like to see from the provincial government.
“Ensuring that there are guard rails, that there are protections in place, that there is consultation, that there is input, and an environmental impact assessment…that all of these pieces are addressed – I think that would really go a long way,” said Senger.
