Vancouver Says Not in Our Backyard
Hundreds of protesters marched through Vancouver on Saturday, turning out to oppose two planned artificial intelligence data centres slated for the city. The demonstration marks one of the most visible public pushbacks against AI infrastructure in Canada, and it's raising questions that are resonating well beyond British Columbia.
The core concern is simple but urgent: data centres are notoriously thirsty and power-hungry. AI facilities in particular — which run massive banks of servers around the clock to train and operate large language models — can consume millions of litres of water annually for cooling, and draw enormous amounts of electricity. For a region already navigating tighter water restrictions, residents aren't convinced the trade-off is worth it.
Water, Power, and a City Under Pressure
Vancouver and the surrounding Metro area have faced increasing pressure on water resources in recent years, with summer restrictions becoming more common as climate patterns shift. Critics of the data centre proposals argue that welcoming facilities with such heavy resource demands sends the wrong message at exactly the wrong time.
Energy consumption is the other flashpoint. BC Hydro supplies much of the province's electricity through hydroelectric power — technically a cleaner source — but environmental advocates argue that massive new loads still strain the grid and crowd out capacity that could go toward decarbonizing homes and industry.
Protesters carried signs calling for transparency from city council and the companies behind the projects, demanding public consultations before any permits are approved.
The Bigger Picture: AI's Infrastructure Problem
The Vancouver rally is part of a growing global conversation about the hidden costs of the AI industry. While tech companies pitch data centres as economic drivers — bringing jobs and tax revenue — communities are increasingly scrutinizing what they give up in return.
Across North America, similar protests and zoning battles have erupted in places like Virginia, Iowa, and Ireland over data centre sprawl. Canada, with its relatively cheap electricity and cold climate (natural cooling is a major cost saver), has become an increasingly attractive destination for these facilities.
For Canadians watching from elsewhere — including here in Ottawa, home to a growing tech sector and federal government cloud infrastructure — the debate is a preview of conversations that may soon arrive closer to home. The National Capital Region hosts data centres tied to federal government operations, and as AI adoption accelerates in the public sector, questions about energy and water use will only get louder.
What Comes Next
Vancouver city council has not yet issued final approval for either facility. Organizers say they plan to maintain pressure, calling for independent environmental assessments and mandatory community consultations before any shovels go in the ground.
The protests signal a broader shift in how Canadians are starting to think about the AI boom — not just as a story about innovation and economic opportunity, but as a question about land, water, and what kind of cities we want to live in.
Source: CBC News British Columbia
