Meta's Gas-Guzzling $13 Billion Data Centre Coming to Alberta

Danielle Smith announces a $13 billion Meta data centre in Sturgeon County, Alberta, set to be the largest in Canada.In contrast to Carney’s federal A.I. strategy, which promised clean, sovereign, and ethical A.I.,  Smith refers to the Meta project as a “digital refinery,” fuelled by a natural gas plant that will be built to power it. Instead of digital sovereignty, is Canada going to end up being a branch-plant, resource economy at the service of Big Tech? Plus, the best Canadian films you probably haven’t seen, and Big Tech’s new hiring target: philosophers. Host: Jesse BrownCredits: James Nicholson (Producer), Kallan Lyons (Associate Producer and Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Tristan Capacchione (Senior Production Supervisor), Jesse Brown (Editor)Guest: Douglas SoltysFurther reading: Big Tech joins Calgary Stampede oil bash, as Alberta courts data centres | CBC News Meta to build $13 billion data centre in Alberta, largest outside the U.S. | Globalnews.ca 'Responsible corporate citizen:' Meta, Premier Danielle Smith defend $13B Alberta mega data centre plan - Edmonton JournalSupersized data centres are coming to Canada. One province is at the epicentre | CBC News Meta to build Canada’s largest data centre north of Edmonton | BetaKitMeta axes feature that allowed tagging Instagram users to generate AI images of them | CBC News  Vancouver’s Growing Anti-AI Movement | The Tyee Meta’s AI Data Center Caught Leaking Deadly Bacteria Into Water Town Uses for Irrigation - Futurism The Revenge of the Philosophy Majors - NY Times The 100 best Canadian films ever made - The Globe and Mail Join Jesse Brown at the University of Waterloo for:Campus Town Hall - Civil Conversations7pm | July 21st, 2026University of WaterlooPearl Sullivan Engineering BuildingPSE 7303Supported by Heterodox AcademySponsors:Fizz Mobile: Visit fizz.ca and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN40 to get 40$ off and 10GB of free data.Douglas:  Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today.  Visit douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at Shopify.ca If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.