Vancouver protesters rally against AI centres

Hundreds of people marched through downtown Vancouver on Saturday to protest two planned AI data centres backed by Telus and the federal government, as opposition to the power and water demands of AI infrastructure spilled into the streets. CBC and CityNews said demonstrators gathered in the downtown core and warned the projects would add pressure to local resources as Metro Vancouver faces tighter water restrictions. (cbc.ca) The protest targeted two Vancouver facilities that are part of a broader Telus expansion announced with Ottawa on May 11. Organizers said the public had not been given enough information about the environmental effects of the projects. ### Which projects were protesters trying to stop? (cbc.ca) Telus said on May 11 that it would expand its existing Kamloops data centre and build two new AI data centres in Vancouver under Ottawa’s “Enabling large-scale sovereign AI data centres” initiative. CBC reported that federal Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon said the plan would expand Canada’s “sovereign compute capacity” and support domestic commercial and academic users. The two Vancouver sites are planned for 111 E. 5th Ave. in Mount Pleasant — the former Hootsuite headquarters — and 150 W. Georgia St. near BC Place, according to The Tyee. CBC reported the Mount Pleasant facility is expected to come online later this year, while the West Georgia project is planned for 2029. (cbc.ca) ### Why did water become such a central issue? CBC reported that protesters focused on the amount of water and electricity AI data centres can use, with the march taking place as the region faces tighter water restrictions. CityNews separately said demonstrators cited water consumption, energy use and environmental impacts. (cbc.ca) Torin LaRocque, who organized the protest, told CBC he wanted the city and the federal government to stop the projects. “We should just not have any data centres in Canada, period,” he said. He also said governments should focus on citizens rather than “giant corporations,” according to CBC. (thetyee.ca) ### What are governments and the company saying in response? Evan Solomon said on May 11 that the project would help Canada compete in the global AI economy by increasing domestic computing capacity, CBC reported. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim also backed the proposal, calling the facilities “world-class,” according to CBC’s earlier report on the announcement. (cbc.ca) The British Columbia government said in January that new AI and data-centre projects would have to go through a competitive process for access to clean electricity. The province said 400 megawatts of electricity would be made available over two years and that successful applicants were expected to be notified in September 2026. (cbc.ca) ### Is Vancouver part of a wider backlash against data centres? Otoe County, Nebraska, voted this month to suspend permits needed for new data centres for up to a year, Flatwater Free Press reported, after residents raised questions about water, electricity and local impacts. The report said local governments from California to Maine have adopted or are considering temporary bans, and at least 14 states have weighed statewide moratoriums this year. (cbc.ca) Madison County, Nebraska, earlier this month imposed special-permit requirements for data centres that add oversight and public input, the same report said. Jon Cannon, executive director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials, told Flatwater Free Press more counties may move to tighten rules while they update regulations. (news.gov.bc.ca) ### What comes next in Vancouver? Later this year, the first Vancouver facility at 111 E. 5th Ave. is due to come online, CBC reported. The second Vancouver site at 150 W. Georgia St. is planned for 2029, while British Columbia’s power-allocation process for AI and data-centre projects is set to produce successful applicants in September 2026, according to the provincial government. (flatwaterfreepress.org) (cbc.ca)