Many are weighing in regarding the news that Telus, the Government of Canada, and local developer Westbank have proposed a cluster of AI data centres in B.C. and Vancouver. And while some support the proposal, others are vehemently in opposition.
Residents, politicians, and experts are all sharing their thoughts, with many calling the proposed locations into question and others bringing up the potential environmental and resource concerns it could cause.
To bring you up to speed, Telus is moving forward with plans to build a major sovereign AI infrastructure network in B.C. It would see a facility in Kamloops and two in Vancouver, including one next to BC Place and another near the Hootsuite offices on East 5th Avenue in Mount Pleasant.
Telus suggests the project could generate $9 billion in economic activity in the province, and create over 1,000 construction jobs, with hundreds more in long-term tech and operation roles.
This would be the second major development partnership between Telus and Westbank, the other being the Telus Garden.
What the science says about data centres
Hyperion (Ali Mustafa/LinkedIn)
In 2024, the Harvard Business Review compiled some data on the environmental costs of AI.
“The training process for a single AI model, such as a large language model, can consume thousands of megawatt hours of electricity and emit hundreds of tons of carbon,” the report said.
“All these environmental impacts are expected to escalate considerably, with the global AI energy demand projected to exponentially increase to at least 10 times the current level and exceed the annual electricity consumption of a small country like Belgium by 2026.”
The review concluded that AI’s environmental impacts have to resonate with the priorities and interests of local regions.
EarthJustice, a reputable non-profit public interest environmental law organization, also shared some insights on data centres late last month.
“Unchecked electricity demand from data centers threatens to increase health and climate-harming pollution, deplete water supplies, and undermine our transition to clean energy,” it said.
EarthJustice says that nearby communities suffer from an increase in local air and water pollution, electronic waste, and noise pollution. It also said that data centres require around one to five million gallons of water per day.
“Although less water-intensive technologies are available, most data centers still rely on inefficient evaporative cooling.”
“Data center companies often negotiate secretive, special contracts for discounted power rates with utilities that shift costs onto regular household utility bills,” EarthJustice suggests, and we’ve reached out to BC Hydro for more information relating to local rates.
According to Telus, the Vancouver AI data centres, which work differently from traditional data centres, would be powered by 98 per cent renewable energy.
“A closed-loop liquid cooling system will reduce cooling energy consumption by 80 per cent compared to traditional data centres.”
“Importantly, in the age of AI, these data centres address Canada’s growing need for security and a Sovereign AI Solution – by providing 100% Canadian controlled infrastructure, data protection, domestic oversight and zero foreign dependency,” Telus said in its media release.
Westbank told Daily Hive that the M3 data centre’s site in Mount Pleasant currently hosts an existing data centre.
“There is no change in use, this is a case of adaptive reuse to support upgraded infrastructure. The urban locations of both data centres allow for the connection to district energy, which is what allows the projects to achieve low carbon outcomes,” Westbank added.
“Are you f**king kidding? MOUNT PLEASANT?!”
Farts Pfotografy
Many have weighed in on the development, including new federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis, who said we should be building affordable homes, a network of public grocery stores, electric buses and an east-west clean energy grid.
“Not massive corporate AI data centres unleashed without any democratic debate,” Lewis said in a post on X.
Lewis also called for an immediate pause on the construction of new AI data centres until federal guardrails are in place.
“We can’t sit back and let Big Tech billionaires decide our future for us,” he added.
Lewis wasn’t the only political leader weighing in.
At the provincial level, Emily Lowan, the leader of the B.C. Greens said while data sovereignty is important, handouts for big AI isn’t the way to get there.
Others responded with shock at the proposed Mount Pleasant location.
Are you fucking kidding?
MOUNT PLEASANT?!
We have thousands of miles of cold, uninhabitated land but you want these things next to homes? What the actual fuck?— 🆒 Chris Parry (@ChrisParry) May 11, 2026
Some brought up water restrictions, making points about how much water will be needed for these centres. Vancouver City Councillor Peter Meiszner responded to that concern.
Water consumption will be 90% lower than traditional data centres, with plans to incorporate recycled water from BC Place. (source @TELUS)
— Peter Meiszner (@PeterMeiszner) May 12, 2026
Lowan responded to the environmental claims in a statement to Daily Hive Urbanized.
“TELUS’s claim that their centres will be powered by 98% clean energy is dubious at best. We’re already importing American coal-powered electricity to deal with our energy crisis. This energy crisis is caused by drought conditions, which will only be made worse by the extensive water usage of data centres,” she said.
Lowan said, “We need a moratorium on AI data centres.”
“Our government should not be celebrating a handout to TELUS to build AI data centres in the heart of Vancouver. Billionaires are hoarding our wealth, and now, our government is letting them hoard even more of our resources.”
Daily Hive Urbanized heard from Councillor Sean Orr about the development, too.
He said, “If we were to ask the people of Vancouver how we should use our infrastructure, our energy, and our space, would they pick data centres or would they pick something else?”
Orr wondered what the impact would be on the Vancouver electrical grid, and whether the corporations and private companies would be paying for additional infrastructure or whether that cost would fall on residents.
“Currently, my understanding is that data centers have a short shelf life before being out of date with newer chips, and the chips themselves don’t last five years. We are building something that will require billions in assets but may become outdated three years after its built,” Orr said.
“Say what you will about pipelines, but they don’t become irrelevant after three years. Is it sovereign infrastructure to keep building something that is extremely expensive, and becomes outdated a year or two after construction completes?”
“Is it sovereign infrastructure to build something that may become a stranded asset very soon? I believe a bunch of data center construction projects are being paused for these very concerns right now,” Orr said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney also posted about the news, which Vancouver-based real estate analyst Steve Saretsky referenced.
Right in the heart of Downtown and in partnership with Westbank. Lol https://t.co/9d3FuHZLD0
— Steve Saretsky (@SteveSaretsky) May 12, 2026
On the Vancouver subreddit, most of the opposition seems to be in regard to the chosen locations.
“It seems absolutely nutso to use this sort of transit accessible downtown real estate for something that would mostly house computers and generate relatively few jobs,” a Redditor said, adding, “Next to BC Place, that should be a hotel or office tower. You could put a data centre anywhere else in Metro Vancouver. Baffling.”
Someone else asked, “Doesn’t Vancouver already have water problems?”
What BC Hydro is saying
Ramon Cliff/Shutterstock
According to BC Hydro, the utility and the Province are taking a “managed and phased approach to serving these large new loads to protect affordability and reliability for residential customers.”
When it comes to high-demand projects like data centres, BC Hydro says there’s a structured and “competitive” process with capped power allocations, rather than unlimited first-come access.
BC Hydro says that it ensures that only projects that deliver the greatest economic and system value move forward, with overall demand staying within what the system can reliably support.
“Through this competitive process, BC Hydro will select a limited number of projects to proceed. In doing so, the Province is also supporting advanced projects that are well-positioned to proceed, ensuring clean electricity is directed to proposals that can deliver benefits to British Columbians sooner.”
BC Hydro says that Telus projects that advanced prior to this framework being introduced aren’t part of the new competitive process.
“Projects with a signed facilities study agreement for transmission, or a design deposit for distribution, will continue under the existing interconnection process. Any additional capacity requested beyond that amount is not guaranteed and would have to be secured through the competitive call for power,” BC Hydro says.
It adds, “In simple terms, it means growth is being carefully managed, so we can support new industries like AI while making sure there’s still capacity for homes and other important sectors.”
Where do you stand on the Vancouver AI data centre plan? Let us know in the comments.
With files from Kenneth Chan